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hailceaser
Posts: 5 Forumite
Account Started 30/01/2009
Default Date 02/08/2014
Default Amount- £457
Default Entry Date 18/02/2018
Address- Apartment 21 Egremont XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I went to apply for a mortgage this week and was confident I'd be fine as I had a sterling credit record -The last time I checked in March anyways. My application was declined and upon checking my credit profile, I found the above entry. Indeed I had an account with British Gas (BG) during this period, I moved out of the property in July 2013. I had a direct debit set up on a joint account with my ex girlfriend so payment was made promptly.
When I moved out, I informed BG and provided them with a forwarding address for the final bill. I have since not heard from them or received any correspondence regarding any debt owed. Between June 2016 and July 2017, I opened a new account with BG at a new address without any qualms. No mention of money owed or an alleged defaulted account in 2014 was made neithre. I closed the latter account in 2017 with £0 balance.
I contacted BG on Tuesday regarding this and they said the last payment was received in Feb 2013 as the direct debit was cancelled (most certainly by my ex girlfriend), Given the account was under my name I believe I ought to have been contacted at some point either by telephone or letter. I also I imagine they are legally required to send default notice before applying this on my credit record?
Surely if i had indeed defaulted on an account in August 2014, this should have precluded me from opening a new account with the same provider in June 2016 right?? Or they should have at least made mention of this during the account opening telephone conversation.
What grates my cheese is that I have never heard from BG or even Lowell up until today. I was informed by BG that they have sold the account to Lowell when I contacted them yesterday. I am still waiting to hear from Lowell. Also If the last payment was received by BG in February 2013, shouldn't the 'default date' be between February and August 2013 ? The default date on my file is August 2014.
I am confused and at lost, my house purchase plan has been derailed and I am plainly very upset about this. I need help, please assist and kindly advise on how to resolve this. If you need any more info, please let me know.
Default Date 02/08/2014
Default Amount- £457
Default Entry Date 18/02/2018
Address- Apartment 21 Egremont XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I went to apply for a mortgage this week and was confident I'd be fine as I had a sterling credit record -The last time I checked in March anyways. My application was declined and upon checking my credit profile, I found the above entry. Indeed I had an account with British Gas (BG) during this period, I moved out of the property in July 2013. I had a direct debit set up on a joint account with my ex girlfriend so payment was made promptly.
When I moved out, I informed BG and provided them with a forwarding address for the final bill. I have since not heard from them or received any correspondence regarding any debt owed. Between June 2016 and July 2017, I opened a new account with BG at a new address without any qualms. No mention of money owed or an alleged defaulted account in 2014 was made neithre. I closed the latter account in 2017 with £0 balance.
I contacted BG on Tuesday regarding this and they said the last payment was received in Feb 2013 as the direct debit was cancelled (most certainly by my ex girlfriend), Given the account was under my name I believe I ought to have been contacted at some point either by telephone or letter. I also I imagine they are legally required to send default notice before applying this on my credit record?
Surely if i had indeed defaulted on an account in August 2014, this should have precluded me from opening a new account with the same provider in June 2016 right?? Or they should have at least made mention of this during the account opening telephone conversation.
What grates my cheese is that I have never heard from BG or even Lowell up until today. I was informed by BG that they have sold the account to Lowell when I contacted them yesterday. I am still waiting to hear from Lowell. Also If the last payment was received by BG in February 2013, shouldn't the 'default date' be between February and August 2013 ? The default date on my file is August 2014.
I am confused and at lost, my house purchase plan has been derailed and I am plainly very upset about this. I need help, please assist and kindly advise on how to resolve this. If you need any more info, please let me know.
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Comments
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The best you can do know is to settle the default.
You could appeal for some mercy, but they were allowed to apply the default and to give you a separate account at a new address.
Ask them to put the default date back to within 6 months of the final payment.
Use a decent broker to place your mortgage.0 -
And you had a 6 month Royal Mail redirection service setup after your move. To capture any straggling mail - yes?0
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Yes I had a redirection email set up, and I sent British Gas a copy of this.0
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I'm having similar issues with Lowell (and EDF). You need to send them a prove it letter
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If negotiations with British Gas and Lowell draw a blank, you can escalate your complaint to the ICO.
They deal with all data protection issues, including incorrectly applied defaults, as your end goal is to get this removed or at the very least the date revised.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free wannabe, Credit file and ratings, and Bankruptcy and living with it boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.For free non-judgemental debt advice, contact either Stepchange, National Debtline, or CitizensAdviceBureaux.Link to SOA Calculator- https://www.stoozing.com/soa.php The "provit letter" is here-https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter0 -
The best you can do know is to settle the default.
You could appeal for some mercy, but they were allowed to apply the default and to give you a separate account at a new address.
Ask them to put the default date back to within 6 months of the final payment.
Use a decent broker to place your mortgage.
I agree with you. The point I was making was they had my contact details, they could have contacted me in 2016 about this debt and I would have settled it.0 -
hailceaser wrote: »Given the account was under my name I believe I ought to have been contacted at some point either by telephone or letter. I also I imagine they are legally required to send default notice before applying this on my credit record?
Yes they are required to contact you. However they are only legally required to contact you at the last address they have on file for you so if you moved and didn't pass on your new address to them they'd have sent any correspondence to the place you used to live at and have done nothing wrong in doing that.
Sending them a copy of your redirection with RM isn't sufficient, especially if you did it by email, you have to tell them "this is my new address" and the notices of default would most likely not have been redirected as they'd have not happened until after the 6 month period.0
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