Hi everyone.
Apologies in advance for any failures in etiquette or rules here, i'm new.
I will start off with a disclaimer of sorts, I'm autistic and stubborn as a result of it. I'm great with numbers, bit of a people pleaser, a little gullible, but i really get the bit between my teeth when someone says I owe something I do not. Much I do at the cost of my own time, sanity and well.... time.
In short,
I was lead to believe something told in bad faith, and I ended up in court & subsequently going to prison.
Prior to this, the day I was due to attend court for sentencing, I cancelled my cellular and broadband contracts with EE.
I had been with them at least 4 years, and stuck with them all throughout the myriad of issues faced with the broadband connection - simply for not wanting to be tied into a fixed term contract. Both were rolling, and both were cancelled, or so I thought, via 2 separate phone calls in the morning, just before I attended court. This was witnessed, and overheard by a friend who came down from the midlands, to drive me to the court, and remain with me as support.
After being released, I learned that only the broadband contract cancellation had been actioned. The cellular contract was still live.
Fuming, i went to the bank, requested the money back, as part of the direct debit guarantee, and proceeded to call the first EE number I came across.
I explained the situation, and they offered 6 months back as a gesture of goodwill, as they could see the account had no usage, despite being billed. I stated this was insufficient, as the contract had been cancelled. EE held firm, so I asked for a deadlock letter. This was provided, and I subsequently went to Ombudsman services - Communications....
Well they were as much use as a wet paper bag. They also dismissed the written testimony of this friend of mine, whom was there at the time. EE on the other hand, has all too conveniently 'lost' the recordings, subject to GDPR, and have only a few shorthand notes to represent the content of the entire call. This is probably from an underpaid, under-trained and over-strained call handler. I am not responsible for EE's training issues. If they say a contract is cancelled, they are in the best position to know, confirm and communicate such. I would say that telling an autistic person that a contract is cancelled, while holding the requisite position to know, would easily lead them to believe without question, that it was in fact cancelled - but I can't really imagine neurotypical people being much different in that belief.
In short, the Ombudsman sided with EE, and even went so far as to suggest that I should have had someone manage my finances for me! - What, because I'm autistic and that automatically makes me incapable of managing my own finances, and I therefore don't understand the need to cancel unneeded services, and the wherewithal to action such? Pffft. This unqualified suggestion was followed up upon challenge at appeal, to mean that I should have instructed someone to act on my behalf whilst in prison..... - I should not need to instruct anyone to action explicit instructions, that should have been carried out first time, without question, that i'm entitled to do, as part of a rolling contract.
EE has Since sold the debt on to Lowell, whom have also been an earful about said cancellation. Interestingly they can do an 'debt adjustment', to show it as settled rather than partial, but I've told them to jog on as the credit markers will remain, and any such payment would construe acceptance of the debt. More on that in a bit.
Details:
Rolling EE phone contract (outside of fixed window). I phoned and asked to cancel the contract, but asked to keep the number in the event that I received a community sentence, rather than imprisonment. At the end of the call, the customer services representative told me that it was done. To me, that meant that the contract had been cancelled, and I had been sent a porting authority code by some means, to use after the sentencing hearing if favourable. I then turned the phone off, I was not obligated to read any further correspondence from EE, as in my mind, the contract had been terminated, as confirmed by the customer services rep stating they had 'done' it. With that, I gave my phone to my friend for safekeeping. The direct debits were kept live so that EE could collect any monies due for notice period(s), if applicable. They took a liberty in continuing to bill me.
Upon release, mid pandemic, it was exceptionally difficult finding accommodation, particularly while unemployed, and with EE placing adverse markers on my credit file, and sending snotty letters subsequent to chargeback, all whilst the Ombudsman was still hearing the case. The Ombudsman did request EE halt until conclusion, but this was already too late. I contacted EE and informed of them that this was highly inappropriate, I was bouncing around temporary accommodation as a result, and that this was a genuine dispute made in good faith. They would not rescind the late 'markers' for a debt not owed, not even until the conclusion of the ADR.
On a later occasion, in a manic moment, I did offer to pay EE the full amount 'outstanding', on provision that they removed all adverse markers, as the payments were taken originally, despite lack of authority, and this was only 'due' as a result of chargeback. I made it clear in the very same letter that this a disputed debt and was by no means acceptance of responsibility, and I would pursue this matter through court if they accepted these terms. EE refused, stating the markers would not be removed, but naturally invited me to pay anyway. I ignored them since then.
The 'debt' later got sold to Lowell. They contacted me by email. I responded by phone. I asked what they wanted, explained the above circumstances, and they stated they could 'adjust' the debt down to a hypothetical notice window. I stated that I refused on the basis of the credit reference markers. At the conclusion of the call, they asked for permission to retain contact details. They asked for phone number, and I explicitly stated that they could keep it if they were willing to work with me in removing the credit markers in exchange for the nominal 'notice period' adjustment they were implying, otherwise they were to delete the number. I refused to give them a mailing address as I was still in temporary accommodation. This conversation was just shy of a year ago.
Fast forward to a couple of days ago, I received an SMS message from Lowell, asking me if I had received the letter they sent me. I am now in more permanent accommodations, albeit a room in a shared house, and now back on the electoral roll. Not exactly conducive to my disability - not with all the drug usage doing on in other parts of the house, but still better than the street, or bouncing around hostels. I phoned them and asked what they wanted. It was regarding the same issue, and so everything was rehashed, and the same position was put to them. I also asked why is it they even had my number still? This, apparently, has been forwarded to their own internal complaints handler.
Apologies for the length, I do have some understanding of obscure bits law, mostly relating to qualities and employment law, but there is a big difference knowing some elements of the law, and putting it into action.
Any idea what i could or should do next? I am sick of being turned down based on credit checks for something that is not owed, and i'm frankly sick of the 'computer say's no' attitude. I screw up, I get screwed. Employers and service providers screw up, I still get screwed.
Thank you all for your time.
