Removing a default from a communications group**RESOLVED**

[Leigh2000]

Hi Everyone

 

Any observations/ advice with the case below would be appreciated...

 

In 2007, just as Virgin Media was taking control of NTL,

I signed up with Virgin’s phone service, opting to pay them for my line rental and calls.

 

Not long after I had done this my phone line was hacked by one of myneighbours who, unbeknown to me, had ran up a large bill

by the time I had discovered what had happened and reported the problem.

Virgin sent an engineer to fix the problem but even though their own engineer acknowledged that thephone line had been hacked,

Virgin still sent me a bill for the calls made.

The itemised bill listed both the calls I had made and many made by my neighbour.

The outstanding bill was for over £400 and I settled the part which applied to me as I recognised the numbers I had dialled.

However, Virgin continued to pursue me for the remaining £247 outstanding which I refused topay.

 

I tried many times, over several months to resolve the situation.

Unfortunately, despite my protests that I had been supplied with an unsecured line (shown by the fact that it had been vulnerable to hacking),

Virgin refused to listen to my arguments and passed my “debt” on to a debt collection agency.

As a response to this, I involved my solicitor and the unpaid debt, being in dispute, was returned to Virgin.

My solicitor demanded copies of the contract I had signed with Virgin and relevant documentation pertaining to this case.

Virgin never replied.

Virgin then seemed to give up

its pursuit of this “debt” which I still maintain was not of my making.

 

However, upon checking my credit file, I find that Virgin have recorded me as defaulting on the account.

I find this ethically unfair as I have tried very hard to resolve the situation.

I have only recently checked my credit file with Equifax and have raised the dispute with them but I led to believe that Virgin must inform them

and only then can the notice of default be removed.

 

My latest move is to use a template letter from here

 

[wouldn't let me insert line as i don't have 10 posts?!!]

 

In order to get Virgin to remove the default. I'm thinking it's unlikely that they will stil have the paperwork on their files in which case I should be able to get them to remove the default.

Has anyone been through anything like this with a communications company?

 

Thanks

 

Leigh

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG

 

I would send them two letters. Letter one will be a fully itemised letter (in bullet points) of what happened and where we are today and demanding they remove the default within 14 days. If they fail to acknowledge OR refuse to do so---

Letter two would be the Letter Before Action giving them another 14 days. If they still refuse or ignore-Sue

 

If you don't have all the facts surrounding this case, a Subject Access Request would be in order

[Leigh2000]

Thanks Silverfox...

 

I'll probably end up doing what you suggested but have emailed Neil Berkett (Virgin Media CEO) to see if I can get a quick response before digging in for the long haul!

 

Leigh

[Leigh2000]

Well, I just wanted to log in and say how impressed I have been with the reply I was given by Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media.

 

He personally acknowledged my email at 06:52 and handed the case over to a member of his team. I received a call just after 2pm informing me that the case had been investigated and that Virgin are instructing that the default against my credit file will be removed within 14 days.

 

I had already exhausted all avenues of complaint several years ago and was starting to despair at ever getting the situaton I outlined above fixed, but this is such a breath of fresh air; a Senior Manager who obviously values his customers and the reputation of his company.

 

Much kudos to Neil Berkett on this one!

[silverfox1961]

That is good to see Leigh.

Can you let us know that the default has been removed then we can mark this thread resolved (I won't do it until we hear)

[Leigh2000]

Hi- Yes, it's been done. The default removed from my credit file and my credit score has gone up as a result. Can't fault Neil Berkett on this one!

 

Leigh

[silverfox1961]

Great stuff. Well done Virgin (don't say that very often)

I will mark this thread resolved