Black mark on my credit file for 60p?! - ** SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME **

[NGEddie]

Hi guys,

 

Hope this is the right section to post.

 

I had cause to do a credit check on myself with equifax yesterday for the first time ever.

 

I found a horrible red square and when looking into this it turns out this is from an energy provider.

 

Long story short I have a house being done up and its taking ages, over this year its used £12 in electric, I yesterday called up and paid my 48p bill...

 

It turns out in May I called them to pay £10 odd and give a meter reading, this produced a bill which I got a few days later. I saw it was £11 odd lets say and there was no record of the £10 I had paid, so I assumed it must have just not been put onto the account in time. I didnt really think anything of this, then when I next when to the house no reminders or anything, until I got a bill in August once again estimated for £100, so when calling and giving reading I paid the £1.50 owing.

 

What was not brought to light was the 60p difference from the May bill which they said was not paid in June, July or August, so I now have a 3 month late payment showing on my history which has just put the kybosh on a mortgage I was trying to get, grrrrrrr!

 

45 minutes on phone today and energy people and manager wont budge and say im at fault for not reading bill properly or querying it, they always send reminders but said this was too small for system to produce and do not have to by law.

 

Is there anything I can do? It seems crazy as i have an all green history apart from this.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Ed

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

You must take this up with the creditor directly. write do not e-mail to their Data Controller and and tell them that to place such markers for that amount is mainfestly unfair and you demand the removal of the entry which has caused you to be declined for mortgage finance.

 

Also state you will be making a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office and the Financial Ombudsman Service in regard to their conduct.

Send recorded delivery.

[NGEddie]

Thank you, shall get it underway now then post a draft for your feed back if thats ok

 

Yes it was somethibng automated it seems, but even when the staff person and supervisor were aware of this they still said nothing could be done, if you stop and look at the facts its ridiculous, but they couldnt grasp that!

[NGEddie]

Another thing quickly on reading my report again

 

This bill in question was dated 27/4/12, on my report it shows the letters of the months, under J for July it says...2 payments late, then under A for August it says...3 payments late. By payments do they mean months?

 

Thanks

 

Ed!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Ongoing rolling report: month 1 late payment, show 1. late payment month 2 shows 2 and so on.

[NGEddie]

Ok thanks, makes sense.

 

How does this sound :-

 

Dear DataController,

I am writing regarding markers you have placed on mycredit report for alleged missed payments.

To paint the picture, the property in question isundergoing renovation and I do not visit there all the time. I have toldcountless staff members this but to no avail, however when I do receive yourbill I always pay it as you can see from your records.

After receiving bill dated 30/3/12 for £86.91 I calledthe day I found this at the property 26/4/12 and spoke with James and gave thereading. He said this reduced the bill to £10.89 which I paid and believed thiswas all fine as had given authorisation 498405.

It now appears this produced a bill 27/4/12 for £11.49. BelievingI had cleared my account I did not feel there was an issue as no reminders arrivedor mention of any difference in amount due. Therefore going on the word of youemployees as I always do I honestly believed my account was still clear.

The next bill to arrive for £100.97 dated 6/7/12 I foundwhen I next went to the house and called Marvin Brown, gave the reading andpaid the £1.53 due. Again no mention ofany issues or overdue amounts.

It was only when I was declined for a mortgageapplication did it come to light that you have tarnished what was a perfectcredit record of mine, all for the sake of 60p that I was unaware of and at nopoint reminded of. To place such markersfor that amount is manifestly unfair and I request/demand? the removal of theentry.

I need this doing asap else shall be making a complaint to the InformationCommissioners Office and the Financial Ombudsman Service in regard to your conduct.

I await your reply.

 

Many thanks again for help!

 

Ed

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Yes Ed send it if their response is negative give me a shout and we'll go in harder.

[NGEddie]

Cheers, do I request or demand they remove it?!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Cheers, do I request or demand they remove it?!

 

 

Oh DEMAND!!

[NGEddie]

Demand it is!

 

Thanks

[NGEddie]

Just to say many thanks mate, got a letter from them back, apologised and written to Equifax explaining and having my file cleared, very happy!

[citizenB]

Well done.

 

It is absolutely ridiculous that they would trash your credit file for ..... £0.60p !!

 

Do check your records to ensure that any adverse entries have been removed.

 

I will amend your title to reflect this victory

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I just luuuuuuuuurve demanding action, good result:madgrin:

[LaughingGirl]

What a ridiculous situation! Well done on getting it sorted though.

[NGEddie]

Thanks guys

 

So it should show up clear on my file now? I bought the £2 check thing which lasts for a month I think, so does that get updated or does it just show what was valid when I bought it before they agreed to move it?

 

Cheers

 

E!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

YOU WILL NEED TO GET A NEW REPORT AND CHECK THE OTHER CRAs as well.

[NGEddie]

Ok thanks for that. I have not even checked my history before now so didnt realise once bought the £2, I guess you can view it as many times as you want in that 30 days and it wont change!

 

I shall leave it a few days then get another one then

 

Which other CRA's should I check with?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

A week would be better.

experian, equifax, call credit(noddle) are main ones.

[NGEddie]

A week it is

[rinfrance]

I know this is slightly humorous however, some 40 odd years ago I worked for the SEB and had the job of going around doing non payment disconnections. Now 2 things had recently happened, all bills went out on a "computer", and the halfpenny was scrapped.

I went to a ladies house, a nice one in Long Lane Hillingdon. The lady was Polish. She sort of enquired would I like a cup of tea and I thought this is a bit strange so got her to ring her son. She did, and I explained to him, he explained to her and she went and got both the stamped bill paid at Uxbridge S/R and the cheque stub and it showed she had paid one half penny short as the S/R refused to take a cheque for the bit with the hapenny on it.

So any way, I spent the next hour learning some Polish, if the board could waste my time then the least I could do was be sociable on theirs.

[Viking_Raider]

I had my phone with Bell Cable Media for some time. Their accounting software was so rubbish that, every so often, they would credit my cable TV account (which I had long since stopped) instead of the phone bill, and then cut off my phone for non payment. After the third time, I got fed up and went back to BT.

 

Thing is, this was during the time when all directory enquiries were done by BT - BT would charge Bell Cable Media at the end of the month, and the charge would come through the month afterwards.

 

So a month after I had the "final" bill, I got another one, for 25p..... in a letter which (from memory) had a 26p stamp on it! So I left it - I got a reminder, a second reminder, a threatening letter and, finally, a threat that they would send the bailiffs in.

 

So I went to the post office and paid it, using the Giro payment, with a cheque.... The man at the post office reckoned that it would cost them about £5 for that payment.

 

I think that they must have paid about £10 to get that 25p

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Good serves them right, well done!!