Being Harrassed By HL Solicitors

[Shadow_Fax]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and I was wondering if you could help me? I've already posted this on another forum but I'm posting here too to get some more info as you all seem like a very knowledgeable bunch Basically, this is my situation:

 

Last year in 2012 (I can't remember the exact month) I got a letter from I think the company was called something like Sigma saying that they were writing to me on behalf of t-mobile on a £164 bill I owe which I must pay immediately. This bill was all the way back from 2009! I found this strange as I have NEVER had a phone with t-mobile. The only thing I could remember was a internet dongle I purchased in 2009, over the counter and pay as you go. I literally used it for one day, then bought an o2 dongle the next day as the t-mobile one didn't work and never used the t-mobile one again. But I thought surely I can't owe a bill that much on something I didn't even use!

 

So I phoned up the sigma company and told the man on the phone that I have never took a contract out with t-mobile and this must be a mistake. He told me he'd look into it and that was that for a few months.

 

Now since then, I have been getting multiple letters off a company called HL Solicitors (who are acting on behalf of a company called Sigma SPV1 Limited) asking me to pay this bill. So a few months ago I called up t-mobile instead and explained to the woman the situation. She said it was from back in 2009 but the account has since been closed and she can't access the specific details on what exactly the charge was for. She said she would notify the fraud department and in the meantime just to ignore any incoming letters from this debt collection agency which is what I did.

 

Then yesterday I got another letter of HL Solicitors saying that if I don't pay the bill within 14 days they will take me to court! And now the charge has gone up to £229! So I called them up demanding to know why they are still harassing me. The man said it was for the dongle but it was an 18 month contracted dongle that hasn't been paid for! Now I know I did NOT enter into an 18 month contract with t-mobile, I bought the dongle over the counter at a supermarket. I didn't sign for anything. So I told him I'm going to sort it with t-mobile.

 

So again, I phoned t-mobile. I explained the situation to the woman and she said the bill is for the contracted dongle back in 2009. She said they passed my account over to a debt collection agency in 2010 (without my knowledge or permission) and said I need to pay it. I told her that I had received NO letters or contact from t-mobile asking me to pay this so called amount and WHY when I was supposed to be making these monthly payments every month for 18 months, did they not contact me asking me where the money was every month if it was supposed to be a contract?! She claimed that they did try to send me letters prior to 2012 when I know I have not received any and all she could say to me was to take it up with Royal Mail! How the hell will they still have records from 2009?

 

So after a long debate with her she said all I can do is email t-mobile in writing stating my case. She was no help whatsoever.

 

It just seems fishy that they are only now wanting the money off me, THREE YEARS down the line! There has been no contact prior to 2012, absolutely nothing during the 18 months when I was supposed to have this "contract". If you enter into a contract with a company and don't make the monthly payments, they hound you for them so why if I was in a contract didn't they do this back in 2009?

 

Also, the woman said the account has been closed so she can't access the specific details. So, what, am I supposed to just take her word that I owe all of this money without proof? Also, if the account has been closed, why would I even have to pay this so called amount?

 

I was just wondering if anybody can advise me what to do. I don't like this debt collection agency and I know you have to be careful with them. I know just ignoring them won't make them go away so what can I do?

 

I think I have an advantage in that they have left it three/four years to even make contact now, and the account has been closed. I know I didn't enter into that contract but I can't prove it as I don't have the dongle or the receipts, and realistically, who would after this long a time? This is why it's so frustrating because they've left it so long, all of my proof is gone.

 

I'm VERY new to all of this legal stuff, so any help in layman's terms would be hugely appreciated. From other users on the different forum I posted on, they have advised me to send a 'Prove It' letter to the companies which is what I'm going to do. But both these HL Solicitors and T-Mobile don't have email addresses, just postal ones so it's going to be a pretty slow process, which is making me even more stressed seeing as the DCA say I only have two weeks to pay before they take me to court!

 

Anything I can do in the meantime to get this sorted? Thanks to anyone who can help.

[Conniff]

It's all a big con. It is up to them to prove you owe anything, so I wouldn't entertain them especially on the phone. Just leave it now and see what the next letter says.

[padja]

first thing is stay off the phone to HL Solicitors or any DCA, they will use all the tricks in the book to frightening you into paying. there is many things you can do it there is many many letters to send, the first one is the prove it letter (look in the letter library), but please dont ring them up again, I suggest you keep all contact with T-Mobile in writing too. they are not going to court if they were T-mobile would have done it by now. This DCA has bought the debt from T-Mobile for pennies. Others will advise further as I'm not 100% on mobile contracts

[citizenB]

Absolute rubbish, they are supposed to keep records for a minimum of 6 years so if this account was set up in 2009 then they would still have details.

 

You should make an official complaint to Tmobile head office... Make sure you mark it OFFICIAL COMPLAINT

 

As them what the hell they are playing at.

 

At the same time you are going to have to invest £10.00 in a Subject Access request I think in order to obtain all and any data they have in respect of any relationship you have had with them.

 

There is a draft template in the CAG library which you can amend to suit your circumstances. That way you should be able to establish if there was ever an account set up in your name.

 

Then you need to write a letter to HL Legal advising that you are not aware of any monies owing and have made an official complaint to tmobile. That if they start court proceedings whilst your complaint is being investigated, you will defend any such action vigorously.

 

I suggest you obtain at the very least, free proof of posting for all the letters above - but if you can afford it, use Recorded delivery so you obtain a signature on receipt.

 

I would suggest you also have a peek at your credit files to ensure no adverse reporting is being done on your credit files.

[Shadow_Fax]

Thank you everyone for the replies!

 

first thing is stay off the phone to HL Solicitors or any DCA, they will use all the tricks in the book to frightening you into paying. there is many things you can do it there is many many letters to send, the first one is the prove it letter (look in the letter library), but please dont ring them up again, I suggest you keep all contact with T-Mobile in writing too. they are not going to court if they were T-mobile would have done it by now. This DCA has bought the debt from T-Mobile for pennies. Others will advise further as I'm not 100% on mobile contracts

 

Thank you padja. I will definitely not be phoning either company up any more now! All correspondence will be done in email/writing. I have found the email address for the DCA and have just sent them a prove it letter in read only format in case they are sneaky and try to edit it. Will just have to wait and see what happens now!

 

Absolute rubbish, they are supposed to keep records for a minimum of 6 years so if this account was set up in 2009 then they would still have details.

 

You should make an official complaint to Tmobile head office... Make sure you mark it OFFICIAL COMPLAINT

 

As them what the hell they are playing at.

 

At the same time you are going to have to invest £10.00 in a Subject Access request I think in order to obtain all and any data they have in respect of any relationship you have had with them.

 

There is a draft template in the CAG library which you can amend to suit your circumstances. That way you should be able to establish if there was ever an account set up in your name.

 

Then you need to write a letter to HL Legal advising that you are not aware of any monies owing and have made an official complaint to tmobile. That if they start court proceedings whilst your complaint is being investigated, you will defend any such action vigorously.

 

I suggest you obtain at the very least, free proof of posting for all the letters above - but if you can afford it, use Recorded delivery so you obtain a signature on receipt.

 

I would suggest you also have a peek at your credit files to ensure no adverse reporting is being done on your credit files.

 

Thanks very much for the advice citizenB! I have just sent HL a Prove It letter through email as I've now found an address for them. I put in the letter that I will be writing an official letter of complaint to t-mobile with recorded delivery so I will obtain a signature upon receipt. I am going to post the letter to t-mobile tomorrow.

 

I'm definitely going to check my credit files too, that way I can obtain proof that no contract was every taken out! I'm a complete noob at this though so what's the best way to check? There's an online 30 day free trial on the credit expert website from experian that lets you check your credit file for free so should I go with that? When you sign up for the trial it asks for credit card details and such. I'm assuming the credit expert site is legit?

 

Thanks again!

[citizenB]

I have to be honest, I have absolutely no idea how you would check online - I have only ever purchased the £2.00 report by post and also sent subject access requests to all 3 of the main CRAs.

 

I will try and find someone who can advise on the online process

[stu007]

Hi

 

You could try Experian and Equifax they have free 30 day trials but please ensure you cancel before the 30 days otherwise you pay a subscription.

 

Or Noddle is free but it is not always up to date.

[dx100uk]

yep they are instant

 

dx

[zydeco]

So you bought a payg dongle but the shop sold you an 18 month contract dongle and set up a monthly payment for the contract?

 

Obviously no dd as it was a payg dongle so why would you set up a dd?

Then instead of contacting you for the alleged missing payments they waited 3 years and passed the alleged debt to Sigma?

 

Sounds like another 'admin error' that could end up costing them a lot of money..

[dx100uk]

hl must be short on their easter egg fund for their telephone fleecers

 

dx