HELP - British Gas misreporting old accounts - Credit rating ruined!!

[Mattlefunk]

Hi all,

 

After many long years, I am finally free from most of my problem debts and had expected my rating to improve dramatically. However despite this, it is still showing very poor on Noddle, Checkmyfile et al.

 

I spoken with Checkmyfile for their view and think i know what the issue is.

 

I lived in flat from Dec 2007 to April 2012 where most of my issues racked up

- lost job,

 

 

British Gas meant i stopped paying certain things to keep them off my back - stupid i know, but when backed into a corner not knowing the way out, i just acted.

 

i finally moved from that address, provided a forwarding address and settled final bills.

 

Fast forward to now, and i have found the following:

- British Gas are still reporting two accounts at my old address with a late payment marker

- These have been reported as late payment since 2012 - no default

- According to the CRA, they are reported like active accounts

- The gas account was settled at the time. These are two electricity accounts!

- The late payment markers are the main reason for my very poor rating - all other accounts are in good shape!

 

I've tried to contact BG four times in the past week with no joy. Only once did i speak with someone who said the accounts were so old, they didn't store any information on them.

They did however show two electricity accounts that were in arrears to the tune of £243 and £262!!

I was adamant that i had paid to which he said, there is no record of this and i would need to prove it. I've changed banks twice since 2012!!

 

They have never called, emailed or sent a bill out to either the old address (which incidentally i still own but rent out, and has been leased since i left. The new tenant even changed to E-On) or the forwarding address i provided (my in-laws).

 

I am confused by the fact that they have never added a default notice to my file or made contact. What is most worrying however is that I paid and settled the accounts but they have no record!

 

BG made my life a misery and despite being away from them for years, they are still affecting me.

My wife and I have tried to remortgage only to be refused - this is the reason!!

 

The remortgage is critical as she is now on maternity leave with no income

- I am supporting all three of us and the mortgage payments will go up from January.

 

 

It gets better

- I have a role in financial services and have worked hard to get into a senior position

- a poor rating is not compatible with this role and means that my job is in jeopardy!

We're now sick with worry at the worst possible time of year...

 

Actions taken so far are:

- I have sent a Section 10 DPA notice telling them they cannot share my personal information.

Don't know if this will stop further damage.

 

 

I have noted in this letter that their actions are unwarranted and are affecting not only myself but my wife, who was never linked to that address or these accounts.

 

- Have also sent a complaint letter by email and post demanding they close accounts, clear balances and remove adverse credit file information.

 

Has anyone else come across something like this themselves?

Any advice as to how i can finally rid myself of these

HELP!

 

Thanks,

 

Matt

[renegadeimp]

Stop talking on the phone, get a formal written complaint direct to their CEO, also inform the energy ombudsman.

[Bazooka Boo]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

Firstly, keep everything in writing/email ONLY, Unless you can record your calls, then they will deny all knowledge of discussing this with you.

 

When you send anything by hard copy, obtain ''Proof of posting'' which is free from the PO counter, and keep copies of EVERYTHING you send BG.

 

Have you got proof you paid these bills?

Banks have to keep records of accounts 6 years AFTER they have been closed, under money laundering regs, so if needs be, go back to the banks you moved from and send them a SAR (£10) to obtain the bank statements which will show these payments BG claim they never received.

 

Have you lodged a formal complain using BG complaints procedure?

If so how many weeks has it been for them to rectify your complaint?

 

After 8 weeks you are able to escalate it to the energy ombudsman, unless they stipulate another time scale??

 

You can also add a notice of correction to your credit file stating that you dispute this information and you believe it to be inaccurate.

 

Have you checked on the likes of Experian/Equifax? (Free 30 day trial?)

 

IF the information being reported on your credit file IS inaccurate AND you have proof that you have been refused a mortgage because of it, then you have grounds to sue them for defamation and seek costs, which are likely to be substantial due to the refusal of a remortgage.

 

The S.10 DPA notice will go unheeded.

[unclebulgaria67]

Suggest a Data Protection Act Subject Access Request to BG to get hold of all information, including statements of account.

 

Is there a chance that tenants had not paid a bill after you had moved from the property and as the account was still in your name, it was owed by you ? For some reason, you did not receive a bill.

[Mattlefunk]

Thanks all,

 

I am on Noddle and Checkmyfile -

both access Callcredit and Equifax.

Both both showing accounts with late payments at 6 since 2012.

 

The flat is let out via an agency who confirmed the new tenant - this occurred a few weeks after i vacated.

They also immediately changed to EOn.

However I contacted them with the forwarding address and settled accounts on departure!

 

No bank statements for that period

- no reason to keep anything and nothing indicated to me that there was an issue

- again, no contact from BG by verbal, written or electronic methods.

 

I have sent both the complaint and section 10 by recorded delivery.

Have emailed copies as well, but surprise surprise, no reply yet.

I thought that by law they had to reply to section 10?

Surely if they have no live account, there is no contract and therefore reporting to CRA is unlawful!

 

No idea what more i can do!

Totally disgusted that they can still impact my rating like this.

They are the worst company i have ever dealt with!

 

Will get the notices of correction sent out now.

 

What happens if i can't prove i paid them?! This is coming on for five years later!

 

Really can't get my head round why they haven't been in touch and are still reporting as live accounts!!!!

 

[dx100uk]

well you need to slow down

stop waving your arms around in utter dis-belief

and approach the problem properly and logically

 

sending a section 10 is a load of ole twaddle

and I'm not sure where you've got that from.

it wont help you

and it wont get the accounts removed.

 

you need paper data trail to prove you points.

 

so time for an SAR to the bank that you used to use to pay the bill from

and get the proof that you did indeed pay these accounts off.

 

that way you can sent the statement to BG

they will investigate

and if indeed you did pay them

remove all the negative markers from you file

and they might even remove the whole account

 

as for them being live accounts well that doesn't really matter

the fact is bg believe they are outstanding

so are quite entitled to mark your creditfile sadly.

 

concentrate on getting the data you need

and using it in the right way to resolve this issue

[Mattlefunk]

Well, a development...

 

BG has responded to the Section 10 letter stating that they wrote off the accounts in 2012 and passed to a debt collection agency

- never had any calls or letters!

 

 

It also states they have no record of payment and I need to prove this

- working on this with Lloyds who I was with at the time...

 

My credit file doesn't show any DCA taking this on!

It does show two open BG electricity accounts (why two?!?!) and a closed BG Gas (this one shows settled in 2012).

 

So, they correctly updated the gas account but some department in BG is still providing updates to all CRA's on the electricity accounts saying their still open;

this is despite a letter now saying it was all written off years ago...

 

What the h*ll is going on in that company??!

 

Matt

[dx100uk]

passed might well be correct as its very rare for these debts to be sold on.

so that's why there is no dca named on the cra file

so even if they do chase you they can safely be ignored as they don't own the debt.

 

 

did you get the sar running to Lloyds?