Lowells and old utils bill

[sillygirl1]

Just received this from Lowell

(as far as I know I only have outstanding debt with the electricity people at my old address which has been in dispute for ages

- and I'm dealing with that in writing anyway)

 

Dear SG1

 

We hold this e-mail address on your file and would like to use it to communicate with you

- we work closely with our customers to ensure that they are given the support that they need

to find the right solution for them and we would like to speak with you today.

 

Please contact us on 08435 069 173 to see how we can help you or if you would prefer that we didn't e-mail you at this address

- please quote xxxxxxxxxxxx when calling.

 

Yours sincerely

James Crabtree

Customer Services Manager

Lowell Financial Ltd

 

A lot of the old debts are statute barred (or will be next month) so I am not that bothered ...

 

I rang them,

told them I would be recording the call,

then gave the first line of address and postcode

- was told they had a different address (considering I moved in May no wonder!) and

 

I said "I don't acknowledge any debt, whatever you might have is statute barred and i have no money anyway."

 

The woman told me that as I hadn't passed security they couldn't do anything

and calls and texts would continue until I did pass security.

 

i pointed out to her that under the new rules their email was insufficiently clear,

that they HAD to cease all further contact and that I wanted a copy of their complaints procedure.

 

She told me that I had nothing to complain about and that I had to pass security before I could complain anyway...

 

At that point I ended the call.

 

Their phone no is on my phone's blacklist and as I haven't got an answerphone on the house phone they can't leave a message - HAH HAH.

 

Goodness knows what they have, I suspect it is an old PDL loan or something to do with the old alleged mortgage shortfall which has been popping up every now and then,

 

Wonder how long it will be before my home phone no gets changed, won't be any hassle for me as nobody knows it. I only use my home phone to make outgoing calls to 0845 nos anyway.

 

When will Lowells (and others) learn that not passing security is a good enough reason for them to cease chasing?

 

I should point out that this is the first DCA who has come chasing in over 8 months now.... last lot were over an old PDL loan which had been repaid in full.

[sillygirl1]

Hello to the 17 guests online - obviously a quiet afternoon.

[fkofilee]

Lol!!! xd not quiet enough... They did this to me...

If you want to complain on this one, you casn get away with dealing via email.

 

Email address is below

 

Customer_Relations2@lowellgroup.co.uk

[sillygirl1]

Thanks, I have a vague idea of which 2 companies it might be they have an alleged debt with, but again one is close to being statute barred (if not already by judging from the date of action which caused breach) and the other one is unenforceable....at least it was when I checked my records today.

 

Their email had a "Do not Reply" address which I think stinks - luckily I am well informed about dealing with DCAs on the phone and their lady got quite tied up in her 'you have to pass security before we can do anything' speech... I did point out that as I couldn't pass security they had to cease chasing.

 

No previous contact from Lowells at all in the last 6 years so it must be a very sour lemon they have!

[oleg]

Hello silly

I was one of the 17 guests so no more than 16 could have been from Camp Lowell.

I'm puzzled. Why would an old timer such as you confirm to Lowell that you are the person who read the email and even give them your new address? I must have missed something.

Sorry for butting in! I'll revert to my guest status now. It saves

huge amount of phone data [google formatting of web pages] but doesn't let me log in.

[sillygirl1]

I phoned them up because I knew my ground - simple - for all they know I could have given a fake address.... but as I couldn't pass security then I wasn't confirming I was who they were looking for.

[sillygirl1]

Guess what - today I received a text message from Red quoting a reference asking me to call them - shortly followed by a phone call from a MOBILE number - is this allowed? Mobile no turned out to be Lowells Financial Services who were firmly told that I failed to pass security on the last call and they were not to call again.

 

This is going to be a very sour lemon for Lowells if they are not careful. I am not in the least bothered by my appalling credit rating - I don't need credit and have lived without it for some time now - and I am not in the market for a house purchase (unless of course I can afford to buy one outright).

 

Its been ages since anyone has chased me for an alleged debt, I can do without the phone calls - they MUST be made to communicate via email rather than texts AND emails you can't reply to.....only by phoning them.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I'm finding more and more that a "stern" letter to Ms de Tute gets Lowell "problems" sorted very quickly especially if complaints to the FCA are mentioned. like most other companies in this "industry" the have only interim permissions under the FCA these will have to be reviewed sooner rather than later is complaints are at a high level.

[sillygirl1]

Further email received today from RED - I love the bit about taking care of my obligations.... they are the ones who need a lesson in this - and found out that this alleged debt is for an old O2 debt which was caused by them not acknowledging receipt of my old knackered router when I left them about 5 1/2 years or so ago -

 

Three easy steps to clearing your debt (what alleged debt, this was caused by your client's screw up).

Your unpaid debt could be affecting your credit rating, making it more difficult for you to obtain credit. The debt isn't going to go away and legal action could be taken against you if you do not make arrangements to re-pay the debt.

Get peace of mind, knowing you're taking care of your obligations, by following these three easy steps:

One. Decide how much you can afford to pay each month. If you can pay the balance in full your credit file will be updated to show the debt has been settled and no longer exists. (That way it will still be on my file for another 3 years.... you are being a bit 'inventive' here with the proverbial).

Two. Either call us on 08448 150 664 to discuss your payment options - we won't ask you to pay more than you can afford, so don't worry - or, if you'd prefer go to the Lowell website www.lowell.co.uk and either pay off the balance with your debit card or set up an affordable monthly Direct Debit. (You can set up a Direct Debit securely by following this link)

(No way will I be allowing you access to my bank account nor will I be calling you)

Three. Just ensure that there is enough money in your bank account each month to pay the Direct Debit when your payment is due. Simple.

We won't add any interest to your account whilst you are repaying it (Ditto to no 2 - no bank account access and no phone calls).

 

 

Take the worry out of your debts, just call us today on 08448 150 664 we'll always find a solution for you. (Your best solution is not to chase this lemon).

Yours sincerely

James Crabtree

Customer Services Manager

 

I wonder if the new regulator would like this letter - they might find it amusing - it did however show quite clearly that Red was a 'trading style and internal department of Lowell Financial Ltd'.

 

A trading style and internal department of Lowell Financial Ltd.

[fkofilee]

Oh i love this, they use firebird and their ISP is sky ^__^

Oh wait maybe thats yours SG1

 

Anyhow, i agree with everything in red above. I would just ignore it.

[sillygirl1]

The logo showed up my end... don't know what happened there!

 

I think they are hoping I will bite with a small debt then they will come up with a bigger one. Checked my records and that debt they have is 6 weeks off being statute barred....

[sillygirl1]

Update - Lowells sent another couple of 'we need more identification' emails, I replied back each time that I have an unusual surname and if they can't find me using that then their systems are not fit for use.....

 

Got an email late on a Friday saying they have taken the decision to close the account.

 

I am not sure if I ought to send the email trail to the FCA so they can see how the 'ping pong' game works with these companies misleading people into giving out info they don't need to give out.

[Old Cogger]

send to FCA more the merrier

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Update - Lowells sent another couple of 'we need more identification' emails, I replied back each time that I have an unusual surname and if they can't find me using that then their systems are not fit for use.....

 

Got an email late on a Friday saying they have taken the decision to close the account.

 

I am not sure if I ought to send the email trail to the FCA so they can see how the 'ping pong' game works with these companies misleading people into giving out info they don't need to give out.

 

 

Anything you send to the FCA will be note, just don't refer to your letter as a "complaint" but mark it "For Information".