Mum's partner can no longer use a mobile phone. He has however been paying EE over £40 a month since 2006.

EE initially couldn't trace any account in his name despite giving them bank details etc, but then did find it when I said OK, give us the money back then .... They've ignored all requests for documentation so far, have known for 4 months that alleged account holder has a Power of Attorney in place, but have apparently set the debt collectors on him anyway. He's not received any correspondence from EE or the debt collector.

EE have provided some numbers associated with the account, none of which match his last number, which he would have last used at least 3 years ago. He does still have the phone and it has a Sim card in it, but heaven only knows where the charger is. One of the numbers EE provided apparently has recent regular usage, data as well as calls and texts. I can just about believe he might have, accidentally or otherwise, made a call, but sent a text or used data? No chance.

Other than repeating the request for documentation, any other suggestions?

Remove the SIM and take a close look at it. Does it have the phone number on it?

Remove the SIM and take a close look at it. Does it have the phone number on it?

I can't do that atm, I'm not at their address.

The sim card doesn't show any phone number, managed to find a charger that fits and turn the phone on, it's none of the numbers EE provided.

EE are simply being obstructive - they've effectively refused to provide any documentation and have ignored any and all evidence that it might not be his account (including that it's set up from a different address), they simply keep repeating that until I tell them to cancel, they'll keep charging line rental though until I accept the account is Mum's partners, they won't accept a cancellation ....

So this went to the Ombudsman Service who supported EE in that doing a credit check when the account was opened means it must have been genuine, and telling me the phone is being used proves that it's Mum's partner using it and setting debt collectors on him when they know he's now in a Care Home and haven't even bothered to tell us how much is outstanding is perfectly reasonable.

It's the sort of logic I expect for a certain 'independent' appeals service for private parking charges, and so I'm giving the 'final' decision the same respect I'd accord the IAS.

To recap, EE know that their account holder lacks capacity and (presumably!) know there is an outstanding complaint with the Ombudsman Service.

They've instructed third party debt collectors to write to the account holder direct.

Whilst I'm sure it's simple incompetence, this is so wrong on so many grounds.

is it possible to get from them the geographical data for the phone when it is in use? technically this is a piece of cake but is it data that the customer is entitled to ask for i wonder?

If it is the EE will have a lot of explaining to do and may well drop the matter pronto rather than explain why they are chasing this person when it is patenty obvious not his phone use etc.

You really couldn't make this up.

Complained to EE that they are writing direct when there's an outstanding Ombudsman complaint. They've said they can't comment as the complaint it with the Ombudsman ....

Can you speak to the ombudsman's office about this, RMW?

HB

They won't deal with any additional issues now as they're simply reviewing their decision and dealing with my complaint about their service.

It's tempting to just withdraw the complaint and let EE get on with making fools of themselves, I have better things to do atm

Another fairly distressed call from Mum this morning, two more letters from the debt collector still addressed to her partner still demanding payment but with no documentation etc. They'd have had my 'bog off' letter at least two weeks before these letters are dated and my Mum is now terrified a bailiff is going to come and take her car and no amount of reassurance that they can't and won't (it's motablity anyway) have made any difference.

I seem to remember from my early years on CAG that Christmas is prime time for hassling people like this. How do you add Twitter links part way through a thread? I think everyone should see what EE and Moorcroft are doing to vulnerable people.

Just to update, EE eventually cancelled all allegedly outstanding charges. Despite being told to by the Ombudsman, they never did supply any documentation.

Thread title updated.

Andy

Well done, RMW. How did you get them to back down?

HB

34 minutes ago, honeybee13 said:

Well done, RMW. How did you get them to back down?

 

HB

Basically by being stubborn and just refusing to pay without documentation.

Excellent.

HB