BT's negligence might have messed up my credit rating

[redquasar]

Hi

 

can anyone help me?

 

I transferred my British Telecom line rental account several years ago when I moved home.

The account was transferred to my brother's name after he became the sole occupant of my old house.

The transfer was effected over the phone with BT, and it seemed to go smoothly.

 

A few months ago I learnt that BT had sent a bill to my old address, in my name,

 

I emailed them via their website and told them that the bill was erroneous because I ceased to be a BT customer years before.

This email went without reply.

 

I then phoned their customer service help line and explained the situation to them.

I told them that I wasn't really bothered about the fact that they had billed me,

because this was an error which could easily be sorted out.

 

What really concerned me, I explained, was that if the problem wasn't resolved in good time,

my credit rating could be affected, owing to any perceived late payment of their erroneous bill.

 

After checking their records, customer services acknowledged BT's mistake and assured me that the problem would be taken care of.

 

They also told me not to worry about my credit rating,

because BT had not yet refered my case to a debt collection agency;

standard practice on their part after bills are continually ignored by their customers.

 

However, some time later, I received another bill, a final reminder,

 

I contacted BT again.

Once more, I went to great lengths to make them understand that my credit rating was very important to me

and that I was extremely anxious that it might be affected.

 

I was then given the same answer as before:

I was told that the matter would be sorted out and that my credit history would still be unaffected

because they had not yet referred me to a debt collection agency.

 

This whole scenario was repeated when I received a final reminder from BT.

This time, though, when I called their customer services helpline and was told that they would rectify the problem,

I explained that I wasn't prepared to take their word for anything, and insisted that they email me,

telling me exactly what steps they had taken to resolve the problem.

I gave them several days to reply but, true to form, their email never arrived.

 

Shortly afterwards, I returned home from work to find a letter from a debt collection agency,

acting on behalf of BT, and demanding money for my unpaid phone bill!

 

I contacted BT again,

this time via their website's Live Chat facility, and asked them what assurances they could give me that my credit history had not been affected.

 

They told me they couldn't give me any assurances and suggested that I contact a company called Equifax and ask them.

I'm still in the process of registering with this company,

so I'm yet to find out if BT's negligence has impacted my credit rating.

 

If it transpires that it has, then I think I'm in trouble because I've been advised that this is irreversible,

even if BT were to formally admit their mistake, and that my credit rating will remain tarnished for several years.

 

If it so happens that my credit rating has been affected,

does anyone know if I am able to seek any redress from BT?

Could I, for example, sue them in a small claims court?

 

I am livid about this, absolutely livid, not just because my credit score might be seriously undermined,

but because this outcome was so avoidable.

 

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

Redquasar

[dx100uk]

you can get instance access via noddle below.

 

if they have trashed you file

 

you make a formal WRITTEN complaint giving them 14 days

before you contact the ICO.

 

dx

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi

 

can anyone help me?

 

I transferred my British Telecom line rental account several years ago when I moved home.

The account was transferred to my brother's name after he became the sole occupant of my old house.

The transfer was effected over the phone with BT, and it seemed to go smoothly.

 

A few months ago I learnt that BT had sent a bill to my old address, in my name,

 

I emailed them via their website and told them that the bill was erroneous because I ceased to be a BT customer years before.

This email went without reply.

 

I then phoned their customer service help line and explained the situation to them.

I told them that I wasn't really bothered about the fact that they had billed me,

because this was an error which could easily be sorted out.

 

What really concerned me, I explained, was that if the problem wasn't resolved in good time,

my credit rating could be affected, owing to any perceived late payment of their erroneous bill.

 

After checking their records, customer services acknowledged BT's mistake and assured me that the problem would be taken care of.

 

They also told me not to worry about my credit rating,

because BT had not yet refered my case to a debt collection agency;

standard practice on their part after bills are continually ignored by their customers.

 

However, some time later, I received another bill, a final reminder,

 

I contacted BT again.

Once more, I went to great lengths to make them understand that my credit rating was very important to me

and that I was extremely anxious that it might be affected.

 

I was then given the same answer as before:

I was told that the matter would be sorted out and that my credit history would still be unaffected

because they had not yet referred me to a debt collection agency.

 

This whole scenario was repeated when I received a final reminder from BT.

This time, though, when I called their customer services helpline and was told that they would rectify the problem,

I explained that I wasn't prepared to take their word for anything, and insisted that they email me,

telling me exactly what steps they had taken to resolve the problem.

I gave them several days to reply but, true to form, their email never arrived.

 

Shortly afterwards, I returned home from work to find a letter from a debt collection agency,

acting on behalf of BT, and demanding money for my unpaid phone bill!

 

I contacted BT again,

this time via their website's Live Chat facility, and asked them what assurances they could give me that my credit history had not been affected.

 

They told me they couldn't give me any assurances and suggested that I contact a company called Equifax and ask them.

I'm still in the process of registering with this company,

so I'm yet to find out if BT's negligence has impacted my credit rating.

 

If it transpires that it has, then I think I'm in trouble because I've been advised that this is irreversible,

even if BT were to formally admit their mistake, and that my credit rating will remain tarnished for several years.

 

If it so happens that my credit rating has been affected,

does anyone know if I am able to seek any redress from BT?

Could I, for example, sue them in a small claims court?

 

I am livid about this, absolutely livid, not just because my credit score might be seriously undermined,

but because this outcome was so avoidable.

 

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

Redquasar

 

 

 

The biggest mistake here is dealing with BT on the phone, Customer (dis) service operatives have no authority and generally it seems little knowledge of how their employer operates.

 

 

The best (and most successful) method of dealing with BT is a formal complaint straight to the CEO Mr Gavin Patterson.

[redquasar]

Thanks dx100uk: I'll start writng my letter just as soon as I hear from Equifax. This is prbably a silly question, I know, but could you please tell me what you mean by "noddle"?

[dx100uk]

noddle is a free CRA provider

 

see below

[redquasar]

Thanks BRIGADIER2JCS. I will write to their CEO directly after asking BT for his/her contact details. I know now that trying to resolve this matter over the phone was less than ideal, but I did make a note of the dates and times that I contacted BT and took the names of the people who I spoke to. Fortunately, BT have these details on record too, and have acknowledged this fact in writing via their Live Chat facility. I also made sure that they sent me transcripts of our Live Chat Sessions, which, of course, I have kept.

[redquasar]

Thanks dx100uk; much appreciated.