Credit score ruined!!! VM fault!!!

[nkidel2038]

This has been an on-going sh*t show from VM. I first called VM in April to cancel my contract as I was moving home. After informing me that everything had been processed they failed to cancel my direct debit and continued to take fund from my account. I called again, three times to inform them of the issue. They acknowledged at their end, however failed to rectify the issue. I took matters into my own hands and cancelled the DD. VM have now filed this as bad debt. Last week VM assured my that my account has NOW been terminated and they'll refund me my outstanding credit. 

I'm now in the process of applying for a mortgage, which has been rejected due to poor credit score, which as per Experian lies with the Virgin Media issue! I've spent collectively 5hrs on the phone, being passed from post to pillar. I've emailed the credit team and informed they'll be in contact within 21days. I now run the risk of missing out on a home, which I've already invested money into. 

I've seen a number of other people on the forums with similar issues. Has anyone successfully escalated these issues? Any guidance would be appreciated!

[japitts]

This reply will be lengthy.

First off you need to be 100% sure that you had no valid debt with VM - you've mentioned about cancelling DDs and final bills, their process for such scenarios is very efficient and you're not the first person to have an issue with credit file entries as a result of alleged errors in this process. If you had an open account with VM or any outstanding amounts when you cancelled your payments, then I'm afraid to say this outcome is no surprise and would be entirely predictable to anyone who does a casual search of similar topics on this forum.

There is a complaints process that can deal with this, however, the here & now. You need to gather evidence of the alleged inaccuracy on your credit file and email details - with supporting evidence - to creditfileamendments@virginmedia.co.uk . The team there work on an upto-28 day basis and there's not usually much can be done to expedite that. You can hope that the VM staff who respond to posts on here may be able to do so, but that is the exception rather than the norm and there's no guarantee. Once the credit team have investigated, the forum staff can sometimes expedite the outcome, but that relies on them having judged in your favour. You mention that "VM assure me they'll refund" - do you have this in writing? Or is this just what a CS-agent has verbally told you? You can guess where I'm going with that.

It's too late for you now, but all too often regular users of this forum read tales of CS-woe, and people think that cancelling the DD will make the issue go away. Yours is, unfortunately, the latest example of DD-cancellation having the opposite effect in the long term.

[nkidel2038]

The CS team have provided me with a letter confirming that there are no arrears on my account, which I would see as admission that I was charged in error. 3 phone calls, each with the VM representative on the other end apologising and assuring me that my account and DD had been cancelled is frankly shocking. Each time they've read through the notes on my file and without much explanation from me confirm the issues lies with VM which gives me hope. However nothing in writing. 

Ombudsman, press and solicitors if purchase of my home falls through will be the only way to go...

Praying someone can expedite the process! 

[nkidel2038]

They even sent the packaging to return the equipment back! Another indication that the cancellation of my account had been acknowledged, however continued to take payment from my bank account!!!

[Tom_W1]

Hi @nkidel2038 thanks for your post, although I'm sorry to hear of your concerns raised here.

Please allow me to send you a PM so I can look into this further for you.

Kindly expect the PM to arrive shortly and respond directly when you can!

Many thanks