Incorrect Default Removal

[jamescb0UK]

In July my wife received a letter from BPO Collections.

The letter stated she had an outstanding debt of £237. 

My wife does not and has never had any accounts with Virgin Media, Virgin Mobile or any other Virgin Company!!!!!!

BPO Collections said in July that someone in their company or Virgin Media had 'just found her name and address' and associated her with the debt because they had the same name.. and they were taking a pot luck shot that she was the original debtor but they could tell from our address of over 20 years that it wasn't her account or debt so they agreed to remove this debt, we need not worry about it ever again and she would not be followed up for this.

Four months on we are now in the process of moving. We have a very long, carefully negotiated chain of buyers and sellers involved and it is extremely time sensitive.

On our initial mortgage credit check we have now infuriatingly found the debt is still marked against my wife as a default.. who has never had any contracts, phones, devices or any other agreements with Virgin Media... ever!!

This incorrect debt is threatening to ruin our and everyone else in the chain house moves.. it needs to be removed from my wife's credit report IMMEDIATELY

We have spoken to your customer services who said we or they can't even access the account as neither of us know the password for it!! And we have to wait 48 hours for your fraud team to contact us to gain access before you can even look into removing the debt.

This is ridiculous!! We need this debt removed now

Please contact us with an update immediately

[Andrew-G]

It won't help in the short term (only VM can sort out their own mess), but as and as and when you've got the time, report Virgin Media to the ICO for processing inaccurate data about your wife by virtue of their own incompetence.  VM have a record of doing this, including reporting existing customers as in default purely through the company's incompetence.  And unlike some other poor quality regulators (like Ofcom) the ICO do take notice of complaints.

If enough people complain, the ICO will investigate and that's costly and difficult for VM, if they find evidence of systemic failings VM will get a reprimand and be required to improve or be subject to enforcement action.  That might sound like a soft touch, but as I've worked for similarly regulated businesses I can assure you that's a prospect companies really do fear.  

You might also want to try a Subject Access Request to Virgin Media and see what information they hold on your wife.  And something else as and when you've got the time would be to demand compensation (I'd suggest around the £200 mark) via a postal complaint to VM.  That'll be fobbed off like all VM complaints, but then you can make a request to the online small claims track of the county court.  The basis of the £200 sum is the industry adjudicator's guidance on compensation, although you'd not be able to use the scheme itself as your wife is not a past, present or intending customer.

[Travis_M]

Hi @jamescb0UK

Thanks for your post and sorry to hear about this issue.

I am going to drop you a private message now to collect some more information and investigate further. Please keep an eye on your inbox for a message from myself.

[jamescb0UK]

Thanks for your reply and info, really appreciate it. We'll definitely be taking it all on board

Seems like there's a big hole in credit file process and the laws that govern it.. it's way to easy for a company like Virgin Media to cause unnecessary stress, anxiety or worse in peoples lives.. the impact of their actions are potentially huge

VM have recognised my wife hasn't ever had an account with them which is a start.. but they've said the default on my wife's credit file could take up to 28 days to correct.. which is totally unworkable for our house move.. so they'll need to change that timeframe immediately.. until that happens we'll be making as much noise as we can across all platforms ..!

Thank you again for your help

[jamescb0UK]

Virgin Media, you need to improve your default credit filing process 

It appears Virgin Media have breached the Consumer Credit Act 1974 -  a default notice needs to be served on a customer before taking further action following missed payments. 

Not only did we not have an account and therefore debt with Virgin Media but no notice was served

[japitts]

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@jamescb0UK wrote:

but they've said the default on my wife's credit file could take up to 28 days to correct..

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This sounds like a reference to the "upto 28days" during which the credit file amendments team generally take to investigate alleged inaccurate entries on credit files.

If you already have written confirmation that the default in question is incorrect, that 28day theory may not apply.

[jamescb0UK]

Thanks, that's good to know.. we have very little faith in Virgin Media at the moment though
We spoke to 7 or 8 people at Virgin Media's customer services yesterday.. 3 hung up on us.. 1 said they couldn't open the account as no one knew the password!... and the rest kept passing us on to other people.. Virgin Media's actions could have big consequences for innocent people.. at a time when there's a cost of living crisis.. it's disgusting

[jamescb0UK]

Dear Virgin Media.. can you confirm your team has definitely let Equifax know they need to correct Virgin Media's mistake on my wife's credit report file please?

[jamescb0UK]

Dear Virgin Media, you still haven't sorted this serious issue out, despite promising that you have!

You also blame Equifax for being slow with their process which is not true!!!!

We have spoken to Equifax who are prepared to remove your false credit default but they haven't heard from you yet!!

PLEASE SORT THIS OUT IMMEDIATELY

[Travis_M]

Hi @jamescb0UK

Thanks for your response

As advised previously, the team have removed all marks on your credit file and your credit file will be updated within 14 days, hence why Equifax have notified you that it hasn't been removed just yet.

Regards