Paid Lowell and need advice about credit file/mortgage application

[bekboo07]

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to be posting this so I apologise if I'm wrong, new to this!

Basically, I had a mobile phone contract in 2008 under a guarantors name. The phone was subsequently stolen in 2010 and my guarantor phoned up to cancel the contract. We did put my name onto the contract account in 2009 if I recall correctly. My guarantor was then chased for a debt which we had no idea about in 2013, to which she paid off to the sum of £70.

Fast forward to November 2016 and I receive a CCJ letter from Lowell claiming that if I do not pay in full a sum of £280 (balance £185 plus solicitor costs etc) I would be issued with a CCJ. I'd received no correspondence prior to this. As I was in the process of applying for a mortgage, I panicked and paid the debt on the 'understanding' (word from them) that it would not affect my credit report. All by telephone which I now realise was stupid of me but I just panicked and didn't know what to do.

I've recently applied for a mortgage and the debt has shown up as settled on my credit file. This is affecting me massively to the extent that I am unable to secure a mortgage, which has resulted in me losing the house I was going for. Is there anything I can do to get this removed from my credit file??

I've spoken to Lowell again over the phone and they said they couldn't remove the default. I've clearly been fobbed off by them.

Please help I don't know what I'm supposed to do. All I want is the record removing from my credit report so I can apply for my mortgage

Thanks

[Amethyst]

Re: Paid Lowell and need advice about credit file/mortgage application

If the contract was cancelled in 2010 then it should really have fallen off your credit file by now - even if there was a balance remaining that defaulted - are you certain it is the same 'debt' ? and it didn't actually go to a Judgment ? Do you recall if the CCJ letter you received was a judgment or a court claim, or just a threat of a court claim ?

What is actually showing on your credit file? Is it under Lowells name and when does it say it will be removed from the file ( it usually says in the details if you use something like Noddle ) ? also is it a default or a CCJ ?

Once we know what it is then I think would contact the original phone company, if they can't tell you what happened with the debt you may have to send them a Subject Access Request for all information held about you that should evidence the debt or lack thereof. If they have allowed this 'debt' to remain on your file, despite being cancelled and paid up, and go so far as default and sold it to Lowell then they have some issues need sorting out, and you should put a complaint in and ask for your file to be corrected.

[bekboo07]

Re: Paid Lowell and need advice about credit file/mortgage application

If the contract was cancelled in 2010 then it should really have fallen off your credit file by now - even if there was a balance remaining that defaulted - are you certain it is the same 'debt' ? and it didn't actually go to a Judgment ? Do you recall if the CCJ letter you received was a judgment or a court claim, or just a threat of a court claim ?

What is actually showing on your credit file? Is it under Lowells name and when does it say it will be removed from the file ( it usually says in the details if you use something like Noddle ) ? also is it a default or a CCJ ?

Once we know what it is then I think would contact the original phone company, if they can't tell you what happened with the debt you may have to send them a Subject Access Request for all information held about you that should evidence the debt or lack thereof. If they have allowed this 'debt' to remain on your file, despite being cancelled and paid up, and go so far as default and sold it to Lowell then they have some issues need sorting out, and you should put a complaint in and ask for your file to be corrected.

Hi, Thank you for your quick response.

I'm not sure it is the same debt, but don't understand why I would be issued with a different debt as I have no correspondence from Tmobile or subsequent debt collectors stating I owed money, until I received the letter from Lowell. The CCJ letter I received was a threat of a court claim. It was stating that if I did not respond, a CCJ would be issued.

The credit report states it is under Lowell Portfolio 1, I paid Lowell Solicitors which I'm assuming is the same company? It was due to come off in January 2018, but I have been informed that it will now be 6 years from the settlement date of December 2017. The start date on my credit file is showing as March 2010, default date January 2012.

Is there anything I can do with Lowell or should I just do as you say and contact EE to try and get this rectified? I've emailed EE a number of times through resolver but haven't heard back from them.

Thanks