EE ruined my credit score

[Vasilis_M]

I had been an EE mobile and broadband customer for more than ten years. 

Last year (May 2018) I changed the phone provider and closed my mobile account.

I removed my Direct Debit from my EE mobile account for safety reasons. However, I continued being on EE broadband.

Months later I found out that there was a default in my credit rating because of an £18 unpaid EE mobile bill. When I closed my account I believed I had paid everything off. Unfortunately, I didn't receive any communication from them either by email or phone regarding this issue. I paid the bill as soon as I found out and I also closed my broadband account around the same time (March 2019).

I contacted EE and they refused to remove the default. 

This stigmatizing practice is infuriating and unethical, especially when it is used against unsuspected and loyal customers. My credit rating has plummeted (and the default will remain for six years) and it is impossible for me to get a mortgage now, because of an £18 bill which I was unaware of.

What would be the best way to deal with it?

[Chris_B]

@Vasilis_M  If any payment is not made then the contract has been broken by the none payment and the T&Cs of the contract will apply regardless of the amount.  Don’t forget no one like to be over charged regardless of the amount it’s the principle, it’s the same here.  

  If a DD is cancelled before the term is up and all payments made then that’s not down to EE to chase payment,  they try to take payment twice and if both tries fail then unfortunately it will result if a credit fault. (The customer caused this not EE )   EE don’t have to write as the contract was broken by the customer for failing to pay monies owed for the contract that the customer agreed to and the T&Cs of that contract.  

As for its a bit insensitive, yes and no.  Would you prefer to be told why/what and straight to the point or would you like the long winded soft/fluffy beat about the bush approach..  

[artu]

@Chris_B 

Except my contract was not cancelled before the term ended. And I have been informed by EE I have had all settled at the time I have already switched providers, so definitely did not use any more EE services. They must have had some other charges they failed to mention when I spoke to them.

This is the problem here - misinformation.

I've learned the hard way not to trust customer service, especially over the phone. You may call it 'insensitive' to me this is much more than that.

So spare your TCs talk, man.

[Chris_B]

@artu   But you’ve go no idea if EE even sent you any letters because of the change of address, and once an account is closed and fully paid off it does show on your credit report as being closed.    Well mine do so I’ll assume yours does also.  

[Vasilis_M]

@Chris_B 

Sorry for my delayed response, I was being banned for going off-topic. 

You can't just punish someone because they made a mistake due to misunderstanding. Especially if you have a long term financial  relationship. It is deeply unethical.

In real life, you would never sue someone you knew for many years because they owed you £10. You would try to contact them by all means. None sues or punish anyone so easily. But companies can easily mark credit files.

I could have been informed in other ways. As I mentioned before, I continued being a broadband customer at the same time. This is what makes the whole issue incomprehensible. They marked my file because I cancelled my mobile DD, while I had another DD with them for broadband. 

[Chris_B]

@Vasilis_M  Unfortunately it’s doesn’t work like that.   A contract agreement was broken so according to the contract that was agreed what happen was as result of breaking the contract agreement.  Doesn’t matter the cost it’s the fact the agreement was broken.   

[Vasilis_M]

@Chris_B 

I do agree that it doesn't work like this with EE. This is why i call it unethical. When the punishment is unequal to the cost, there's injustice. And as I mentioned before, I was still their customer.

So why do you mark my file for my contract 1, and keep getting money for my contract 2? While you have contacted me during our contractual time via email, text and phone call but this time only with a letter? A broken agreement isn't the answer to everything. 

Thanks for your input in the conversation. I hope it clarifies things for everyone. 

[Chris_B]

@Vasilis_M  I don’t work for EE,  

 Your contract was broken by the none payment regardless of the cost involved it could’ve been a pound the contract would still been broken and the terms of that contract are then carried and you agreed to the terms within that contract.    EE don’t have to chase you for this none payment because you already agreed what could happen from none payment.

    EE try to take payment twice from the method that you agreed to use the 2nd time it failed to pay it then resulted into this. 

[Vasilis_M]

@Chris_B 

Cheers, mate.

Thanks for repeating the word contract over and over again.

[eta]

I bought a new phone and took out a new contract with EE. All payments were up to date. I assumed there was nothing to pay as they had closed the old account and opened a new one. Months later I got a letter from Lowell a debt agency in February 2020 saying that they had bought all EEs debts and I owed £17. That was the first I had heard that I owed EE anything.  I hadn't received any communication from them either by email or phone regarding this issue.  I phoned EE immediately and they removed the £17 from my account as I did not owe it anyway. They wrote to Lowell and zeroed the debt. EE told me it would not affect my credit rating. I specifically asked them to confirm that it would not. Now in 2021 when I am in the middle of buying a property, I have found out that there is a default in my credit rating because of the £17 unpaid EE mobile bill. Lowell had not removed the default from my record. I have no other debts at all and have never had any. I pay my one credit card off every month.   My mortgage application has been rejected because it showed a default. The default was this £17. We are renting a house. The landlord wanted to put it up for sale. We put in an offer and he accepted our offer.  Our application for a mortgage, however, was rejected due to EE and the £17. This oversight by EE could result in us being homeless. It will definitely result in months of stress as we will have to find a new house to rent as we now cannot get a mortgage and all for £17! There is something seriously wrong with the way EE operates and they need to compensate their customers for the hardship and stress they cause. This situation is completely unacceptable.

[Chris_B]

@eta   As this was a new contract and not an upgrade did you give notice to terminate the old contract?