Hi all hoping someone can help.

I had a mobile phone with T-Mobile back in 2002. I cancelled the contract in 2003 but was issued with a Default in 2004 which i knew nothing about and received nothing from T-Mobile.

I only found out about this as i was applying for a joint account with my new wife and have been refused on the basis that i have bad credit. i found this strange asi have applied for and been successful with two mortgage applications and 3 credit cards and another mobile phone contract.

I have contacted T-Mobile and they told me the account was closed due to non-payment, i had a direct debit in place which i did not cancel so cannot explain this and also have no bank charges relating to any unpaid direct debits.

I have asked for copies of my last bills and all correspondence sent to me and also details of the debt collection agency which my details would have been passed to as i have not heard anything from them either. I was told that i would have heard from the debt collection agency but i would have to contact customer relations by email and request details.

I have now been told that no debt collection agency was contacted and that T-mobile have wiped my account to show nothing outstanding. I have told them this is not good enough and want the default removed unless they can prove to me that i have received the correspondence from them. Surely if they were to send me a default notice they would have sent that recorded delivery - therefore they would have proof of who signed for it and when.

Is there anything else i can do to get them to remove it. i have said all along that i will pay what i owe but they need to show me a breakdown of what i owe and also copies of what they have sent me. instead of that they have wiped the bill and are obviously hoping i will be happy with that. surely they would not wipe the bill unless they have realised they are in the wrong....

thanks in advance for any help you guys have.

Ben :)

Hi Ben,

I used to work in debt recovery, so I may be able to help a little. Firstly, in answer to your question, notices of default do not have to be sent special/recorded delivery. But if indeed this was a ligitimate debt, it would automatically be be referred to a collection agency.

I think you are taking the right approach to this, but my tack would be to get a little more aggressive in my letters - tell them that you will give the (a very fair) fourteen days to either produce evidence that the debt was owed and letters sent (to the correct address), or you will issue legal proceedings against them and refer the case to the relevant governing body. It is no hardship for them to ammend your credit file, it only takes one e-mail/fax to the credit reference agencies. And remember, if you call them, make sure you get the operator's name and make notes of the conversation. If you write, (a white lie), write 'copy sent to solicitor'. They won't want litigation.

One other thing I would suggest is to get your credit files from Experian, Equifax and Call Credit and add a 'notice of correction' to your file while they are sorting this out. If you do owe this money it may be difficult to argue that you didn't receive the bills, but the fact you had a direct debit with them will help. At the end of the day, if you owed them, they would of just taken it from your bank. Either way, lenders looking at your application will take this notice into account when making a decision.

Though I must admit to being a happy T-Mobile customer, I don't like how easy it is for company's to screw up your financial 'life'. This happened to my old mum with an unjust bill from British Gas which we managed to fight. So don't give up!

I hope this helps.

Rob