Credit score

[Terrier2]

Hi all, we have a problem with our credit score, only just discovered as we are buying a house.  In 2021 we moved to a rented property and set up BT broadband. After a few weeks it stopped working and as we are both school teachers we complained and asked for it to be sorted. There was an issue with the router and this was replaced. As compensation BT paid £200 into our bank account. During the conversation with the customer adviser on help line we were told that there were 2 accounts in our name at the property. He deleted one and said all will be ok. We asked about the direct debit being the same and he said it would remain the same. Since then it appears the direct debit didn’t work and that we had run up 5 months arrears, unbeknown to us as we had zero communication from BT to this effect. This only became apparent when we had a credit search done for mortgage application. BT are refusing to offer any help and just say we should have checked the account was being paid! They have broken their own terms of conditions by not letting us know,. As soon as we were aware we paid it all off.

Today the direct debit is still not working and we have to pay by standing order or bank transfer via the app. Our bank has got evidence to prove that the direct debit has always been active and never returned for lack of funds or cancellation. 
I am worried we have been victim to identity theft and the devastating effect it has had on our ability to buy the house has caused us much worry and ill health. We can t get a mortgage!  BT won’t give us any information about the deleted account, won’t even confirm it the details were correct, ie.email & address for correspondence. It is clear this is a technical error that has had far reaching implications for us and not BT. Can someone please help? Do we need to take legal action? Report to police for fraud?

thank you

[imjolly]

have you checked your bank details/DD are correct in MYBT?

If BT were able to pay compensation into your bank then they must have had the correct band information unless you supplied that for the payment.

i cannot see where identity fraud comes from as you have not had any money withdrawn from your account but maybe you do not check your bank accounts otherwise you would have noticed you were not paying BT.

[garybs29]

I'd go as far as checking your contact details too, it's impossible for you to run up 5 months arrears with "nothing sent"

[Terrier2]

Hi. Yes the bank details are all ok. They wouldn’t confirm the reference on the direct debit though so that we could check it against the one we have on our bank account. 
Only this week they sent an email saying we had paid twice this month and they would send a refund, but on checking out bank we had not paid twice and they haven’t sent us any money. This makes Me think there is a duplicate account somewhere in BT

[Terrier2]

They wouldn’t give us that information over the phone 🤷‍♀️

[Terrier2]

They wouldn’t give us that information over the phone or even confirm what we gave them as being correct 🤷‍♀️

[DanielS]

Hi @Terrier2,

I am sorry for any problems that you have getting this sorted.

I think that it's best if we spoke with you about it to see what we can do to help or tell you what needs to be done.

I'm going to send you a private message that you can reply back to my team on.

Thank you

DanielS

[Terrier2]

hi @DanielS  please can you confirm the moderators have received my full complaint. 

thank you

[NeilO]

Hi @Terrier2 Yes, it's very near the top of our queue. 

Neil

[Terrier2]

Thank you so much.