Equifax black mark

A question about : Equifax black mark

Help advice needed please!

I get monthly alerts from Experian of my credit file which I get free with one of my bank accounts.
I have just had an alert that Virgin Media have given me a black mark showing that I have defaulted on my account.
I get a monthly ebill from them for phone/broadband/tv, I do nothing and they automatically take payment from my bank account about 10 days later.
Last month I looked at the ebill and saw an amount of Ј2.66 which I shouldn't have been charged (How I now wish I had left well alone!!).
I rang them and they agreed with me and said as the money hadn't yet come out of my bank account they would alter it.
What they did was reduce the amount taken from my bank by Ј2.66 but did not reduce the bill. This obviously showed I had underpaid by Ј2.66.
Some automatic system has shown this as me defaulting. Obviously the following month it will show me as okay again but this black mark will remain.

Will this single black mark cause me problems in the future or should I try and get it removed? I have nightmares at the thought of trying to explain this to call centre staff and trying to get them to do something!

p.s. I wasn't sure if this was the correct section to post on but it seemed the best fit?

Best answers:

• As the default (or other) entry is clearly inaccurate and purely Virgin Media's fault, then you need to take them to task and demand that all negative info is removed from your credit reports.
• It seems that Virgin Media has been making mess ups with people's credit report's this month.
  Even the head of Experian Customer relations had bad info falsely placed on his Equifax report.
• fermi thanks for that. I am not sure who I should be ringing at Virgin as my experience of their call centre help is not very good, they got me in to this mess!!
• Well, I suppose the call centre is the first place to try.
  Complaints procedure and contacts here I think? https://help.virginmedia.com/system/...ctjourney=true
  If you don't get the info removed PDQ, then record a dispute through Equifax at least.
• lol. I asked someone else here to tweet James from Experian to see if he had and tips for dealing with VM.
  Already got a reply.
  https://twitter.com/#!/ExperianJames...79037820796928
  Quote:
• fermi, I have had incredible help and support from this forum over the last couple of years, but this has to be the most definitive way forward I have ever received. I tried hitting the thanks button more than once but it wouldn't let me
• I had a default removed from my file in November by VM. You need to write to:
  Consumer Underwriting Services
  Virgin Media
  Cable Phone House
  Small Heath Business Park
  Talbot Way
  B10 0HJ
  Tel: 0800 052 0290
  The letter I received asked me to send a copy of my credit file with full explanation. They removed the default within 21 days
  Hope that helps
• I think it's disgusting that VM can just do this.
• Even worse when you have a mortgage application going through and the credit check being done this week. Going the route mentioned kind of works... Still the people that actually deal with it cannot be named, spoken to or contacted so it seems.
• this is shocking to read. Im lucky i used google to search for
  "Consumer Underwriting Services
  Virgin Media"
  Im in the same boat with this and now need to write a letter to CUS to remove an outstanding debt that VM have placed on my report.
  History with myself is that i just checked my report and randomly VM popped up. My score dropped a significant 80 points ( experian ). Points which i cannot afford to lose at this moment in time. I checked the report, everything is settled or at 0 apart from VM. I looked further into it and they have stated that for the last 14 months, i have been in arrears and have an outstanding debt of Ј44. This dropped to Ј22 in the second month and then every month since, it has been increasing by Ј1 a month.
  I spoke to VM via phone and email and have confirmation that I have no outstanding bills, never paid a late direct debit and paid in full each time.
  I now have to spend my time trying to settle a very important issue. VM have nothing to say apart from getting it cleared. I will only send the VM report and my score, not the full report.
  I am due to come out of my contract with VM in two months time. I wont until this is settled. Is there anything that VM do as a good will gesture for these errors?
  I feel like I am at a small loss. Nothing major but a big corportation like this can destroy individuals. Im lucky that im looking at 14 months arrears of Ј33 rather than Ј100s.
• I agree with you, same thing has happened to me and i am applying for a remortgage so had to put it on hold. I dont see how virgin media are allowed to mess up customers files like this, and yet my virgin broadband has been off more than it has been on the past 2 years, wish i could register them somewhere for not fulfilling their contract. I am in the process of sorting it with VM but it is a slow process but i will get it sorted even if i have to get other bodies involved. I am also waiting to leave VM but want this sorted first. When i rang VM about it they blamed Experian, when i rang Experian they blamed VM. I think Vm need to be looked at for the poor service they give. When i first rang VM about it the lady said dont worry you are up to date so nothing to worry about, so i explained about my credit file and she said ring your bank they will sort it. (nothing to do with my bank) Sorry if i am going on but i am so annyoyed
• No-one other then VM can remove the default.
• Dear all
  I have also had a black mark on my credit file due to Virgin Media's incompetence, after weeks of trying I have tracked down a Contact number for the actual Underwriting Services, I have been on hold for 20 minutes so far, but thought I would share to see if anyone else has more luck.
  Number is 0800 052 0290
  good luck
• Hi:
  Just like to add my experience.
  Mid 2011 I changed banks, the new bank had a account switch service which would port all my Direct Debits over to the new account. It worked on all my direct debits except for one... yep Virgin Media. I only knew because I was sent a bill which included a late payment charge and roll over of the previous balance. I called VM and they told me all is fine, they processed the change to the Direct Debit instruction later than the billing cycle but they said not to worry as they will refund my late payment charge. I also asked them about impact to my credit report and they said they only report late payments if it happens more than once.
  I just ran a Statutory Credit Report and have seen a Late Payment Mark on my report from VM. Very upsetting considering I did nothing wrong and this is the first black mark on my credit report.
  I called VM customer services, they apologised and asked me to email VM Consumer underwriting services with the request to correct the report, which I did today. I also wanted a third party to confirm this will be fixed, so I also decided to raise a dispute with Equifax in which I will get a response in 28 days.
  I agree with many of you that companies like VM should be held accountable in some way for all this. imo Credit reference agencies should keep track of the number of disputes per lender and once they hit a threshold the FSA should investigate and enforce penalties.... if only *sigh
• Virgin Media, if you are reading this i am fuming!!!
  I have always paid every bill on time (except once), i with my wife earn over Ј60k, yet i've just been refused a mortgage and was told to check my credit files.
  Transpires i have a Ј36 outstanding debt with virgin from 2009 - when i closed the account with them (or so i thought)!!
  I am absolutely furious, i've always done everything to protect my credit score - similar experience to others in that on contacting Virgin Media all they wanted was the balance paying, if they've added a Ј1 each month then so be it, if its because they didn't close the account i will do everything i can to hold them to account on losing our dream house. i just paid it to start credit working for me again asap.
  The lady also said to contact consumerunderwritingservices@virginmedia.co.uk to try and resolve credit issue, i asked to be put through to them but she refused.
  Moral: always make sure you have it in writing that the account is closed.
  I hope others do not have the same experience! Graham.
• Also please see this link.
  Wrongful Defaults on Credit Reports - BBC WatchDog - Important
• I've just had a Defaulted Account removed from my credit file yesterday by the CEO's office of Virgin Media, after they've admitted liability...
  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4231033
  If it is a genuine mistake on Virgin Media's part, i'd recommend emailing neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk to escalate if, as I was, you're getting zero responses to their complaints procedure.