Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>
Lowell Complaint (Thread:5001567)
Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com> 18. mars 2024 kl. 15:53
Til: Complaints Resolution <Customer_Relations2@lowellgroup.co.uk>
Kopi: help@overdales.com, “complaint.info” <complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk>, enquiry@commsombudsman.org, customerwellness@three.co.uk, Customer Services <Customer_Services2@lowellgroup.co.uk>, complaintsresolution@lowellgroup.co.uk, Lowell Norge AS <svc.no.nova@lowell.com>, bank.no@lowell.com, bank.no@lowell.mypurecloud.ie, kundeservice@mail.efi.no, boligbistand@baerum.kommune.no, Lowell Norge AS <strom.no@lowell.com>, NorgesEnergi <kundeservice@norgesenergi.no>, Lowell Norge – kundesenter <kundesenter.no@lowell.com>, kundeservice@hafslundstrom.no, Bærum Kommune <post@baerum.kommune.no>, LOS Kundesenter <kundesenter@los.no>, Sfovpost <sfovpost@statsforvalteren.no>, “post@sivilombudsmannen.no” <post@sivilombudsmannen.no>, amnestyis <amnestyis@amnesty.org>, HRW UK <hrwuk@hrw.org>, LbF Leieboerforeningen <lbf@lbf.no>, post <post@finkn.no>, Akademikerforbundet <post@akademikerforbundet.no>, kom@nve.no, rme@nve.no, trl@nve.no, morten.schau@elvia.no, Abuse <abuse@telia.com>, “inger.lise.blyverket” <inger.lise.blyverket@forbrukerradet.no>, Phso Enquiries <phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk>, Info <info@tpas.org.uk>, Postmottak ASD <postmottak@asd.dep.no>, Runcorn Office <runcornoffice@taroe.org>, Postkasse <postkasse@datatilsynet.no>, Lisa Eian <eian@eianadvokat.no>, strom.no@lowell.mypurecloud.ie, post@arbeidstilsynet.no, corporationsecretary@ofcom.org.uk, post <post@finanstilsynet.no>, Post <post@brukerklagenemnda.no>, NKOM <firmapost@nkom.no>, Post <post@forbrukerradet.no>, newsroom@ee.co.uk, enquiries@policeconduct.gov.uk, customer.complaints@ee.co.uk
Hi,
It’s actually on my blog.
I went to the EE-shop (on 14/8/17) and complained about the problems with the router.
And an EE-representative gave me the wrong advice.
They didn’t understand that the router needed e.g. a superspeed-USB-wire to be able to charge the router while it was in the ‘on’-mode.
The problem was the router was out of battery (even if I only used it as a USB-dongle, I didn’t use it as a wifi-router).
And the staff in the EE-shop in Liverpool City Center (the shop close to St. Johns Center and the Tesco Metro).
They told me that the problem was, that the router had been in the ‘off’-mode.
But that wasn’t the whole problem.
The problem was that the router had a problem with charing while it was been used (or in a stand by-mode).
Where as the ‘3’-router didn’t have this problem, so basically you (EE) sold me some old junk (I’d say).
(You/EE might have thougt it was fun product, with a yellow router, and a yellow USB-wire.
But this combo didn’t work that good.
It was perhaps a fly/fun product.
But I think they didn’t test it enough, before they put it on the market.
So the functionality was quite up for it.
Other than if you only wanted a router that worked now and then.
But that wasn’t really what I was looking for.
I wanted one of them mentioned USB-dongles (from when EE had European owners) and not some ‘sh*t’ that didn’t work 24/7).
Also wifi-routers tell all your neighbours which internet-line/proveder/ISP you have.
So it’s sometimes better with USB-dongles if you live in a ‘rough’/poor area, I’d say (even if I must admit I use wifi-routers these days, for Chromecast etc.)).
And after I got the ‘3’-router I wonder if ‘3’ contacted EE and told them to stop my EE sim-card.
At least it stopped working (like I’ve informed you about earlier).
So after this episode on 14/8/17, I thought it would be embarrasing to go the shop (because they didn’t know their products, and blamed all the problems on the customers, it seemed).
And also my mother told me (in the 70’s) that if one wanted to stop a subscription, you should just stop paying the bill, and the subscription would stop.
And the sim-card had actually stopped working for a while.
And then I just bought pay-as-you-go-tickets on Tesco etc., for the ‘3’-router.
So EE really should pay me all my money back, I think.
The product wasn’t good (you couldn’t use it as a router 24/7), and EE also made the sim-card stop working, even if I had plenty of money on my back-account, that was sent to EE, by direct-debit-payments.
So this I have to complain about.
I want a reply from a superior about this.
Erik Ribsskog
PS.
I actually didn’t live in Keith Court, in 2017.
I told them my hotel-address (Lord Nelson Hotel).
But the young woman there wasn’t happy with that address, even if RBS didn’t mind me using that address with them (I went to RBS first, and then Barclays I guess, and then I went into the EE-shop, at an impulse, when I was really going to Tesco, or something (on my first whole day in the Liverpool again, since 2014)).
I think that was how it was.
I’ve earlier explained it was a bit sweaty with the meeting, with the young EE-woman.
She asked a lot of questions (almost a bit like Stasi, like they say).
And it could seem that she pretended not to understand, that I lived at a hotel (and not in Keith Court, like in 2014).
So that was a bit ‘red tape-like’ that I needed an address, to buy the router.
I remember when I moved to Liverpool in 2005, then I had to use my Sunderland-address (where I studied from September 2004 til February 2005) to buy a British mobile-phone (even if I bought one in London in February 2005, but I had to live that on a farm in Norway, in July 2005, because someone tried to kill me there).
So I guess it’s a bit bureucratic sometimes to buy a router or a carphone in the UK.
In Norway you don’t need to tell your adress to buy a pay as you go-phone.
(At least not the last time I checked).
So I thought that was a bit sweaty.
So that I have to complain about.
These days one can use a Norwegian mobile in the UK, because the tariffs are much lower, but back then (at least in 2005) it was much better to have a phone with a UK phone-number (then you probably would have better chances of getting a flat etc., if you have a British phone-number, rather than a Norwegian one).
PS 2.
After I ran from Norway (and the murder-attempt) in the summer of 2005.
Then the Police didn’t want to do their job.
So I had to find a job in Liverpool.
And on the Bertelsmann Arvato’s Microsoft Scandinavian Product Activation-campaign, in the Cunard Building.
There my colleague Marianne Høksaas informed me that it was a room available, in a shared house, in Walton (in Mandeville Street).
And one of my flat-mates was Melissa M’Betsa.
She worked for one of you competitors.
Her work-place-building was on the corner of Matthew Street and Stanley Street.
I don’t remember the name of her employer.
But perhaps you’ve worked with her somewhere.
That’s perhaps why you only use your fist-name?
That’s a bit clammy I think.
That I have to complain about.
Melissa was almost a middle-manager (as I remember it) in 2005/2006.
And her boss (that she sometimes dragged home) was gay (as I remember it).
Please escalate to a superior.
man. 18. mars 2024 kl. 14:16 skrev Complaints Resolution <Customer_Relations2@lowellgroup.co.uk>:
Dear Mr Ribsskog,
Complaint Reference: 555289
Further to our email dated 7 March 2024; thank you for getting in touch to raise your concerns and for your patience whilst your complaint has been investigated.
My understanding of your complaint
You are unhappy because you believe you do not owe the outstanding balance on the former EE limited account. Due to network issues, you stopped making payments on the account.
Findings
At Lowell we take all complaints seriously and every effort is made to ensure that a thorough investigation is undertaken and the right outcome reached.
In order to investigate this complaint, I have reviewed the account and the information we hold.
Lowell purchased the former EE Limited account reference 314802737 in February 2019. You were notified of the purchase of the account in our letter dated 5 March 2019. We sent you the Notice of Assignment (NOA) together with a letter from EE Limited, which provides formal notification that this account was sold to Lowell.
Please note, Lowell purchased the account on the understanding that the outstanding balance on the account is valid and collectable. When the account was purchased, we were not notified of any unresolved issues.
As I am sure you will appreciate, Lowell are not party to the opening of the account, nor any conversations held prior to our involvement.
The account relates to broadband taken out with EE Limited on 1 August 2017 at the application address 10 Keith Court, Keith Avenue, Liverpool, L4 5XJ. The last payment received on the account was on 6 October 2017 for the amount of £30. The account was disconnected on 5 April 2018 due to non-payment.
I appreciate you had network issues/ faulty router; however, you would have had to contact EE and make them aware of any issues or problems you were having so they could look into the matter.
Please be advised that it is in the contract and terms and conditions of this account that when cancelling the account, you must give a 30-days’ notice and pay for that final month. As this was not done you have been deemed as liable for the outstanding balance of £38.71.
Based on the above, we believe the balance to be valid and owed. However, if you are able to provide us with any documentation to substantiate your claim, please feel free to send this into us so we can review this.
For convenience, I have attached a copy of the final bill for the account.
Conclusion
Based on my findings, I am unable to uphold your complaint. Please accept my apology for any inconvenience this matter may have caused.
Whilst I understand this is not the outcome you may have hoped for, I trust my rationale is clear, I do hope you understand the reasoning for my decision.
If I have misunderstood your complaint or there is any additional information you would like me to consider, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can call me on Freephone 0800 542 0058 – we’re open: Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm – telling me your reason and including any evidence which has not already been provided that you think is important to your case. Alternatively, you can e-mail me using complaintsresolution@lowellgroup.co.uk, or write to me at Lowell Financial, PO Box 13079, Harlow, CM20 9TE.
The Dispute Resolution Ombudsman also provides a dispute resolution service to assist customers who feel their complaint remains unresolved.
You have the right to refer your complaint to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman, free of charge – but you must do so within 12 months of the date of this email.
If you do not refer your complaint in time, the Ombudsman will only be able to consider your complaint in very limited circumstances, for example, if the Ombudsman believes that the delay was as a result of exceptional circumstances.
For more information on their services, you can visit their website http://www.disputeresolutionombudsman.org.
Please let us know if you would like a copy of the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman leaflet sent out by post.
Next Steps
Moving forward, I have referred the account to our Trace Department to try and locate your current address. Please note, it is important that we have an up-to-date address or a care of address for you on file as we are required to send certain documents by post, such as annual statements or a Notice of Sums in Arrears. We also have a duty of care to keep you informed regarding any accounts we hold and any possible future action that may be taken. Please feel free to contact us and update your address or a care of address.
As your complaint is now closed, you can set up a payment arrangement on your account(s) to become debt free as soon as possible. The easiest ways to agree a plan with us is online or over the telephone.
We can offer support and advice by exploring other options if you are having difficulties for any reason, please get in touch so that we can help.
You can also register on our secure customer website www.lowell.co.uk to check your budget and set affordable repayments. If you’d prefer to talk to someone, call us on 0333 556 5733 and we’ll be happy to help.
In the interests of clarity, please find details below of the accounts which we currently hold for you:
Lowell Reference
Original Company
Brand
Current Balance
120143797
Capital One
Capital One
£880.58
314802737
EE Limited
EE Limited
£38.71
In respect of reference 120143797, the account is being managed by Overdales. Should you wish to discuss the account, please feel free to contact them. Please see below their contact details:
Overdales
PO Box 1399
Bradford
BD5 5GA
Email address: help@overdales.com
Telephone number: 0333 111 0810
Yours sincerely
Akbar
Customer Relations Officer