Defaults on Credit File - Removing Them?

**Amy**

Hi All

I have a total of 4 defaults on my credit file and one CCJ. :rolleyes:

Anyhoo, i have paid the CCJ and that comes off the report in March 2010 which is fab.

The 4 defaults were given to me as follows:

1) November 2003 - Settled
2) December 2005 - Not settled (British Gas wont answer my letter!)
3) April 2008 - Not Settled (paying off)
4) August 2007 - Settled

I was just wondering is there a way of getting the defaults removed from the most recent ones if i pay up?

If not, how badly do they affect your credit rating as I am looking at gettng a mortgage in 2010.

EDIT: Just called British Gas and it seems the default from 2005 is NOT mine! It was after I moved out of the property (1 month after I had given them my new address!). I am writing a letter to get the default removed as explained by one of their team. At least thats one down!

x

ExNicotineQueen

Defaults stay on your credit file for 6 years and they can badly affect your chance of getting a mortgage. I had 1 on mine and when I tried to go for a mortgage they turned me down.

**Amy**

Hi

I know they stay on for 6 years, however I have heard people have managed to get them removed via the people who put them on.

xx

Sammy_Girl

Hi Amy,

If you pay off the debts you should still be able to get a mortgage. It won't be with one of the main high street lenders, but from a sub prime lender. We took out our first mortgage last year with a company called SPML who took me on with bad credit. The interest rate will be higher that with a high street bank, but after a few years when your defaults fall off, then you can go with a high street. We are on a fixed rate with SPML at 6.49% which was slightly higher at the time, but is lower than some of the high street lenders now. I'm looking to remortgage next year with a sub prime lender again, then after 3 years (2012) I will try with a High Street bank.

I've been lurking on the Mortgage and Endownments board an awful lot recently so it might be worth checking out. There are quite a few queries from MSEs in a similar situation to yourself.

**Amy**

Hi Sammy

Thanks for that. Unfortunately i will be looking into a Housing Association scheme and they only allow high Street Banks. :rolleyes:

Hmmmmmmmmm... not sure what to do now as the last default wont come off until 2014.

:mad: Another reason to get angry with myself.

x

Sammy_Girl

It might be worth hopping over to the Mortgages board and posting a question about a mortgage with Housing Associations and defaults. They have quite a few mortgage advisers on there who seem to give very good advice about all different mortgage queries. Worth a try??

**Amy**

Oooo ok will do.

Can you hold my hand over there??

Sammy_Girl

lol. Of course!! They're not so "huggy", but they give great, to the point, logical advice!! I'll be over there waiting

brightonman123

unless the default ws logged 'in error', i think they stay on for 6 years; though can request lenders (or maybe the agency itself?) do an update to show settled when you pay them off..?

scitech_2

You could request copies of the original defaults...to see if they have them. If they cannot prove it you might get them removed. I found something on this website that could help.

I didn't do it as I had copies of all mine(6). The last one should have come off this month. However- experian say i have a default with a debt collection agency yet the original default was with Abbey and i did not default against Moorcroft. Yesterday Moorcroft apologised and agreed to remove it within 48 hours. The second issue which is really :mad: is Callcredit have a default which is inaccurately dated for june 2003 and not July 2002 for Egg. Egg have been giving me the run around even after I sent them a copy of the orignal default and showing them they have co**ed up. This has been going on since June 2008......"Can i ring them" ...which I do....person who made phonecall has gone home...50 minutes after she had sent the email--- so gonna write to financial ombudsman tomorrow and kick ars*.

Moral of the story
1)Make sure everyone has the data correct on your credit file e.g the credit reference aganecy, the company and yourself.
2) Keep all correspondance
2) Any loophole like asking them for a copy of the orignal default- then do it.
3) Remove as many as possible and then hold on for the six years. As debts get sold on make sure the new owners don't register a default against you...they cannot unless you have missed payments with them plus they have to inform you first
4) Do everything in writing and send things registered/recorded post.

Finally...we managed to get a mortage with Birmingham Midshires. it was 1% above others but we needed to remortage.

I wish you luck if any one needs any help from someone who has gone through the process PM me

Jayne