How do i find old debts without......

such-is-life

Hello, I am currently sorting out my finances but im pretty sure i have old debts that are tainting my credit file. Is there any way i can find out what i owe without opening the floodgates to threatening letters and phone calls. If I knew what was what then i could get the money together and pay stuff off. But im thinking if i sign up to credit sites like experian it might alert the beasts!

Chrisblue1962

Hi such-is-life

My first question is what makes you think there are old debts out there? Have you been refused credit?

Firstly I would get a copy of my credit history from Experian and alike.

Then, I would also try and go through every old bank statement or any old paperwork and search for any "breadcrumbs" of information that may give an indication that you had credit off such-and-such Co Ltd. Then, check to see how much was paid, to whom and when. The fact that some old debts can be statute-barred after a period of time (6 years ??) may help wipe out some old debt too.

leanne82duke

have you tried to avoid debts in the past?
if not and you have lived in the same property/not moved around much and registered to vote etc then experian etc will already have your details on record, so i it will do no harm in looking up your details, if that is what you are asking? x
i kind of hid from my debts, so when i did fill my details in on experian a couple of companies found me, which was what i wanted i didnt want debt hanging over my head anymore.
p.s how old are the debts they may well be statute barred x

such-is-life

No havent avoided them as such. I left an abusive ex with just the clothes on my back. He froze our joint account and payments got sent back unpaid. I was left with no money for two weeks until my next pay day into a new account with a new bank as HSBC gave him remaining balance. I had a 24,000 loan in my name which i took out for him to retrain and now im left to pay it off, but i know that there were other things too and i dont have any paperwork or account details of anything that i owe. I left him three years ago and had to move several times to keep him away from me. But having concentrated on rebuilding my life i have neglected to sort out my finances which i want to do now, but dont want to open the floodgates to nasty letters and phonecalls.