Help required re defaults

millym

Hi, first post here but have read a lot of helpful stuff on this forum and I'm looking for some advice.

My husband and I are both on benefits but manage ok and don't need credit at the moment. However, I accessed my credit report in Sept 2008 prior to moving into a private let, as I knew the agents would do a search.

There are 2 defaults listed.

The first is from Barclaycard,
Started : 7/12/2004 default bal: £617 Defaulted 29/9/06 Updated 31/8/08
Status history: 8

The second Welcome Financial Services
Started: 30/4/02 default bal: £205 repayment period £28 over 60 months
defaulted on:6/10/06 updated 17/2/08 status history 8

My questions are
I accept the debt from Barclaycard, but my limit was £280. Due to being seriously ill, I missed a payment, fees were applied and I could not afford to pay what they wanted so this spiralled and I now owe £617 instead of £274 which was my balance at the time. What, if anything can I do about this?

My main query is about Welcome. I missed a few payments (due to bank charges leaving me with insufficient funds) but caught up and paid my account off in full and on time( my DD was for £30 so I was paying a little extra each month)
I therefore do not understand why this shows as an outstanding balance. I wrote to them on 24/9/08 asking for removal but never received a reply. How do I get this corrected?

I have no need of credit at the moment, but the person who acted as guarantor on my lease is about to retire, so I thought I had better take steps to improve my credit rating for the future. I applied to JD Williams for an account yesterday and was refused! I have written to Experian for an up to date report.

Sorry this is so long! Oh, my husband has never had any credit whatsoever, never needed it as was in well paid job before ill health! Many thanks.

millym

Anybody there?

millym

Update

I just got accepted for a Studio catalogue account, which I applied for hours before applying to JD Williams! Maybe they saw the application to Studio on the same day and that's why they rejected me? Anyway, it's a step in the right direction! Yippee!

fermi

millym wrote: »

I therefore do not understand why this shows as an outstanding balance. I wrote to them on 24/9/08 asking for removal but never received a reply. How do I get this corrected?

Write to them again reminding them of their obligation under the Data Protection Act to ensure that the info they report to the agencies is accurate. Send recorded.

http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/credit_explained_leaflet_2005.pdf

More info on how to complain from page 19 of the above link.

Also formally dispute the correctness of the entry through whatever agency (experian etc...) that you checked it through. They should also then mark the entry as disputed and contact Welcome to query it.

millym

Hi fermi

Many thanks for your help. I trawled the forum, but couldn't find a specific example of my problem and was unsure what to do. They never sent me a default notice either, but I only missed one payment, and phoned them in advance to tell them I wouldn't be able to pay!

I will do as you suggested, but should I wait until I get an up to date report from Experian which I just sent off for?

I would dearly like to pay Barclaycard off, as I feel bad about it, but feel that it's unfair that the sum I owe is mostly charges. Can anyone tell me the best course of action? Like I said, I don't want/need credit, but need to improve my record as we no longer have a guarantor, and private lets are unsecure, as I've discovered in the past.

Great site, I've learned loads already!

fermi

millym wrote: »

I will do as you suggested, but should I wait until I get an up to date report from Experian which I just sent off for?

It would be best, yes. If you are going to complain, then it needs to be on the basis of recent/current info recorded on your file.

MrsTinks

Given that the data you're querying is about a year and a half old I'd say it's near worthless... definitely wait for your updated report before you start disputing things - they could have corrected the data already etc. On both accounts however you DID default so the creditors would be in their rights to put defaults on... however as you have brought the accounts back to within the contracted terms they may have only marked them as late payments. Until you get the updated report this is ALL guesswork though

fermi

MrsTine wrote: »

Given that the data you're querying is about a year and a half old I'd say it's near worthless...

Updated 08? Oops! Didn't notice that. Just read it automatically as recent. (Not awake )

As said millym, get a new report. The entries could be very different now.

MrsTinks

LOL I figured you hadn't spotted that Fermi It IS a tad early

fermi

MrsTine wrote: »

LOL I figured you hadn't spotted that Fermi It IS a tad early

Indeed. I've not even finished the first gallon of coffee yet. :cool:

millym

Hi folks and thanks again for all the advice!

Yeah my credit report is rather out of date I obtained it back then prior to my letting agent doing a search, as their application form asked for details of defaults ccjs etc and stated that nondisclosure may result in being rejected for the tenancy.

I made half-hearted attempts at having the entries fixed, but wasn't that bothered as dont need credit. However, my guarantor is retiring in May, I just found out, and it's got me worried for the future, as it's very hard to get a decent private let on benefits

I accept that I deserve the defaults, but it's the red number 8 attached to each account that is bugging me, because I tried hard to get a payment plan with Barclaycard but they wouldn't agree to my offer, and Welcome I only missed one payment, was paying extra each month by DD and paid the account off before the last payment fell due! In fact, I think they took an extra payment from me at the end and when I queried it was told that the last payment took my balance to zero. Wish I had got it all in writing.

Welcome are a truly awful company. They got me to take out all these extra insurances and stuff and said that if I paid them for the first year, they would then give me preferential interest rates as a good customer, and it would all be cheaper in the long run! B*******!
Sorry - rant over, deep breath etc. Will wait for new report to arrive by snail mail and take it from there.

Cheers!