Barclaycard address/contact details required

GMAD

[FONT=&quot]Hi everyone

To cut a long story short (which will possibly be covered in another thread anyway) I need to write a letter to the Customer Services Manager or Director at Barclaycard.

Basically, I defaulted on a Goldfish card in 2006 (less than £500 which I settled soon after) and I'd like to request they remove this because it's preventing my partner and I from securing a mortgage.

So far, I've done lots of Googling and forum searching plus calling of various numbers ([/FONT][FONT=&quot]0844 8119111, 0800 9177277, 01642 663780 - all of which seem to relay back to India or wherever) ... and the concensus is that it's either Paul McWeeney( [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Head of Consumer Sales and Service) or [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Elaine[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Mockler (Customer Services Director) whom I need to contact. As for the address, it could be 1234 Pavillion Drive, Northampton, or Barclays (t/a BC), 1 Churchill PLace, London, or Customer Relationship Unit, BC House, Massey Road, Stockton on Tees.
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[FONT=&quot]Naturally I'd like to get all my details correct at the first attempt, so can anyone confirm which is right?[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Thanks in advance[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]GMAD
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BadgerFace_2

Erm...I doubt they will remove it, as it is important information relating to your payment record, which is exactly what the mortgage lender wants to see.

No harm in asking though I suppose.

PNPSUKNET

on what grounds are you seeking removal

GMAD

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

on what grounds are you seeking removal

My grounds are that that £400 mistake 4 years ago (of which I'm not entirely to blame) is preventing me getting a mortgage with my partner. As a result, we've been living in the same rented property since that time and so far I've paid £45k in rental fees, and if we have to remain here another 2 years then that'll be another £20k+ (all of which will of course be going into someone else's pocket because of that single mistake). And IMO that's unfair - the "punishment" does not befit the "crime." We have the deposit and I have an endowment from a previous mortage (which I've continued to pay into since selling a few years ago), so we're pretty much ready to roll.

I've read that people have been able to successfully request their defaults be removed (particularly for small amounts, say <£500) ... so I'd like to have a go too. Perhaps I'm being naive. Perhaps I'll be told that things will have to remain as they are. But if I sit here and do nothing then that's the only thing that can happen ... at least by giving it a go I can give us an opportunity.

I hope that helps.

Degenerate

GMAD wrote: »

My grounds are that that £400 mistake 4 years ago (of which I'm not entirely to blame) is preventing me getting a mortgage with my partner. As a result, we've been living in the same rented property since that time and so far I've paid £45k in rental fees, and if we have to remain here another 2 years then that'll be another £20k+ (all of which will of course be going into someone else's pocket because of that single mistake). And IMO that's unfair - the "punishment" does not befit the "crime."

These are not valid grounds I'm afraid. Valid grounds would be that there was something amiss with the information (For example, if the debt had subsequently been settled but was still shown as outstanding in your credit record.)

Having the default recorded on your credit record is not a punishment from Barclaycard, it's a factual report of an event that occurred. It's up to prospective lenders to decide what they want to do with that information, and when they decline you because of it they are not punishing you either, they are evaluating their risks and deciding that your history makes you too great a risk for them.

Obviously you think this is not the case and feel you are unfairly being deprived of the opportunity to take out a mortgage, but your best recourse is to go through the appeals procedures of potential lenders and attempt to convince them of that, rather than asking Barclaycard to revise history.

Alex_LS

You can add a "Notice of Correction" to your own credit file. This can be up to 200 words and gives you the chance to explain the circumstances of any defaults or other adverse information. The lender is obliged to look at the notice, but is not obliged to act upon it; i.e. they are free to ignore it if they wish.

Fonz_2

I certainly hope they won't remove this default.

It would be extremely unfair if those who cannot manage their finances were enabled to get the same deals as those who have taken the trouble to manage things well.

GMAD

Degenerate - I didn't know there was an appeals procedures of potential lenders. I guess this applies to each lender? But can it go against you (on your record?) if you lose?

Alex LS - I've already added a NOC but am unsure if I have much faith in this. I don't know how true this is, but I've heard that many credit checks are run by computers, and as such, real people who could otherwise overturn a decision won't get to see the NOC because the computer simply works out the points for and against, etc.

Fonz - can you honestly say that in 20+ years of managing one's finances, a single mistake marks me down as one of "those who cannot manage their own finances"? Either way, thanks for your encouragement.

Degenerate

GMAD wrote: »

Degenerate - I didn't know there was an appeals procedures of potential lenders. I guess this applies to each lender? But can it go against you (on your record?) if you lose?

There is nothing to lose by appealing - it does no further damage to your credit file. Lenders set their own appeals procedures, so you'll have to enquire with the specific lender. Generally it involves writing a letter setting out your case, what happened back then and why it wouldn't happen again now.

For example, it might be that you were sick for several months, unable to work and only received SSP from your employer. (This part would also be appropriate as a note on your credit file, as others have suggested.) Maybe now you're with a better employer and would receive full sick pay. Just examples, of course, as I don't know your circumstances, but you get the idea.

FWIW, I had the same problem as you a decade or so ago. Barclaycard defaulted me in 1998 for a measly £35 which went unpaid for a few months by pure oversight (I was very disorganised back then). Then in 1999 Alliance & Leicester declined my mortgage application because of it. I appealed successfully.

One of the things that I was told was that the trivial debt itself would have been much less of an issue were it not for the fact that it was the only credit history they had for me at that time. This could be your problem too - what have you done to build up positive history in the last four years? In your favour, the fact that you did ultimately settle the debt within a few months looks much, much better than a default that was left to drag on through collection and enforcement procedures.

A big help for me was that A&L back then was still "human" - I had good advice and support from the local branch manager through my application and appeal, which helped immensely. I'm doubtful whether I would have the same experience today with Santander. You may be best off looking at lenders like the smaller building societies that still have human beings in the decision chain.

GMAD

Hmm, that's interesting and very useful, Degenerate.

In the four years since, I've continued using my bank''s credit card (always paid in full each month), and got another card (also paid in full each month). Have been with the same employer since 2007 (I'm not one to jump from job to job anyway) and cleared my overdraft. Have paid all other bills etc on time. Don't owe any money. Have been with the same bank for about 12-13 years now, so I'd like to think they'd be open to addressing the situation jointly and offering us a mortgage at a fair rate. Like I said earlier, I've kept my endowment going (which thankfully is on target for 6-8%) and matures in 2021, so maybe this will add some weight too.

At the end of the day, I'd like to see a little common sense and compassion. It's not like I haven't grafted all these years (unlike many people in this country who get everything for nothing). If someone takes offence to that then so be it ... I'm just trying to be proactive and prove I can pay my way.

Thanks

PNPSUKNET

with any barclays group, cant say I would hold any hope out