Pls advise re: credit reports

gemstar_2

Hi there

I am hoping that someone can please advise.
My credit rating took a battering some years ago when I was a student and things just spiralled out of control.
Now older and wiser I think that things are starting to improve and having looked at my credit rating through experian I can see that many things have now dropped off my file. Certainly, recent accounts are shown to be up to date with a perfect payment history.
However, there are some old debts still showing and this is where my question is...... Pls don't shout at me..............
There is a CCJ showing from 2003 at an old address and in my maiden name. Now I have never made a payment on this and I know this is naughty but I am just wondering.... Does this drop of the file after 6 years regardless of whether I have paid or not?? Also there are a couple of defaults, again at an old address? Will these drop off or stay there forever.
Now I know there are the people who will tell me that I owe the money and therefore should pay up, but I am just wondering?
Many Thanks

rog2

The most worrying thing about the CCJ is that they could send the bailiffs in at any time. Perhaps now would be the best time to address it. Even if it drops off your file after 6 years, I would imagine that the CCJ is likely to remain enforceable.

gemstar_2

Would bailiffs still find me if this was in my maiden name at a former address? And is it still enforceable after six years?

file_wizzard

Seer this other recent thread where the validity of CCJ's has been discussed,

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=253420

Basically default and credit account information will expire after 6 years and may not be re-registered, however CCJ’s remain valid indefinitely ( within reasonable time frames) and can be upheld, and re-registered with the CRA's until such time as they are fully satisfied.

You really should address the CCJ issue or it will end in tears !

file_wizzard

gemstar wrote:

Would bailiffs still find me if this was in my maiden name at a former address? And is it still enforceable after six years?

Yes, Yes & Yes, also if you are now married and own a property you are liable to have a charging order placed against any equity you may have in a single or shared asset.

You also mention that you have a copy of a recent credit report which still shows the CCJ, and i presume you have had this report sent to your current address, and in your married name. this being the case it wont take to much for a DCA / Balliff to do a search and find your current name / address, as is now updated with the CRA.

gemstar_2

file_wizzard wrote:

Yes, Yes & Yes, also if you are now married and own a property you are liable to have a charging order placed against any equity you may have in a single or shared asset.

You also mention that you have a copy of a recent credit report which still shows the CCJ, and i presume you have had this report sent to your current address, and in your married name. this being the case it wont take to much for a DCA / Balliff to do a search and find your current name / address, as is now updated with the CRA.

Oh dear! I don't really understand all of this.........
So by supplying info to experian to get the online report thingy I may have flagged this up?

file_wizzard

Unfortunate yes, when you have applied for the file at your new address, and with any changes of name the CRA will automatically create an address, and name link.

Hence why it is always best to resolves these things as they always have a tendency to come back and bite you on the bum! ...sorry

The CRA’s also actively sell data set’s to DCA’s / bailiffs for people who are “missing” and then “turn up” on the agency’s files.

In real terms only a very small amount of the CRA’s business comes from the general public directly, most business is done through search’s / referencing for creditors, and by selling support / hunter packages to DCA’s Ect

file_wizzard

Just in case anyone else is interested in just how much the CRA's and DCA's interact I have attached a recent article.

Scary reading if your planning on hiding!

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Autotrace goes web-enabled to improve collections

Jun 5 2006
Experian ®, the global information solutions company, has launched a new, web-enabled version of its debtor tracing solution, Autotrace, to help organisations to more efficiently locate, in real-time, individuals with whom they have lost contact.

With over six million (11 per cent) of the UK’s population moving house each year* and almost a third of consumers failing to notify companies they deal with of their change of address**, it is all too easy for organisations to lose contact with their customers.

Autotrace works by helping organisations to re-connect with customers. This includes customers that have moved address, debtors that have moved in an attempt to escape their debt or moved and forgotten about their debt. As a result, organisations can make contact to discuss issues and payment problems at the earliest opportunity, and establish recovery plans before the situation for both the organisation and the customer gets out of control.

With its new web interface, Autotrace is now faster and easier to use than ever. The latest version of Experian’s tracing solution includes an interactive address resolution facility to allow the user to select the right address and use of the Electoral Register to augment the address format, such as adding a house name when none has been entered.

Autotrace can trace a person from their last known address to a later address, and it can also confirm that a person is active at their current address (possibly where they have claimed to be no longer resident they may be placing correspondence in the bin or stating that they are not the person that an organisation is seeking.) In these cases, Autotrace is able to help identify whether or not the person is actually still resident at the address to enable the organisation to re-establish contact with their customer.

Jim Lound, Product Director for Experian’s Trust Services division, said: “Autotrace helps put the organisation back in control. Traditional methods of tracing are often expensive and unreliable and depend heavily on third parties to carry out investigations/visit properties. Before embarking on such an expensive process, organisations can achieve significant benefits, both in terms of cost savings and results, fast and efficiently online. Autotrace should be a vital element of any collections strategy and with the service now online, making contact with missing customers is easier and faster than ever.”

Key benefits of Autotrace:
* Reduced tracing costs – no hit no fee – the organisation is only charged for successful, match traces
* Quicker, automatic and continuous tracing – provides real-time debtor traces, leaving staff free to use valuable time taking steps to recover the debt
* Increased potential for payment – locating goneaways at an earlier stage, and before other creditors, increased the likelihood of funds still being available to secure payment
* Availability of a Constant Review monitoring facility to continually monitor the customer for up to two years until a match is found
* The online service can also provide telephone numbers to aid customer contact at the earliest opportunity.

To develop Autotrace, Experian has combined its vast data assets, including millions of records of previous and forwarding addresses, with sophisticated data matching and monitoring techniques to identity the forwarding address of customers or to establish that they continue to be ‘living as stated’. Experian works closely with regulators, including the Office of the Information Commissioner, to ensure that procedures, products and systems are developed to their satisfaction and within the appropriate legal framework.

gemstar_2

Oh god oh god oh god!
I am so scared now.
All of this is from years ago when I was stupid, broke and even more stupid. Should I contact these peopple now? How do I do that? Oh god! Iwas really beginning to think that I was heading in the right direction too!

Bambywamby

You have a choice - bide your time and see how it goes..or fess up and offer to pay bck the debts in managable installments.

Either way - they cant hang you for it - so try and relax a little. You ARE heading in the right direction...it just takes time.

Bams x.x

file_wizzard

I think it is important to put things in perspective, the CCJ should be addressed as your first concern, this will not go away.

A lot of you older CCA debts will now no doubt be statute barred if they are over 6 years old, and the creditors / DCA's will have no lawful recourse to chase you further.