Rebuilding credit rating

pipsqueak1

I have 6 defaults from 2008-9 and currently 1 CCJ (I was able to get 2 set aside). I have also just got agreement from the creditor to set aside the last CCJ so within two months I should hopefully be CCJ-free. I had a CCJ set aside about 3 weeks ago and so far it has fallen off Equifax but not Callcredit or Experian. It doesn't seem to have improved my Equifax credit score any though. I am on 518 with Callcredit and 226 with Equifax.

I have had a JD Williams a/c for about a year now and despite 2 late payment markers due to poor organisation, now have a £1500 limit with them. I have recently had a Capital One credit card opened with £200 limit, a Three mobile phone contract (£25 a month) and a Vanquis credit card opened but don't know limit yet (£150 I suspect).

My questions for the more knowledgeable are:

- will the last CCJ being set aside boost my score?
- is it worth trying to get rid of any of the defaults? All but two were paid within a couple of months of the default date.
- two of the defaults appear to be for the same debt which I am disputing. Barclays sold a current account debt that I believe I have already paid off to Cabot. I now have 2 defaults for the same debt. I have written to both of them and Barclays claim to have no record of the debt but refuse to remove the default. Cabot say they have placed my account on hold while they wait to hear from Barclays. Is there anything I can do about this? The double default is a big one - £4k so 2 of them looks bad!
- to what extent will my credit rating improve with maintaining my new credit accounts well before the defaults drop off or I am screwed whatever I do till 2015?
- Lloyds TSB have recently responded to my complaint about their refusal to upgrade my Cash account to a Classic despite the downgrade being my decision at the time and not imposed by them and the fact I was not told I would be re-credit scored to re-upgrade by saying it's their internal policy and they won't upgrade. Do I have any recourse? NatWest have offered me a standard current account but with no overdraft - should I take that and quit Lloyds?

Thanks in advance and sorry it's a long one!

pipsqueak1

Cheeky bump - I do realise it was a lot of questions in one!

bottleofred

Any ccjs/defaults you can get removed is a small bonus. However defaults make it very difficult to get any type of credit (although settled defaults are much better than unsettled defaults). I would suggest trying to get removed what you can and then wait until the other defaults are at least 4 years old before trying for any type of credit. At this point, I'd make sure you are on the electoral role and only apply for a high interest (credit repair) credit card that you use for small amounts and clear in full each month. People get too hung about there credit score and it actually counts for very little, as companies have there own criteria for lending. It's up to you if you change banks, but you'll be lucky to get a cheque book with defaults etc and definitely won't get an overdraft. You shouldn't really be worrying about getting more credit at the minute anyway, as access to too much credit is the reason most of us are on the forum.

Good luck

Red

pipsqueak1

Thanks for the reply.

I already have 2 credit repair credit cards and a catalogue and phone contract that are all being managed well, never a balance of more than about £25 being carried over.

I don't want to upgrade my account to get an overdraft or cheque book - I just want to be able to use my card to withdraw cash from any cashpoint. The Lloyds Cash a/c only lets you use Lloyds cashpoints and seeing as the 2 closest my home are often out of order, it's a real nuisance.

Not wanting more credit to use it, just want to try to get the report looking better.

bottleofred

Continue to maintain the cards, catalogue and phone bills each month and try to change banks in order to get a suitable card for withdrawals. I'd have thought there will be some kind of basic bank account that allows cards to be used in other banks.