Entry on Credit Record

Cardew

In the Utilities section someone posted that LPG had been delivered to his tank in error- he hadn’t requested a delivery – and he wanted to know if a bill was raised, would he have to pay. I posted the following:

I suspect legally that you are not obliged to pay - especially as you are renting and possibly moving soon() and might not use the LPG before you move out.

In any case you have no idea how much they delivered.

However I also suspect that they might bill you. If you refuse to pay, they hand the debt to a Debt Collection Agency who will give you hassle and put a black mark against your credit record - despite threats it will probably not get to court.

So it might be in your interests to negotiate - say 50% off their price.

A poster (G_M) rather brusquely posted:

Do NOT be concerned by this scare-mongering. The ONLY way you can ‘get a black mark against your credit record’
is if:
a) it DOES go to court AND
b) you lose in court AND
c) you still refuse to pay after the judge has told you to.

Unless all 3 of the above happen, your credit record will be unaffected.

Ignore any bills. Ignore any debt collecters. Only a court can make you pay. And they won't.

I posted:

It certainly wasn't meant to be scaremongering; and I am more than happy to be corrected if you are correct.

It certainly wasn't the case some years ago, my daughter at university moved accomodation and didn't receive a smallish bill(£100 or so) - that in any case was disputed. She had a 'Black Mark' on her credit record and only found out when was refused a M&S store card. Long story.

Also loads of people have reported on this section of MSE that they have had their credit record affected by an unpaid Utility bill that had been passed to a DCA. Even when they were unaware of that unpaid bill when moving house, or disputed such a bill.

It also makes one wonder why there is such a thriving business of firms wanting you to pay to see your credit record - when very few of us have been to court.

Anyway as this is an important issue, if anyone can confirm that G_M is correct(or not) it will be of interest.

I will also post this in the Debt Free Wannabe forum.

To repeat, many people have posted that their credit record has been affected once an issue has reached the clutches of a Debt Collection Agency, and without the matter going to court.
Does anyone know the definitive answer on the question of a ‘black mark’ being placed on the credit record, short of a disobeyed court order, which is G_M’s assertion.

MrsTinks

It is worth just pointing out that there is a HUGE difference between a utility company and a company who delivers oil or other fuel in bulk

Utility companies can put "marks" as you put it on your credit file yes - companies like oil companies can't unless they go through the tedious process of small claims and getting a CCJ...

Cardew

MrsTine wrote: »

It is worth just pointing out that there is a HUGE difference between a utility company and a company who delivers oil or other fuel in bulk

Utility companies can put "marks" as you put it on your credit file yes - companies like oil companies can't unless they go through the tedious process of small claims and getting a CCJ...

Thanks.

However the only action Utility companies take these days is to pass(sell) a debt to a DCA and people report that it is the DCA that instigate the 'black mark' procedure that is recorded on your credit record.

Is it the position(and this is a genuine question) that I can run up a string of debts with various companies - who pass these debts to a DCA - and I will have a blemish free credit record, if I pay up before court action is taken?

It was my understanding that failure to pay a bill affected your credit score. If I am presented with a bill that I refuse to pay and it is passed to a DCA, will it not affect my credit record - even if it does not go to court?

As I stated in my initial post, my daughter was refused a M&S storecard and after a long saga, obtained her credit records, by paying £1 to four Credit Reference Agencies, and found the reason was an alleged 'debt'(not a Utility company) where the correspondence was delivered to her old student address and not forwarded. The matter had not gone to court.

That was some years ago, and of course things may have changed - which is the purpose of my query.

This from the Independant:

“Even forgetting to pay your mobile phone bill will register as a blot on your file,” says Melanie Bien, director at broker Savills Private Finance. “And because it is so easy to miss the odd payment, more borrowers find themselves in difficulty for relatively minor offences.”