All that hard work....for a rubbish Credit Score!

tommyboy541

Hi,

This is my first ever thread. Great to be here!!

I've been struggling with debt for about 4 years. It got to 28k at one point. The best thing ever happened to me.....I got dumped by my girlfriend, needed to start my life over....and decided to sort out my finances.

4 Years later I have 5k debt.

About 2 years ago I did a credit check (I think with Credit Expert) and it was obviously poor, I think they gave it 2/5. Missed payments everywhere, still around £18k in debt. To be expected I guessed, so it really gave me something to aim at!

Just completed a check today with CreditScoreMatters (they use callcredit agency) and it shows 1/5. I laughed thinking 1 might be the best......it's not.

So I scrolled down my 14 accounts, most now settled, hardly any missed payments, all green..... very nice image actually.... and then I hit the Default account! The default account that is news to me as I settled it 2 months ago. It was an Egg account, taken over by Moorcroft. I settled. I have a letter from Moorcroft to prove it. Now Barclay's have taken over Egg and have started sending me mail stating that I owe them money. So I talk to Barclays and explain. They say to speak to Moorcroft, I do and Moorcroft apologize and say that the account is definitely closed. A week later I get another letter from Moorcroft saying that they are reviewing this and will get back to me. Either way I never defaulted on this account! It's single handed wrecked my credit score!

I'm upset. I honestly feel like I've worked my !!! off for a financial institution to simply !!!! up and ruin my chances of getting credit. I'll call Moorcroft tomorrow and demand an update.

My question to you fine people however is: Even if Moorcroft admit the mistake, how do I get this changed on my credit file? How quickly can it be done? I was looking to apply for credit in the next month or so.

Other than that I think I've boosted my credit score as much as possible. On the electoral roll, lived at same address for years, so I can only think that its the phantom default account that has done it. Wasn't expecting a 5/5..... but maybe a 3.

Any comments welcome.

Really cheesed off.

Regards,

Tom.

fatbelly

tommyboy541 wrote: »

My question to you fine people however is: Even if Moorcroft admit the mistake, how do I get this changed on my credit file? How quickly can it be done? I was looking to apply for credit in the next month or so.

If you don't get the response you're looking for from Moorcroft, then you take it to

http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/data_protection.aspx

Inaccurate personal information
If you believe information held about you is inaccurate, you may be able to complain to us.

If you want us to look at a complaint about factually inaccurate personal information you will need to send us:
•a copy of the inaccurate information, or a description of what information you believe is inaccurate;
•evidence that supports your view that the information is factually inaccurate; and
•a copy of letters or emails you have sent to the organisation about the inaccurate information

If your complaint is about inaccurate information on a credit reference file you will need to send us:
•an up to date copy of your credit reference file (dated within the last six months);
•evidence that the information is inaccurate (for example copies of bills or statements that show the correct amounts);
•a copy of letters or emails you have sent to the organisation or the credit reference agency about the inaccurate information; and
•a copy of any letters or emails sent to you from the organisation or the credit reference agency.

rising_from_the_ashes

tommyboy541 wrote: »

The default account that is news to me as I settled it 2 months ago. It was an Egg account, taken over by Moorcroft. I settled. I have a letter from Moorcroft to prove it. Now Barclay's have taken over Egg and have started sending me mail stating that I owe them money. So I talk to Barclays and explain. They say to speak to Moorcroft, I do and Moorcroft apologize and say that the account is definitely closed.

Hi Tom, congratulations on your debt busting so far....

Can I ask what the date of the default is?

If the account was passed from Egg to Moorcroft then it's likely that a default will have been issued around that point and you'll be unlikely to get it changed.

However, if a new default has been issued since Barclays took over Egg customers, then certainly challenge this.

BlushingRose

Sounds like this isn't uncommon an issue...?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3705837

camuk81

As regards removing it can take as long as it takes to press a button, so worse case get the info and recheck in one month, as soon as they do it, it will be reflected on your credit file

DVardysShadow

BlushingRose wrote: »

Sounds like this isn't uncommon an issue...?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3705837

Egg, Barclays again .... They have an issue, I think.

MusicalLawyer

Same thing is happening to me regarding a credit card, and the credit agency is also Call Credit. it seems that even though a debtor is telling them the account is closed, Call Credit aren't updating it on our files. I paid off a settlement on a credit card 23rd Feb 2011 - it says it is still open haha. Although the other agency they used - Equifax - have had it closed as of April 2011.

BlushingRose

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Egg, Barclays again .... They have an issue, I think.

I'm SO glad that we were able to rid ourselves of the Egg card long before our DMP started. (We now 'only' have three!)

camuk81

3 is better then more!

tommyboy541

KellyKing1987 wrote: »

Same thing is happening to me regarding a credit card, and the credit agency is also Call Credit. it seems that even though a debtor is telling them the account is closed, Call Credit aren't updating it on our files. I paid off a settlement on a credit card 23rd Feb 2011 - it says it is still open haha. Although the other agency they used - Equifax - have had it closed as of April 2011.

So are we thinking that this will be different depending on the credit agency that you search through??

MusicalLawyer

I am thinking it may be call credit themselves.
Vanquis told the credit agencies in April 2011 that my account was closed - but only Equifax have closed it on my file, Call Credit still have it open.

I just phoned Call Credit too
They said if an account is still open on your credit file, that has been closed, you should get a credit report direct from Call Credit (£2 online you can access straight away), then contact their head office to find out why it hasn't been closed on your file, and you can send them the letters saying the account has been closed and it will be rectified on your credit file. Then you can show Egg that it has been closed but the credit agencies themselves.

Hopefully it will work - someone else may come along and say otherwise though!