Late Payments after Default

horridlittleman

I have recently checked my credit file and found some strange entries relating to a settled account. I had a joint bank account (never again) that my ex-wife continued to use after we separated. I couldn't close it because it was in the overdraft and the bank refused to freeze it because it needed both account holders permission! Nonetheless eventually after she abused it too much the bank chose to freeze it.

After some messing around I paid an arranged amount each month to a debt collection company that was meant to be matched by my ex-wife until the account was cleared.

Having paid off and settled the account I found my credit report shows a random default/delinquent balance and the payments for the last year have been marked as 3 months late. My payments were all on time but my ex-wife paid intermittently but even she wasn't 3 months late for the whole period.

I spoke to the debt collection agency and they said the account should have been defaulted before it got to them.

My questions are:

1) if my account had been defaulted can I then have late payments showing on the file?
2) if the delinquent figure is incorrect does that indicate the bank are incorrect in other areas?
3) would I have any ability to remove the references because the bank refused me the opportunity to freeze the account in the first instance?

Buzby

Afraid the answer is no to all three.

A defaults does not draw a line under an account - it just explains that the account was handled badly. The repayment of the debt is a separate issue, and will be maintained until they get repaid, or pull the plug, expecting no more payments.

You need to seek clarfication on what they say is owed, but it is not uncommon for the debtor to be unaware of ancillary charges applied as part of the ongoing attempt to make the customer profitable.

Lastly, it is quite a stretch to attempt to remove a factual statement because of the banks inability to act against a joint account holder.