Naive and now screwed?

Jessie11

Hello.

Basically, when I was 18 (24 now) I got a dongle on 24 month contract out for my parent to use, with them putting the money in my account to pay the direct debit. I didn't live with them or use it.

I thought it was all cool etc, until I tried to get a student account with a bank I've been with since I was 12 and got rejected.

Turns out that their is still money owing on the account and I had been getting letters which have now been sent to various debt agencies etc. (never got told of this, and despite asking I've not been given the money to pay it off from parent)

I am waiting to get my credit report from experian atm whilst they verify me, but basically my q is if I pay this off (I don't even remember who it's with so need report to sort it and pay it) will it be another six yrs til my credit recovers?

McKneff

What do your parents have to say about it. Surely all mail would have gone to their address, what happened to the mail. How long is it since you have acknowledged any debt, or paid any of it.

Jessie11

McKneff wrote: »

What do your parents have to say about it. Surely all mail would have gone to their address, what happened to the mail. How long is it since you have acknowledged any debt, or paid any of it.

they didn't tell me about it as they hadn't been paying it. I presume my letters got thrown away. Moving to Wales from England triggered letters to my new address hence me finding out.

Macca83_2

I don't understand
If the money was to be paid into your account, why did you not notice that payment wasn't being been made by your parents? Did you not notice any failed direct debits?

Jessie11

I had two accounts - I never used the one that it came out of. I lived away from home and trusted my family, to my detriment.

McKneff

That's awful, have you spoken to them about it.

So, when was the last time it was paid.
Is there a default, if so, what date is on it.

Don't under any circs at the moment pay anything or acknowledge the debt until some one advises yu what to do next on here.

CKhalvashi

If last payment was more than 6 years ago, then there is no legal obligation to pay. If less than 6 years, paying won't make any difference, so unless they issue court paperwork, don't respond until this.

Fermi will be able to give advice on the default area, as this is not my specialist area.

CK

Cycrow

once you can check your file, you should be able to find out the date that it was defaulted on. It'll then be removed from your file 6 years after that date. Making payments wont change this

Jessie11

CKhalvashi wrote: »

If last payment was more than 6 years ago, then there is no legal obligation to pay. If less than 6 years, paying won't make any difference, so unless they issue court paperwork, don't respond until this.

Fermi will be able to give advice on the default area, as this is not my specialist area.

CK

Cycrow wrote: »

once you can check your file, you should be able to find out the date that it was defaulted on. It'll then be removed from your file 6 years after that date. Making payments wont change this

Thanks for replying - I read somewhere that the six years is 'reset' every time they write to you? So is this untrue?

Cycrow

no the default date doesn't reset, once its applied the start date is fixed. The only thing that'll reset it would be a CCJ, but that doesn't really reset the default but adds another entry on your file for the CCJ which will then take another 6 years to come off.

what you might be thinking of is if the debt is statue barred, which is different, this is just the time they have to enforce the debt repayment through the courts and is not directly linked to whats on your credit file.
But this is reset each time you acknowledge the debt, either in writing or making payments. Them sending letters doesn't effect anything

CKhalvashi

Jessie11 wrote: »

Thanks for replying - I read somewhere that the six years is 'reset' every time they write to you? So is this untrue?

It's not if they write to you, as long as it's not taken to court before the 6 years, they can't touch you.

If you acknowledge the debt, or call it 'the debt' instead of 'the alleged debt' in writing, that can be taken as admission, so just don't respond unless they issue court paperwork.

CK