Default help please - affects mortgage application

lolavix

Sorry in a bit of a panic mode here!

Checked my credit report end of march, everything clear, I've never missed a payment on anything. Mortgage accepted etc. then my flat fell through. Checked noddle again just to make sure all ok for another application and I've suddenly had a default appear in April this year for £172 from British Gas.

It relates to a property I rented back in 2008 however only lived in for a month. The gas bill was never in my name and according to my file was defaulted in 2009, however is only showing on my file from April.

So a couple of questions -

1. Why is it showing on my file when the account wasn't in my name, and why only now?

2. I've had an account with British Gas since so could they not have picked this up?

I'm so angry as I check my credit a few times a year and have never had anything wrong on my file, so for the sake of someone owing such a small amount I would have just paid it if I had to! (Then hunted them down!!)

Any advice would be massively appreciated as if I can't get this default removed I really am screwed

matttye

Whose name was it in?

My thoughts are if it wasn't in your name, it should be removed from your report.

You'll need to make a complaint to British Gas in writing. Don't bother going through the CRA's because they'll just write to British Gas, then come back to you and say British Gas said it was valid, therefore it stays. They're absolutely useless. Equifax is the worst for it.

fermi

How do dates (if any show) tally? Given the 2008-9 gap, could someone in the property after you have used your name/details to obtain supply?

As to why hadn't show up before, big companies systems are never as joined up as they should be. Plus default reporting on utilities are a relatively recent thing. And perhaps other reasons to do with search/trace/allocation......