Default from MERLIGEN INVESTMENTS just appeared on my Experian file

wrutless

Hi all,

I checked my credit file this morning as normal every week and have noticed that a default has been entered by MERLIGEN INVESTMENTS. The default date is 11/03/2013 according to the file. Now I know I havent paid towards or acknowledged this for years so I found it disturbing how this company can just enter it on my file now of all times and when I ran a report last week my score was good with no mention of this debt and now it has fallen into poor!

I'm pretty sure the original finance was with V12, what can I do to get this default removed from my credit file? I cannot remember any details for the original account and im fairly certain I used an old bank account at that time too so I cant look through my old bank statements and see when I last made a payment.

According to experian the start date was 13/01/2007

fermi

When did you actually default? How long since you paid or acknowledged it?

Tixy

Have the debt collector written to you at all yet?

You will need to challenge the date of the default entry to get it changed.
You can write to them quoting the ICO guidelines on filing a default notice - ICO Guidance - Filing defaults with credit reference agencies

The section you need is 53

Although before you write do you know roughly when you last paid anything towards the debt? You may need to be careful on what you write to them in case it is about to become statute barred. In which case you may want to phrase your letter to specifically state that you do not acknowledge the alleged debt.

wrutless

Approximately 5/6 years ago was the last time I made a payment but I honestly cannot remember it was so long ago.

wrutless

Tixy wrote: »

Have the debt collector written to you at all yet?

You will need to challenge the date of the default entry to get it changed.
You can write to them quoting the ICO guidelines on filing a default notice - ICO Guidance - Filing defaults with credit reference agencies

The section you need is 53

Although before you write do you know roughly when you last paid anything towards the debt? You may need to be careful on what you write to them in case it is about to become statute barred. In which case you may want to phrase your letter to specifically state that you do not acknowledge the alleged debt.

Should I contact the original firm and ask them the last date I made a payment? The problem is I can't remember all my old details and the address Merligen has on the experian file is my old address

pauletruth

no the one that stuck the default on your file. and that needs to be a prove it letter not signed

fermi

wrutless wrote: »

Approximately 5/6 years ago was the last time I made a payment but I honestly cannot remember it was so long ago.

That would make sense. It's a not uncommon tactic for firms to slap a default on your file just before the debt becomes statute barred. The idea being that you make contact to sort out the wrong default, and in doing so you are likely to acknowledge the debt or be forced into payment.

Comes down to how badly and soon you want this corrected? If it's not urgent the you may be able to let some time run so you are sure it is over 6 years, or do some digging without writing and acknowledging the debt to find out dates.

wrutless

I think I will go to my bank and ask them for statements from the start of 2007-2010 and I'll go through them to see when the last payment was made. Hopefully they will be able to reproduce them for me.

Its not that urgent I was not planning on applying for any new credit any time soon so I guess I can sit on it for a bit. Hopefully I can find the last payment date on my old statements - would that be the default date?

wrutless

Hi guys sorry to drag this up again but I'm still in the same boat. Any way of me finding out when my last payment was to the original creditor V12 finance without acknowleging any debts?

Sinhanada

Did you apply to your bank for your statements? That would be my first approach. You need to ascertain if this is indeed statute barred before chasing after the debt

Secondly, and only after you have gone through the first option I would do what paulthetruth has mentioned above - send a prove it letter.

rizla_king

wrutless wrote: »

Hi guys sorry to drag this up again but I'm still in the same boat. Any way of me finding out when my last payment was to the original creditor V12 finance without acknowleging any debts?

No as they would only give out that info to the actual debtor, and you would have to confirm that you are to get it.

You own records or statements are the only way.