Unpaid ccj just over 5 years old

modder25

Hi all,

I am new to this and hoping that someone may be able to help me.

I have been trying for 5 months now to improve my credit score as it was in the very poor category on Experian.

This was because I was deep into my Vanquis Credit Card limit (£3000 Limit), although I have never missed a payment since having the card (4 years) and was in a planned overdraft on my Lloyds TSB account.

I have since settled both the Vanquis and Lloyds account (Lloyds now closed and settled, Vanquis still open just for emergencies only)

I am with a new bank now with no overdraft and I am living now within my means and not using any credit apart form my contract phone which I have had for 10 years.

The other bad parts are...

I did have an unpaid default on my file from Welcome Car Finance of £1700 which was 5 years old last month, but for some reason this dropped off my credit file last month... I thought they dropped off after 6 years? Is this a mistake or can they actually drop off after 5 years? This improved my score somewhat, I just hope it doesn't reappear.

I also have an active unpaid CCJ of £1811, this is now 5 years and 1 month old and due to expire in November 2014. I am unsure what this is for but I am almost positive that it is for the Welcome Car Finance loan which I fell behind on and was given a default for.

Is it possible to be given a CCJ for the same debt as you have been given a Default?

I am scared to ask the court exactly what it is for just in case the date gets reset and the 6 years starts again... is this what would happen? I have never been chased for this debt and I have been told by Experian that it will drop off of my report after 6 years has expired. Is it worth me paying the £1811 or making an offer, or should I just leave it and let it drop off my file?

Welcome Car Finance did get the car back off me, from what I can remember the amount is made up of the remaining debt and charges and interest.

This is the only bad thing left on my credit file now and within 5 months my Experian credit score has gone from the 600s to today 10th December 2013 being 980 and in the Excellent category.

I have no searches against me in the last 12 months, the usage of my available credit is 0% and the only thing left to be changed is for me to be put on the electoral roll at my new address which I have been told by the council will now be January/February.

Would I be right in thinking that if I applied for any credit now that I would still be declined because of the unpaid CCJ or would creditors look at my score and the age of the CCJ and consider me?

Any help from people that know about this would be very much appreciated.

I look forward to some replies.

rizla_king

Default could have been taken off if the debt is being sold, and can come back under a different name. CCJ can be given for a defaulted debt, but not twice. CCJ will make credit application very difficult until it drops off.

Tixy

The CCJ will drop off your file after 6 years regardless.
Contacting the court to ask for a copy of the CCJ would not alter that.

Would I be right in thinking that if I applied for any credit now that I would still be declined because of the unpaid CCJ or would creditors look at my score and the age of the CCJ and consider me?

Potential lenders do not see your credit score. Having an unsettled CCJ on file means you will likely struggle to be accepted for credit.

spacey2012

If you have been searching credit files, it wont be long before someone contacts you about the live CCJ.
Thats how they work.

MrSilk

spacey2012 wrote: »

If you have been searching credit files, it wont be long before someone contacts you about the live CCJ.
Thats how they work.

Any source to prove that claim?

Tixy

spacey2012 wrote: »

If you have been searching credit files, it wont be long before someone contacts you about the live CCJ.
Thats how they work.

MrSilk wrote: »

Any source to prove that claim?

I am not sure about CCJs specifically, but when you have unpaid debts what does often happen is when you order a copy of your credit report you provide an up to date address (or confirm that your address is still the current one).

Your creditors can then see this information when they search your credit file (or they can sign up to a trace service with the credit reference agencies that automatically informs them if a new address is provided by an individual).
This then often triggers the creditors to start chasing the debts again.

This is an example of such a service http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer-information/autotrace-plus.html

spacey2012

It is very common knowledge that is how credit reference agencies work, you dont think they provide free information, buy and install computer servers and call centre staff for the good of people who can not pay their bills do you. :rotfl:

It is all in the terms and conditions.
The account will now be flagged and any updated details will be visible to collecting companies.
With a live CCJ for £1700 and interest at 8% per annum, they will be no end of debt firms trying to purchase the file, they can have bailiffs to the address out within 14 days.
Unless the OP used an old address, then they wont know where to collect it.
But yes, credit checking companies do sell new details of defaulters to debt collectors, this is because they are a businesses and there to make money.

This may come as a shock, but when you owe money and are "on the run" Curiosity can kill the cat. :eek:

modder25

rizla_king wrote: »

Default could have been taken off if the debt is being sold, and can come back under a different name. CCJ can be given for a defaulted debt, but not twice. CCJ will make credit application very difficult until it drops off.

Thanks for the info Rizla King,

If this is the case then surely I will be contacted before they issue me with another default is that correct? I would rather be given the chance to settle it instead of it going back onto my file. If I did settle it and it is the same debt as the CCJ then would that put the CCJ as satified without resetting the date?

Thanks again for your help.

rizla_king

No as it's just a case of replacing the original default with one in the new creditor's name but with the same date. Not an actual new default, so doesn't require notice.

modder25

spacey2012 wrote: »

It is very common knowledge that is how credit reference agencies work, you dont think they provide free information, buy and install computer servers and call centre staff for the good of people who can not pay their bills do you. :rotfl:

It is all in the terms and conditions.
The account will now be flagged and any updated details will be visible to collecting companies.
With a live CCJ for £1700 and interest at 8% per annum, they will be no end of debt firms trying to purchase the file, they can have bailiffs to the address out within 14 days.
Unless the OP used an old address, then they wont know where to collect it.
But yes, credit checking companies do sell new details of defaulters to debt collectors, this is because they are a businesses and there to make money.

This may come as a shock, but when you owe money and are "on the run" Curiosity can kill the cat. :eek:

Thanks for the info Spacey,

If I contact the court and in turn contact the creditor and make an offer to pay (lets say £1000) and they accept it, will it then show as a satisfied ccj without resetting the dates? This is my biggest concern as I dont want to wait another 6 years for it to drop off.

Thanks again foryour help.

modder25

rizla_king wrote: »

No as it's just a case of replacing the original default with one in the new creditor's name but with the same date. Not an actual new default, so doesn't require notice.

Thanks again Rizla King,

Does this mean that if a default is put back in someone else's name, that the date of the original default will still be the same and expire when it was due to? It was due to drop off next October.

Thanks