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Advice needed, can't find anything relevant online!

Hi, just for a little background I have struggled with debt since 2010 after a bad change in personal circumstances, in recent years i stopped running and started sorting things out. I am now down to three debts and there's a light at the end of the tunnel!
Anyway I have a few questions that i'm really hoping someone here can help me with after viewing my updated credit report today,

1) A debt that is still outstanding (and quite sizable) has a 'satisfied' status on my credit report, however I have not paid it and have had no communications to say that it has been written off. The debt went to a collections agency which were very persistent with their activities up until about a year ago. Nine months ago I attempted to make contact with them to find out the exact figure owed but they were very evasive and would not give me the information, eventually they just stopped replying to my efforts to find out. Any thoughts?

2) I purchased my credit report from both Experian and Equifax as I heard they could differ, the difference in my scores is MASSIVE, with most of my paid debts appearing on Experian, none of which appear of Equifax... not only that but their scoring system seems to be completely different, so confusing!

3) I am finding it hard to make any attempts to raise my score, i have gone on the electoral roll, taken out a Cashplus card and a mobile contract, but with a bad score/report like that i have found it impossible to gain any credit to help raise it more.

Thanks for you time :)

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,383 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Can't help with 1. But for 2 and 3 ignore the scores. They score out of 600 and 900 respectively and the only thing they have in common is that they both are meaningless.
  • Hi, thanks so much for your reply. Yes i did a little more research and found that out about the different scoring systems, i'm not so worried about that (however i read that estate agents have a minimum credit score they accept) im more concerned that one rates it as 'fair' while the other is 'very poor' :(
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,383 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Because they don't lend money, so their rating is irrelevant. Remember also that they do not hold the same data.

    No one sees your score but you.
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