When will a default expire? Confused by advice from Barclays

brettcooper1

Bit of a strange question.
Few years ago I got into major financial difficulties. Moved house in the middle of it and lost track of a few things.
Have now got myself back on track, paid off all my debts or so I thought. Checked my credit file recently and saw a loan from Barclays that still had a balance of £3200 on it that I had totally forgotten about. Because I'd moved house I hadn't seen any correspondance on it. It is mine though, 100% fair and square I owe them that money. For some reason despite the fact this first was defaulted in November 2009 and hasn't had a payment against it since they had never sold this debt, it was still on their books and they were applying a default notice each month.
Anyway, I went into Barclays this morning to arrange to pay it in full immediately (I've been quite fortunate that I'm now in a well paid job). I also enquired as to whether, as a sort of "good-will gesture" they might consider removing some of the defaults from my file. The advisor I spoke to said that the only default that would affect my credit file would be the initial one (November 2009) and that all subsequent ones wouldn't have an effect.
Does this sound right?

Tixy

Yes the first default, the default date recorded on the file is the relevant date. The whole account record will drop off your file 6 years after that date.

The later defaults are just a status indicator, not new defaults.

brettcooper1

That's good news thanks! I had visions of having to wait another 6 years before becoming even vaguely credit worthy, but by the sounds of it I should be OK by November of this year?

fermi

Yes, the whole account and status history will disappear in November. As far as anyone checking your report is concerned, it will be as if the account never existed.

brettcooper1

Magic cheers. I'm going to clear it anyway, just because I feel I probably should but that's good to know