default after 6 years registered on credit file

jonathanw

I defaulted on a credit card in 2009 and settled the card in 2010.
Barclaycard have just registered the default. can they do this so long after? Also what is the criteria to have defaulted or they each have their own rules?
thanks

Tixy

What default date is shown on your credit file for the account?

There is guidance on recording a default with the credit reference agencies, rather than strict rules. But the guidance in place at the time is quite ambiguous.
As a guide typically a default is entered when a debtor is more than 3 months in arrears and by the time they are 6 months in arrears.

jonathanw

do they legally have to register the default? In my case it would help then it would drop off the file as the settlement was much later.

But can they register a default 5 yrs after the default?

fermi

What date is the default actually showing?

jonathanw

june 2009 but for some reason they only submitted it a few weeks ago.
I called barclaycard and they said it was an error they should have reported it years a ago.

fermi

Yes, Barclaycard have been going back over their past accounts where they should have recorded a default but didn't, correcting them.

They can do that. They are only recording factual info that should have been recorded in the first place.

Good news for you is that if the default is June 2009 then sometime this month it will drop straight off your reports again.

So honestly it is nothing to get bothered about if that is the case.

jonathanw

i have another card with cap one who registered the partial settlement but didn't register the default. I would prefer that they show the default as it will be earlier. Can I ask them to do this and do I have a legal right?

Tixy

Did you fall behind with payments before the partial settlement? for long period of time?

You can ask them to register one.

If they refuse then your option is to complain to the ICO. Whether they would assess that the entry is incorrect/unfair would depend on the particular detail in relation to this account.