Credit clean up

dimjim_2

Hi

I've recently discovered - through using Doddle - that Santander are still registering a live default on my credit file every month despite this debt being included in an IVA that I successfully completed nearly three years ago. Needless to say my credit rating is still rock bottom despite good conduct on other commitments I've had since the IVA.

I did a bit of googling and the picture looks a bit bleak - Santander don't seem to be very well organised and I'm struggling to find an address to which I can send letters to ask them to rectify this mistake.

Any help much appreciated.

National_Debtline

Hi

You could try the complaints address shown on this webpage:
www.santander.co.uk/uk/help-support/complaints/

You could then contact the Financial Ombudsman Service if Santander don’t correct your credit file.

Defaults should stay on your credit file for 6 years from the date they were originally put on there. As you completed an IVA 3 years ago you presumably defaulted over 6 years ago.

James
@natdebtline

dimjim_2

Hi James

Thanks for the reply. It was a lump-sum IVA so the default was only four and a half years ago.

I don't expect a record of the debt to be off the credit file at this stage because, as you say it's within six years, but the credit record as it stands shows a red/live default coming in every month which suggests that I just walked away from this debt and did nothing to address it, when this isn't the case because it was dealt with within the terms of the IVA which was completed three years ago.

I will probably do what you suggest and go through complaints and then the ombudsman. Thanks again.

james

fermi

Copying any postal complaint to ceo@santander.co.uk also used to be quite effective in a lot of cases, unlike many of the 'to the top' addresses for other companies. Could have lost some of that due to frequent use though, but does no harm and email is free.

dimjim_2

Thanks Fermi, I may try this a little later on. Today I phoned the Santander complaints number on 0800 171 2171 as suggested above. I was fortunate that I seemed to get a good member of staff who phoned the Collections and Recovery Team on another line while I waited. She came back to me and said I should go into a Santander branch with the paperwork - IVA completion certificate and a few other documents with details of the debt, bank account number and IVA paperwork that cites this debt - tell them about the complaint and ask them to fax the paperwork over. I did this and once again was lucky to get someone who, to give her her due, was really very helpful. She faxed the paperwork to Collections and Recovery while I was there and gave me a copy of the fax header she sent. So while I'm reliant on them actually doing something with the fax, I'm encouraged by the staff who I did talk to. Should this prove successful I'll come back to the forum and write up my experiences. As it stands, my fingers are crossed until I see a change in the credit agency files ...