Possible ot remove defaults from credit file

oscar3008

Hi,
Does anyone think they may be able to help me out with a few questions regarding removing defaults on credit files.

Ive read somewhere on the internet that its possible to remove defaults if they are under £500.00 by using the 'sympathy strategy', has anyone had any success with this?

I have 4 defaults (all cleared/paid in full) currently on my credit file.

The 1st is from next directory. It wasn't until i registered with Experian in Oct 2015 that i even knew i had an amount still owed to Next (it was £46.00). This account was from 2011 and defaulted on 28.01.2011 but has a 'gone away' mark from 10.01.2011, i did move in October 2010 but im almost positive i would have let them know. As soon as i knew about the outstanding amount in October 2015 i rang them up straight away and paid. Would i be able to argue my case that as soon as i was aware of it i cleared the amount in full?

The 2nd is from a very catalog - passed onto Capquest and recorded as default by them too. Defaulted on 17.05.2011 amount £188.00. I have read there is a small chance of getting defaults removed if the debt is passed onto a debt collection agency as this may not be outlined in the original credit agreement?

The 3rd from a Vodafone contract - passed onto Lovell and recorded as a default by them too. I have read that mobile phone companys are governed by a different set of rules so i may not have much luck here? Or would the same strategy as the above work as it was passed onto a debt collection agency?

The 4th (which i dont think i stand a chance of getting removed) is from Halifax bank. Defaulted on 03.2013 amount £662.00. Basically i got into trouble with an unauthorised overdraft in the sense that i could still use my card to make purchases online and in person despite being out of my agreed overdraft limit (stupid as hell on my part!). I remember having dealings with the halifax themselves and then it being passed onto a debt collection agency (even though the default is registered with halifax and there is no other debt collection agency noted on my credit file), im pretty sure that the date the default is recorded is not correct and infact should be earlier - im convinced the 2013 date is from when i was dealing with a debt collection agency and not the original default date from the halifax.

Any help anyone has would be greatly appreciated, sorry for the long post!

fermi

Sympathy is unlikely to work, especially with DCAs.

If the original creditor had the right to have the default in their name, then so does a collector who buys the debt. Contractual right does not come into it, as it would be permitted as a 'legitimate interest' under the Data protection Act 1998.

The 2011 defaults will come off in 2017 anyway, so only a years or so to go with those.

Read carefully --> https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3172602

to see if you have any legitimate areas of leverage.

Pinkpegasus

Hello, I also have a default from Next from around the same time also marked as 'gone away'.
I had moved but sent all letters to the relevant companies, inc Next. All others changed my address except next, then I get a default a couple of months later. I complained and requested that they remove the default as I had notified them by letter of my move, but they refused so I'm now in the process of sending a SAR with £10 to see what they have on my record etc. The default was settled shortly after I found out about it, but once I have the SAR info I am going to the FCA.
They marked me as gone away but they held my mobile no, as I have had the same one for years.
Hopefully the FCA may assist.

Lemonsqueezer78

The "sympathy approach" doesn't exist. Your chances, based on what you have written and explained here, exist somewhere between Zero and None at getting these removed in my view. Especially anything sitting with a collections agency. Zilch.

I had to take NTL to court once, several years ago, to get them to remove something from my file, for a £50 bill. To court... And I only went that distance with them (and won) because I had a very good reason. You really don't I'm afraid.

Sorry.