Adding this note to my credit file

Chappaz

Hi folks.

On my credit report I have a default from back in 2012. Extremely frustrating as it's just for £12.50, and the whole reason is because I asked the company (mobile carrier) to not renew my contract which they accepted, and I then cancelled the direct debit but they seemed to just ignore it and take a new payment out which then defaulted. Perhaps it was partially my fault as I was too hasty to cancel the DD, but you know how frustrating some companies can be when it comes to getting out of a contract at the end of the term.

Anyway, I'd like to add a note to my credit report for the default which says something like the following:

"I requested that my contract was not to be renewed at the end of the term, and this request was accepted but not implemented after the Direct Debit was stopped"

Would something like that be okay? Plus, do these notes on defaults even make a difference? I always assumed that most credit checks were automatic without anyone manually reviewing what is said on them.

GingerBob_3

Chappaz wrote: »

Hi folks.

On my credit report I have a default from back in 2012. Extremely frustrating as it's just for £12.50, and the whole reason is because I asked the company (mobile carrier) to not renew my contract which they accepted, and I then cancelled the direct debit but they seemed to just ignore it and take a new payment out which then defaulted. Perhaps it was partially my fault as I was too hasty to cancel the DD, but you know how frustrating some companies can be when it comes to getting out of a contract at the end of the term.

Anyway, I'd like to add a note to my credit report for the default which says something like the following:

"I requested that my contract was not to be renewed at the end of the term, and this request was accepted but not implemented after the Direct Debit was stopped"

Would something like that be okay? Plus, do these notes on defaults even make a difference? I always assumed that most credit checks were automatic without anyone manually reviewing what is said on them.

Ah, another example of credit report blackmailing. You didn't play ball with your former mobile supplier, so they've attempted to shaft your chances of getting credit for the next six years (there's a good case at the moment for banning all mobile suppliers from reporting to CRAs - their contracts and T&Cs are too complicated and it leads to many cases, such as this one, of malicious CRA reporting).


Don't add a notice of correction to the CRAs' files about you. It will mean that all future credit applications will be manually checked, and this often means a delay or a straight rejection. Maybe take up the issue with the mobile operator. If you were definitely in the right, and they refuse to budge, take it up with the ICO.

Chappaz

Thanks for the information.

You're absolutely right. I've noticed that companies tend to be a little better these days in terms of their attempts at retention (perhaps they were knocked into line), but back in 2012 it was a mammoth effort to not have a contract renewed where they frankly played some dirty tactics.

£12.50 is nothing. I could have paid it a hundred times over without any difficulty, but now it's a big black mark on the credit report.

Am I right in thinking that this default will fall off my credit file after 6 years? I also heard that companies tend to give less weight to defaults in the past and more weight to more recent defaults. Is that right?

I could try contacting them about this, but I'm not sure if they'll play ball with it being so long ago. They would have to drag up my old account and possibly even old call records to see what I said, which I'm not sure they would even have. Do you think it's worth pursuing?

GingerBob_3

Chappaz wrote: »

Thanks for the information.

You're absolutely right. I've noticed that companies tend to be a little better these days in terms of their attempts at retention (perhaps they were knocked into line), but back in 2012 it was a mammoth effort to not have a contract renewed where they frankly played some dirty tactics.

£12.50 is nothing. I could have paid it a hundred times over without any difficulty, but now it's a big black mark on the credit report.

Am I right in thinking that this default will fall off my credit file after 6 years? I also heard that companies tend to give less weight to defaults in the past and more weight to more recent defaults. Is that right?

I could try contacting them about this, but I'm not sure if they'll play ball with it being so long ago. They would have to drag up my old account and possibly even old call records to see what I said, which I'm not sure they would even have. Do you think it's worth pursuing?

Yes, the default will go after six years, and now after four years it won't have anything like the effect it would have previously had, but even so, one black mark is viewed with disdain by many lenders. Might still be worth a quick call to the mobile operator.

Anthorn

Chappaz wrote: »

Hi folks.

On my credit report I have a default from back in 2012. Extremely frustrating as it's just for £12.50, and the whole reason is because I asked the company (mobile carrier) to not renew my contract which they accepted, and I then cancelled the direct debit but they seemed to just ignore it and take a new payment out which then defaulted. Perhaps it was partially my fault as I was too hasty to cancel the DD, but you know how frustrating some companies can be when it comes to getting out of a contract at the end of the term.

Anyway, I'd like to add a note to my credit report for the default which says something like the following:

"I requested that my contract was not to be renewed at the end of the term, and this request was accepted but not implemented after the Direct Debit was stopped"

Would something like that be okay? Plus, do these notes on defaults even make a difference? I always assumed that most credit checks were automatic without anyone manually reviewing what is said on them.

You didn't pay the bill and the account defaulted and so the default is on your credit history. Fair enough I'd say. Pay it off and then the default should change to "Settled" and settled accounts in a credit history are generally good even though the default will still be shown in the account history.

GingerBob_3

Anthorn wrote: »

You didn't pay the bill and the account defaulted and so the default is on your credit history. Fair enough I'd say. Pay it off and then the default should change to "Settled" and settled accounts in a credit history are generally good even though the default will still be shown in the account history.

I'd say maliciously reported, but your guess is as good as mine because we don't know the full circumstances. However, knowing how these bounders operate I'd put money on my assessment being correct.

redux

Mobile contracts usually operate with one month's notice. So if you gave notice and then didn't pay a few days later the mobile company may contend this is accurate.

Even then I'd say talk to them, say you didn't realise, and can they sort it out. Or they may have made an error; such things do happen. As per the comment above, settled is better than still outstanding, though obviously removed is best.

Chappaz

Anthorn wrote: »

You didn't pay the bill and the account defaulted and so the default is on your credit history. Fair enough I'd say. Pay it off and then the default should change to "Settled" and settled accounts in a credit history are generally good even though the default will still be shown in the account history.

There shouldn't have been anything to pay though.

The account was supposedly cancelled, I was told there was nothing further to pay and therefore deleted the Direct Debit, and low and behold, they tried to charge it again. I don't know if the operator just forgot to put the cancellation through or completely ignored it.

There was also not a word on trying to chase this payment after the default. I've never heard anything since. It's all rather odd.

I was a bit younger back then though, so I took their word as gospel. These days I always ask for written confirmation that any contracts have been formally ended with nothing left to pay.

I'll try giving them a call. I didn't realise I could put that through as settled. Whilst I absolutely should not have to pay another £12.50, if they really dig their heels in I'd rather send them what they think they have a right to demand if it polishes up my credit report a bit more.

Just to clarify, are any dates shown in the report in regards to settled payments? I'm not sure if it would look strange to the credit check algorithms if a default payment from 2012 was settled in 2016.

takman

I wouldn't add a note to your file because all it will do is mean that whenever you apply for credit it will have to be manually looked at, this means on low value credit your likely to get automatically declined.

The fact that they tried to only take one more payment and didn't contact you about further payments does look like it was the final payment that you owed. Without even knowing the reason why the final payment was taken there is no point in assuming it was incorrect!.

I have no idea why people are so determined to cancel direct debits immediately after cancelling a contract. I have always left it a few months just in case of instances like this.

bris

So you didn't pay the £12.50 to show it as settled? This is potentially be worse for you are any lender would be concerned you couldn't cough up a measly 12.50. Sorry but all they see is the default, they are not interested in excuses.