My address

Fireflyaway

I have 2 defaulted accounts that I am paying back monthly. They are registered to an old address.

My question is I am considering offering a final settlement but the paperwork will obviously be sent by post, so I will need to tell them I have moved.

If I register my new current address, I am wondering if this will impact my credit file / score? I want to apply for a mortgage in the not too distant future. My feeling is that my current address is not linked to any debt so I would be better off keeping quiet?

Arleen

You will be asked for all your previous addresses and defaulted accounts/ccjs up to Adam and Eve when applying for the mortgage. And even if you manage to blunder through somehow, what you want to do is commit fraud, and once found out the consequences will be massive.

Fireflyaway

How is that fraud? I am paying it back and it will be all settled by the time I apply for a mortgage. Of course I expect that they will see it, but that's fine. What I meant by keep it quiet is not inform the creditors that I have moved. Not to avoid the debt.

Arleen

Then if it's fine, why are you worried to have it on your credit file? Send them your up to date address, get them linked and you won't be knowingly withholding important information anymore and potentially reaping benefits out of it.

ashp_2

If the defaults are on your credit report they will see them anyway. Surely the address is irrelevant? Debt is linked to people not just their address

Fireflyaway

Thanks Arleen. I am not trying to do anything dodgy here, just safeguard my credit score as much as possible until my mortgage application.
Do you actually know if updating an address makes a difference to ones credit score or not?

Fireflyaway

ashp wrote: »

If the defaults are on your credit report they will see them anyway. Surely the address is irrelevant? Debt is linked to people not their address

This is what I am trying to establish. Yes they will see the defaults and that's fine. What I am not sure about is if updating my address will cause my score to go down or not ? I'm guessing address checks is just to verify who you are and like you say the debt is attributed to the person, not where they live.

Arleen

Fireflyaway wrote: »

Thanks Arleen. I am not trying to do anything dodgy here, just safeguard my credit score as much as possible until my mortgage application.

That is the dodgy part, to not use the word fradulent, as you are trying to not have the defautls show on file that is used to determine your credit worthiness. When it's done by mistake, it's a mistake, when it's done with intent to represent yourself falsly in order to get financial gains from it (which you do whenever you apply for a credit with this file) it's called a fraud.

And don't take my word for it, read Fraud Act 2006 c 35 s1 p1 and p2 and p3 youself.

And yes, while the defaults are tied to a person, if there is no continuity with address (because you don't sign over accounts to new one for example) then with the same details, but a new address, you can be a new person as far as CRAs are concerned. Something that OP did intentionally, and is a very wrong thing to do.

Fireflyaway

Arleen wrote: »

That is the dodgy part, to not use the word fradulent, as you are trying to not have the defautls show on file that is used to determine your credit worthiness. When it's done by mistake, it's a mistake, when it's done with intent to represent yourself falsly in order to get financial gains from it (which you do whenever you apply for a credit with this file) it's called a fraud.

And don't take my word for it, read Fraud Act 2006 c 35 s1 p1 and p2 and p3 youself.

And yes, while the defaults are tied to a person, if there is no continuity with address (because you don't sign over accounts to new one for example) then with the same details, but a new address, you can be a new person as far as CRAs are concerned. Something that OP did intentionally, and is a very wrong thing to do.

No I am not trying to hide the defaults on my file......... I know they will be there for 6 years regardless of where I live! I think you missed the point. Its fine if you don't know the answer. I will do some more research.

Arleen

Fireflyaway wrote: »

No I am not trying to hide the defaults on my file......... I know they will be there for 6 years regardless of where I live! I think you missed the point. Its fine if you don't know the answer. I will do some more research.

Just because you don't like the asnwer doesn't mean that it's wrong.

Your question was: My feeling is that my current address is not linked to any debt so I would be better off keeping quiet?.

The answer is: no, you will not be better off, as you may be commiting a fraud by applying with that file as you are knowingly witholding crucial information.

Nothing more to it, and consider this as a welcome in a world of consequences of your actions. Luckily this time it's just some, correct, entries on your credit file. Not to mention that you are not keeping up your end of contract with holders of those defaulted accounts, as they require for you to keep address with them up to date.

molerat

Where are you registered to vote, where are your bank accounts registered to ?

If these are registered to your current address then the old and new address should link automatically and your creditors will be able to see it. If you are trying to keep 2 separate identities then you will have to lie (commit fraud) on a mortgage application as to your address history. Your "score" is meaningless, it is the content of your file that is important and paying off this debt will improve your chances of further credit.