Late Payment

Beautiful-Moose

So I have been making small strides towards becoming debt free. However today on my Noddle credit file I have gone in to the the very poor category all because Argos have logged a late payment against me. I was a day late on paying but I explained I had lost my card and when I couldn't find it their card payment line was closed so rang first thing the next morning. I haven't missed a payment with Argos before.

It has totally screwed up my file. I was about an average rating before that. I am fuming with them! No one is going to touch me with a less than poor credit rating and it will stay there for 7 years I believe if I can't get it taken off my file.

How do I get this removed from my file?

[Deleted User]

You could ask them nicely but don't get your hopes up.

But it hasn't 'totally screwed up' your file. You're confusing a random rating system that no ones sees with how lenders view you. One late payment doesn't trash a credit file, no matter what a fictitious rating may say.

And it'll be gone in 6 years.

Beautiful-Moose

So I spoke to Argos last night and they said there is nothing they can do apart from refund my £12 late payment fee and hope that erases the late payment on my file. I don't think it will do anything to be honest.

I just feel so deflated today.

sourcrates

Beautiful-Moose wrote: »

So I spoke to Argos last night and they said there is nothing they can do apart from refund my £12 late payment fee and hope that erases the late payment on my file. I don't think it will do anything to be honest.

I just feel so deflated today.

"One swallow doth not a summer make"

Relax, it won't make any difference, you say your trying to become debt free, so how exactly, will this be bad for you ?

Do you want to get into debt again ?

Thistlewhistle

Hi Beautiful Moose,

I don't know much about these things but you did actually make a payment even though it was 24 hours late. That's the thing to stay focused on I think. At the end of the day the payment has reduced your debt and one day you will be debt free.

Credit Card companies and finance people love you to be in debt - it's how they make their money after all. What they don't like is unmanageable debt (which is ironic) - the old "You owe the bank £500 you have a problem, you owe the bank £5,000,000, the bank has a problem!" adage.

Yours wasn't an out of control debt - you still made the payment, it was just that the timing wasn't quite right.

Chin up my lovely! Focus on the fact that you were able to make the payment and that you're still moving towards the debt-free day and don't worry to much about the finer details! They just bog us down and make us feel pants!

Thistle xxx

Ps and you may have had the £12 late fee cancelled....RESULT!!:j:j:j

EssexHebridean

Why not set a Direct Debit up or even just a straight automatic transfer from your bank for the future so you know it can't happen again?

StopIt

Beautiful-Moose wrote: »

So I have been making small strides towards becoming debt free. However today on my Noddle credit file I have gone in to the the very poor category all because Argos have logged a late payment against me. I was a day late on paying but I explained I had lost my card and when I couldn't find it their card payment line was closed so rang first thing the next morning. I haven't missed a payment with Argos before.

It has totally screwed up my file. I was about an average rating before that. I am fuming with them! No one is going to touch me with a less than poor credit rating and it will stay there for 7 years I believe if I can't get it taken off my file.

How do I get this removed from my file?

Honestly? You are mad at the wrong person.


Never leave a payment until the last minute.


A late payment marker isn't going to ruin a credit profile, and if you're looking to become debt free then you don't want to be chasing a credit rating you shouldn't be utilising!


You've got the late payment fee refunded, take it on the chin and set up payments in advance!

Beautiful-Moose

Relax, it won't make any difference, you say your trying to become debt free, so how exactly, will this be bad for you ?

Do you want to get into debt again ?

No I don't want to be in debt again but when you are making strides to improve a credit rating and have plans in the future to own a home these are the sorts of things you don't want existing on your credit file.

Honestly? You are mad at the wrong person.


Never leave a payment until the last minute.

Sorry I should have explained better but I was in a bit of a blind panic/rage when I made my first post. I was under the impression that my payment date had been moved but when I rang to tell them I had lost my card and make a payment they then told me I had paid late.

sourcrates

The further back in time negative information is, the less effect it will have on you.
Mortgage providers are very picky at the moment, but I doubt you will be rejected because of one late payment.

LKRDN_Morgan

I completely understand. Seeing your credit report numbers creep up can be a nice boost. Even with no intention of obtaining credit at that point!
But like the others have said 1 late payment will not ruin everything. Mortgage providers don't really like late payments less than 6 months old so if you leave it longer than that it shouldn't cause a problem

Beautiful-Moose

Well my parents had agreed to give us a deposit on a shared ownership flat that is being advertised at the moment but that dream is dead now with this late payment being so fresh on my file.

I spoke with Argos again last night and made a complaint against them. They just kept telling me it was my fault and there is nothing they can do as it is their job to report this sort of thing. Even though I made enough points to them that it was a genuine mistake, I paid the late payment fee and minimum payment without argument as I thought that is where the punishment would end. It just seems very harsh to punish someone like this for being barely 48 hours "late" even though I was under the impression my payment dates were the 28th of the month not the 26th and this is the first time this has happened in my life. I also checked my file and I paid on 27th the month before but I didn't get a late payment fee charged or any fuss made about it. Surely that should have been a point to make me aware that I had paid late?

Anyway I have paid off the card in full now (don't need the money for a deposit anymore so may as well put it towards something else) and I've closed down the account as I don't want anything more to do with them ever again after this experience. I took great pleasure in cutting up their card!