improve score

Struggling_to_pay

We are finally back on track and debts paid except one.

One we didn't even realise we had anymore! We're looking into a mortgage and I checked out credit scores with experian. Mine is 966 and other half is 444 *gulp*. Logged on to noddle and it shows a debt, I honestly thought had been settled, as a default. It is from British gas back in 2007! It says it defaulted September last year though? I can't find any records to say we paid so clearly we owe but before September there was no record of it on his credit file. I know this because we wanted a mortgage last year but never applied because of other debts.

Should I pay or dispute it?

Candyapple

Even if you pay it, the default will remain on the file until September 2022 and you'll only be able to apply for subprime lenders with a default that recent. You need to dispute it.

The free versions to check your credit files are below:
Experian: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub
Equifax: https://www.clearscore.com
Call Credit: https://www.noddle.co.uk

You need to check your records with all 3, and same for your partner.

Have a read of this thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5591279

Struggling_to_pay

Will do. Thank you

National_Debtline

Hi Struggling to pay

If this is a debt that has remained unpaid since 2007 then I would agree with Candyapply, you need to dispute it. A default should be registered in a timely manner. If your complaint with the company who registered the default is not successful you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) www.ico.org.uk. Good luck.

Susie
@natdebtline

Struggling_to_pay

We also have a finance account with very in his name. £550ish. If we clear that will it improve anything or should we carry on as normal? It is buy now pay later and have been paying every couple of weeks

Struggling_to_pay

How do I go about disputing it? Do I go to British gas or through the credit check website?

National_Debtline

Hi there again

I’m assuming from what was said earlier there is no default on the Very account? In that case (and if the payments are up to date) this will usually be beneficial as it demonstrates someone’s ability to handle credit in a responsible way.

With regards to the British Gas debt, if British Gas registered the default you must go directly to them. The credit reference agency only records the information British Gas gives them and they would not change it solely on your request. Hope this helps.

Susie
@natdebtline

Ben8282

There is something very wrong here, Nine year debts are not suddenly defaulted out of the blue, three years after they would presumably become statute barred. If British Gas ceased to be your energy provider nine years ago and assuming you, for whatever reason, failed to settle the final account and you have not communicated with British Gas (or anybody else) about this debt since 2007 and were not being pursued for this debt by anybody, it almost defies belief that British Gas would suddenly put a default on your credit files eight or nine years later.
British Gas don't even report my account to any credit reference agency as far as I know and it certainly doesn't appear on my Experian report. Which agency did British Gas report your partner's default to? Experian presumably by the credit score numbers. If as you say there was no previous record of this account on his credit files, how is the default shown? What is the payment history like? How is the payment history shown for the 6 years prior to the September 2016 default date?

Struggling_to_pay wrote: »

We also have a finance account with very in his name. £550ish. If we clear that will it improve anything or should we carry on as normal? It is buy now pay later and have been paying every couple of weeks

I don't really think this matters one way or the other but if you are paying interest then it would make sense to pay it off.

Candyapple

Ben8282 wrote: »

There is something very wrong here, Nine year debts are not suddenly defaulted out of the blue, three years after they would presumably become statute barred. If British Gas ceased to be your energy provider nine years ago and assuming you, for whatever reason, failed to settle the final account and you have not communicated with British Gas (or anybody else) about this debt since 2007 and were not being pursued for this debt by anybody, it almost defies belief that British Gas would suddenly put a default on your credit files eight or nine years later.
British Gas don't even report my account to any credit reference agency as far as I know and it certainly doesn't appear on my Experian report. Which agency did British Gas report your partner's default to? Experian presumably by the credit score numbers. If as you say there was no previous record of this account on his credit files, how is the default shown? What is the payment history like? How is the payment history shown for the 6 years prior to the September 2016 default date?

I don't really think this matters one way or the other but if you are paying interest then it would make sense to pay it off.

Ben - you would think that would be the case, but this is not a one-off incident! Read the link I posted above, and there are other numerous threads with the same subject I have come across on the forum before.

Also, just because BG may not report your data back to the CRAs, doesn't mean they don't for anyone else. Could be that your account is older and they didn't report data before a certain time period who knows. Either way, the OP isn't lying, they do report to CRAs;
https://www.britishgas.co.uk/help-and-advice/Bills-payments/Trouble-paying/Sharing-information-with-credit-reference-agencies.html

OP - here is the link on how to get the ball rolling regarding removing the BG default: https://debtcamel.co.uk/british-gas-default/

Please come back and update the thread if anything happens

king_of_siam

Having the same battles just now.... how did this turn out??

[Deleted User]

What battles are you having?