1st Credit Ltd, Vanquis Bank

gateshead1

Ok, i'll try to be brief!


I had a Credit Card with Vanquis years ago and to be honest buried my head in the sand about it. Relationship break-up, defaulted on the card and moved house and just forgot about it.


Fast forward and I'm in a better place personally and financially.


I've recently registered with Experian to take a look and discovered a CCJ from 2014 for a similar amount.


There is also a default registered to/by 1st credit Ltd who I assume have bought the debt off Vanquis.


I accept the CCJ is there and there's not much I can do about and it will just have to run its course.


1st credit, on the other hand is possibly something I can do something about.


My questions are as follows


1) Will the June 2012 default 'drop off' my file in Just 2018 and therefore should I just ignore it
2) Should I contact them and ask for a 'prove it'? (at the moment they obviously don't know where I live or they would be writing to me)


Any advice welcome, thanks in advance

Fireflyaway

Is the amount something you can now afford to clear off? My understanding is the ccj will drop off after 6 years but the debt is still outstanding. Do you want the worry of them finding you and enforcing it? If you can afford to pay it and settle the issues once and for all I think that's the best way. I am still paying 15 year old debts. They don't show on my file but I still owe the money and I know i will be chased if I stop paying.

gateshead1

IF they can prove its enforceable I can afford to pay it. Should I offer a part settlement?


Anyone had any similar dealings with them?

GM1880

I'm dealing with them on another matter and on the whole they seem quite reasonable, had a number of friendly chats with them.

Ultimately if something's owing, then I say pay it. They're not just going to let it drop I suspect and they'll continue to chase it up even if the default drops off your file. A part settlement is certainly an option if they'll take it, but do bear in mind your credit file will reflect it's a part settlement, not a full one.

StopIt

gateshead1 wrote: »

IF they can prove its enforceable I can afford to pay it. Should I offer a part settlement?


Anyone had any similar dealings with them?

Assuming the CCJ is for the same issue as the defaulted debt:


They don't need to prove anything now they have a CCJ. The debt is enforceable because of this, so that would need to be dealt with.


If you have a defence against the CCJ, you can apply for a set aside.


It costs £255 to do so and requires a reason why you didn't contest it to begin with, and a defence against the CCJ. if accepted, the claim goes back to the beginning.


Seek some advice from either the CAB or your local friendly solicitor, regards your chances of getting the CCJ set aside. If not, the debt has no statute bar with a CCJ, but a creditor must apply for further enforcement if they do not enforce the CCJ for 6 years.

fatbelly

Wait until someone writes to you, which they may do now that you have given your address history to the CRAs. However, that's not a given as the history of this is pretty ancient and may not be as straightforward as you think.

Take it from there.

Did you only have the one debt? It's just that people who 'bury their heads in the sand' tend to have more than one and I'm wondering if the Vanquis debt/ccj/1st credit entry could be different things.

You can find out what the ccj was without stirring things by contacting the court and asking for the particulars of claim.

gateshead1

no, just the one debt thankfully. I think i'll wait and see. my credit rating seems to be fairly solid anyway so it's not causing me any pain. I think i'll let them contact me. If they do, ask for a settlement figure and negotiate from there