When can a creditor default your credit file?

alonehiker

I had a utility account at a previous address, the date of opening the account and moving in goes as far back as May 2014. I had endless issues with tariffs, setting up direct debits and making payments online at the beginning - various phones calls, emails and letters were exchanged. So rather than paying monthly like I wanted to, I was hit with months worth of bills all at once. I moved out of the property February 2017 and the account was subsequently closed with a balance of around £1500. They have now passed this over to Zinc Group for recovery. At what stage can a creditor default my credit file and does it matter how many months have passed?

[Deleted User]

A default should be applied with 6 months of the event.

alonehiker

Deleted_User wrote: »

A default should be applied with 6 months of the event.

So they can't default my credit file now?
This account is also not noted when I check my Equifax account. It has all other bank accounts, mobile contracts etc, but not the utility account in question.

[Deleted User]

Jamtastic87 wrote: »

So they can't default my credit file now?
This account is also not noted when I check my Equifax account. It has all other bank accounts, mobile contracts etc, but not the utility account in question.

If the company that has picked it up decides to report it to the CRA's then yes

[Deleted User]

Jamtastic87 wrote: »

So they can't default my credit file now?
This account is also not noted when I check my Equifax account. It has all other bank accounts, mobile contracts etc, but not the utility account in question.

They can, but you would probably want to ask them to backdate it.

Not all companies report to all CRAs.

National_Debtline

Hi Jamtastic87


As advised above, it is down to the utility company whether to register the debt and a subsequent default. It's a good idea to check your credit file with all 3 of the credit agencies as they can hold different information.


If the original company registered a default, the debt collection agency (DCA) who purchased it can register the debt with their details and a default, as long as it is on the same date the original company used. If the original company never registered the debt, the DCA can still decide to do so but you can argue that the default should be backdated to a reasonable point after you started falling into arrears.


Best wishes


Susie
@natdebtline