Can an Old Debt Reappear on Your Credit File After 6 Years?

Andyjohns

Hi,

My partner has previously had defaults on their credit file but six years have elapsed and I have checked on Noddle, Experian and clearscore and they have disappeared. However, we are still paying £1 a month to one of the creditors. This was a reduced amount that we have beeen paying for years because of our financial situation.

I have asked before on this forum and have been rightly told that just because it has disappered from my partners credit file it doesn't mean that we can stop paying it.

My question is this. We are about to write to the creditor asking them to write off the debt. If they say no to that they will likely offer us a chance to do a partial settlement and not come after us anymore. If we can afford to pay the partial settlement for this debt that is no longer on our credit file, will the debt all of a a suddenly reappear on our credit file as a partial settlement or is the fact that 6 years has elapsed and it has disappeared mean that that no longer what arrangement I make with them the same debt will never appear on our credit file again?

We are trying to build our credit worthiness again and we don't want to do anything that will take us backwards.

I hope that makes sense.

Andy

Willing2Learn

A debt will be removed from CRA files six years from the date of default. It cannot re-appear due to account settlement.

PixelPound

No it cannot reappear as it defaulted six years ago. If you stopped paying and ended up with a CCJ, that would show. A creditor does not have to agree to write it off or agree a settlement figure, but if they do, get it in writing.

Andyjohns

Thanks Both. That's what I thought but its good to get clarification.