Credit file showing 147% of credit card useage

DaveAllen

My credit file shows that I am using 147% of my available facility, which obviously seriously affects my credit score.

The main reason for that is I have an outstanding credit card debt (originally) to Barclaycard of around £9600, which forms part of a DMP. The default was more than ten years ago, and the debt is now with PRA Group.

If the £9600 isn't factored in, then the usage drops way below 100%, and somewhere close to 50%, which I'm guessing would drastically improve my credit score.

Does anyone know if the £9600 should still be showing? Or if I can get it removed?

[Deleted User]

It's fine - nothing to worry.

Lenders will see the status of your accounts and won't ever see your comedy credit score. It's the debts and accounts they're interested in.

Having said that, it would be worth lowering your existing debts, unless on 0% promos.

Willing2Learn

Hi,

Was the Barclaycard account ever defaulted? How is the account recorded on your credit files?

DaveAllen

Hi,

Yes, it was defaulted about 10 years ago. I’ve made payments through a DMP ever since.

Willing2Learn

DaveAllen wrote: »

Hi,

Yes, it was defaulted about 10 years ago. I’ve made payments through a DMP ever since.

If the default was about 10 years ago, then the Barclaycard account should have been automatically removed from your three credit files about 4 years ago. On that basis, settling the account won't have any impact on your credit report, or on how potential lenders will view you.

When (in your opening post) you asked if you could get the account removed your credit file(s). Have you checked your three credit files to confirm the account has already been removed correctly?

PRAISETHESUN

Ignore the score - no-one besides you will ever see this number. Focus instead on ensuring the accuracy of the information recorded on your file, as this is what lenders will actually see if you ever apply for new credit.

As above, I'd recommend checking your files from all 3 CRAs to ensure everything is being reported correctly. You will need to contact the lener (Barclaycard) to ask them to update your files and remove the incorrect information as the CRAs will only report information that the lenders give them. Anything older than 6 years shouldn't be appearing on your reports.

Ben8282

This doesn't seem right. How can a defaulted account from that long ago even be showing let alone being included in the utilisation % figures?

DaveAllen

I've just checked and PRA took over the debt from Barclaycard in July 2011. The original default was in late 2009 and the DMP started with PayPlan in January 2010. I have never missed a payment on the DMP, though there seems to be some reporting of arrears and a 1 month late payment on the PRA account on the three credit agencies. These are certainly nothing to do with my paying the DMP, but could be something to do with PayPlan or PRA moving the debt around. Whatever the case is, none of the other accounts, and most were credit cards, show as outstanding balances. I've contacted all Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to get my file amended. We'll see what they come back with.