Paying old debt after 7 years

Bobby_Bouche

I have a small amount of debt from 2011 for about £1800 , which was an Argos store card. At the time I had no way to pay it back.
Forward to 2020 and my credit rating is pretty good with no debt or loans. I do however still pay £10 pm to a recovery company for this debt.
If I now agree to clear the debt will it reappear on my clean credit file? That is pretty much my only concern. My current credit file with MSE and Credit Karma do not show this old debt.
Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

No.  Once it's dropped off due to default, it can't come back.

PRAISETHESUN

Check your files from all 3 CRAs directly - Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The default should have been removed after 6 years, and shouldn't come back after you pay it off. You can't go down the statute barred route since you've been paying the debt all this time, so I'd ask the debt company for a final settlement offer - I suspect it'll be much less than the amount you actually owe. 

Bobby_Bouche

PRAISETHESUN said:

Check your files from all 3 CRAs directly - Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The default should have been removed after 6 years, and shouldn't come back after you pay it off. You can't go down the statute barred route since you've been paying the debt all this time, so I'd ask the debt company for a final settlement offer - I suspect it'll be much less than the amount you actually owe. 

I checked it on the CRA's and it's long gone. I have already made a lower offer to totally settle but my worry was that perhaps they would then mark my credit file as partially settled, thus putting a mark on my file.
I was unsure how it would look if I paid the debt today etc.

Willing2Learn

The Argos account cannot suddenly reappear on your credit file.  You do not need to worry about that.  It is gone for good.

Since the account is old, have you considered submitting a CCA to the DCA?  If they do not have the correct paperwork, then the account could become unenforceable.  That would mean you could either permanently stop paying the account, or alternatively, it would give you extra bargaining power when negotiating a Full & Final Settlement offer.

Debts – why, how & when to ask for the CCA agreement

Bobby_Bouche

Willing2Learn said:

The Argos account cannot suddenly reappear on your credit file.  You do not need to worry about that.  It is gone for good.

Since the account is old, have you considered submitting a CCA to the DCA?  If they do not have the correct paperwork, then the account could become unenforceable.  That would mean you could either permanently stop paying the account, or alternatively, it would give you extra bargaining power when negotiating a Full & Final Settlement offer.

Debts – why, how & when to ask for the CCA agreement

Thank you I will look into that. It's with a major recovery agent, so I imagine they have everything.
I'll at least try though.
Many thanks.