Removing Defaults?

SublimeEnvy

Hello all, hope someone can help.

2 years ago I suffered a brain injury and have memory loss. I have a support worker now who helps me with things and they helped me getting my credit file I found 6 defaults in few months, from accounts in the last 2 years. I've never had bad credit before and it's because I keep forgetting to pay things. All small, between £50-200 for a mix of things. A phone bill, an energy bill that type of thing, all with Lowell and 1 with Link. Link were very patient with me, I think it must have taken nearly 10 calls with me to set up a payment as I kept forgetting once I'd put the phone down that I'd spoken to them and when I receive letters I forget where I've put them. My memory is better now than it was, but not perfect. I would like to ask Lowell to remove the defaults if I pay them all in full? I've not spoken to lowell before but found a letter from them today while tidying. I used to have really good credit, but the defaults are really affecting it. My support worker wants to make me an appointment with step change but can't right now with the virus. I don't have any credit or loans or anything else, just these defaults. I could provide medical letters if need be to these companies?

Sorry for rambling on, my question is, can I ask Lowell to remove the defaults? What I read online is a mix, some sites say they won't, some say they can but rarely do. Any advice?

Willing2Learn

Hi and welcome to the forum 

Send them a letter, making your request.
and
Send them evidence to support your assertion that you have a brain injury. (medical evidence)


Make sure to mention that you are classified as a vulnerable adult

SublimeEnvy

Thank you for your reply. It's annoyed me as I can afford to pay them all at once as they are small, but I then forget about them. I will write a note to remember to write to them about it, and I will ask my doctor and my support worker both for letters. I suppose if you don't ask you don't get! I take it that it is lowell themselves who put the default on a credit file? Thank you

SublimeEnvy

Sorry my first post meant to say that the defaults are all in the last few months, since January but they are from accounts that I've had in the last couple of years. 

Willing2Learn

I do not **think** it matters when it was.

In your letter make sure to use the definition of vulnerability:
"A vulnerable consumer is someone who, due to their personal circumstances, is especially susceptible to detriment, particularly when a firm is not acting with appropriate levels of care."


You also want to include a completed "Debt and Mental Health Evidence Form (DMHEF)".  The form should not be completed by you.  Instead, you should get your consultant, social worker or GP to complete it.

http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/creditors/Pages/DMHEF-health-and-social-care-professionals.aspx

SublimeEnvy

Thank you so much, I will get them to do that form. That's really helpful. Link have been really good and I deal with their vulnerable team already. 

Willing2Learn

VixM1930 said:

Removing a Default
Good morning, I am emailing on behalf of my son who is in the police, when he was a student some three years ago, he went off on his travels for a period of a year and whilst away accidentally got a default on his mobile phone bill, because the place he was in at the time made it very difficult for him to pay bills.  So for my part I contacted Vodafone and explained what had happened and that I would pay the outstanding amount of monies.  Firstly they made it nigh on impossible for me to even speak to them, even with a written and signed letter from my son to say that I would  be dealing with this on his behalf and a special password to enable me to talk to them.  They were extremely rude and difficult whilst dealing with the case, but I finally managed to get the outstanding amount paid and cleared.  I thought nothing more about it until my son came home and went to check his credit file, because he and his girlfriend were considering buying a house only to find that Vodafone has stuck a default on his credit file.  After months and months of ping pong phone calls and being promised that they would sort it out, I thought that maybe you would be able to assist in this matter, because Vodafone are not forthcoming they are refusing to issue him with a letter and remove the Default, they have told my son that it will remain on his file for 7 years … Help … what can we do to get this default removed so that my son and his girlfriend can buy a house, because at the moment no one will entertain giving him a mortgage albeit that this debt was cleared well over 2 years ago. 

Hi @VixM1930 and welcome to the forum 

Please your post your question into the DMP Mutual Support thread:


Thanks

sourcrates

Willing2Learn said:

VixM1930 said:

Removing a Default
Good morning, I am emailing on behalf of my son who is in the police, when he was a student some three years ago, he went off on his travels for a period of a year and whilst away accidentally got a default on his mobile phone bill, because the place he was in at the time made it very difficult for him to pay bills.  So for my part I contacted Vodafone and explained what had happened and that I would pay the outstanding amount of monies.  Firstly they made it nigh on impossible for me to even speak to them, even with a written and signed letter from my son to say that I would  be dealing with this on his behalf and a special password to enable me to talk to them.  They were extremely rude and difficult whilst dealing with the case, but I finally managed to get the outstanding amount paid and cleared.  I thought nothing more about it until my son came home and went to check his credit file, because he and his girlfriend were considering buying a house only to find that Vodafone has stuck a default on his credit file.  After months and months of ping pong phone calls and being promised that they would sort it out, I thought that maybe you would be able to assist in this matter, because Vodafone are not forthcoming they are refusing to issue him with a letter and remove the Default, they have told my son that it will remain on his file for 7 years … Help … what can we do to get this default removed so that my son and his girlfriend can buy a house, because at the moment no one will entertain giving him a mortgage albeit that this debt was cleared well over 2 years ago. 

Hi @VixM1930 and welcome to the forum 

Please your post your question into the DMP Mutual Support thread:

Thanks

Not sure thats the right place, the question can be answered here, same advice applies really, defaults cannot be removed once they have been issued, unless there are exceptional extenuating circumstances, and the creditor agrees to remove them, its exceptionally rare this happens, the only positive note is the effect will wain with time, and they vanish altogether 6 years from date of default.

puzler

Hi all 
so i have banked with NatWest for over 35 years . Me and a former partner separated wSy back in 2008 but there was a joint NatWest account that remained open and overdrawn and I kept paying off the overdraft amount each month. I inadvertently forgot to close the account and in 2018 I went to use my bank card to withdraw cash and was refused . This was my own account I had with NatWest for over 35 years . I was left with no way of getting money and I complained about NatWest’s handling of the matter and was compensated. So after this they employed debt collectors to obtain payment of the overdraft on both accounts . I paid a fair bit off and then had some financial issues and missed some payments. None of this is recorded on my credit file all information stops in May 2018 and it just states no information re payments if available for either account but both accounts are in default. I have today complained to NatWest about the defaults as the fact that my ex became bankrupt (this was the reason they stopped all my accounts and demanded repayments of overdraft I later discovered) and despite this I have made efforts to clear the accounts. I have proof of repayments made and paid every month this year but this is not even on the report. Has anyone had anything similar. I don’t think this is fair. I wasn’t declared bankrupt, the whole thing was not my fault but these will be on my file for 6 years ?!!! Any help appreciated