Where do I even start cleaning up this mess?

fiji2020

Hello! 

I need some serious help in where to get started cleaning up my mess of a credit file after living overseas for the past 5 years; and paying no attention to it. Current score is 175.

Here's where it stands: 

• One CCJ, court date 2017
• One CCJ, court date 2015
• Two Defaulted Accounts, last updated 2018
• One Defaulted Account, last updated 2017

My main questions are essentially, am I better off:

• Ignoring all of this and starting from scratch?
• Contacting and paying them all of to build better credit and starting again? 

I would like to purchase a house in the next couple of years, I have the deposit but this has clearly thrown it all off. 

Kindest, 
Fiji

D3xt3r5L4b

Any reason why you can't clear these debts?

fiji2020

I could clear them, but I have read mixed messages about the affect of doing so. 

[Deleted User]

Clearing the debts would look better on your file and obviously solve the long term problem of the CCJs always being enforceable.

Lenders won't want to give you any more money, such as a mortgage, if you show no intention of repaying it.

waamo

The 2015 ccj will drop of your file fairly soon. If you were living abroad you could get the 2017 one set aside. 

jjames1985

waamo said:

The 2015 ccj will drop of your file fairly soon. If you were living abroad you could get the 2017 one set aside. 

On what basis?

Grumpy_chap

The quickest and most honest way to get to a point that you can secure a reasonable mortgage offer is to pay back the debts you currently owe and hope that, in a couple of years when you want the mortgage, you can get them to accept you were young and foolish but by then more mature and reliable borrower.

waamo

jjames1985 said:

waamo said:

The 2015 ccj will drop of your file fairly soon. If you were living abroad you could get the 2017 one set aside. 

On what basis?

On the basis of not receiving the paperwork. That's if you were abroad at the time. Alternatively if you are willing to pay the debt you might be able to negotiate getting a set aside with consent. That happens when the other party agrees to a set aside on the condition you pay in full and meet all their costs. 

A set aside is £255 to apply or a set aside with consent is £100 so a fair bit cheaper. Neither are guaranteed though.

DCFC79

Do remember your score is only seen by yourself, your 175 will be different on the other 2 credit ref agencies so check them.
Lenders see your history.

jjames1985

waamo said:

jjames1985 said:

waamo said:

The 2015 ccj will drop of your file fairly soon. If you were living abroad you could get the 2017 one set aside. 

On what basis?

On the basis of not receiving the paperwork. That's if you were abroad at the time. Alternatively if you are willing to pay the debt you might be able to negotiate getting a set aside with consent. That happens when the other party agrees to a set aside on the condition you pay in full and meet all their costs. 

A set aside is £255 to apply or a set aside with consent is £100 so a fair bit cheaper. Neither are guaranteed though.

Not receiving the paperwork because you b******d off to another country and didn't tell your creditors isn't a reason to have it set aside.

fatbelly

fiji2020 said:

• Two Defaulted Accounts, last updated 2018
• One Defaulted Account, last updated 2017

The important date is the date of default not the 'last updated ' date. It will drop off your file six years after the date of default