Default on credit report not updated

David_Ford

I hope someone can advise.

My previous landlord without my knowledge changed the water bill to my name. I got to know about this last week (Because of a tenant currently living there). The bill is from OCT 2020 and the letter is dated MAY 2021 from a debt collection agency stating that I have to pay the bills from JAN 2020 till OCT 2020. I spoke to the landlord about this and he is no help whatsoever. 

Since I am planning to go for a mortgage within the next few months, I called the company and explained to them, they requested something written to remove it from my name and that it has already been recorded as a default in my credit reports (I don't have any written record that landlord is responsible for the bill). Therefore, without any delay, I immediately paid the bills to avoid any future problems such as CCJ.

When I checked my credit report (All three agencies), there is no default recorded. Does this mean, there was no default and I can forget about this, or should I keep waiting and try to remove it once it shows up. 

Please note the water company does not have my current address after OCT 2020 therefore, I did not get any default letters plus I paid using my current account. 

Thank you 

Suseka97

It's a bit strange for a default not to show on at least one of the CRA's, especially as its fairly new.  Have you checked both open and closed accounts?  

If a default does show up I think it unlikely you'll be able to get it removed, because you've paid the account (so have accepted liability for it) and you don't have anything in writing to suggest you were not responsible for the bill either.  When you start looking into mortgages you note a default is on your file, then perhaps best to speak to a broker (an independent one) so they can advise what impact it might have with any particular lender you have in mind.

I would hope that just one default, with your explanation of why it happened, would not scupper your chances of a good mortgage deal.

sourcrates

The phrase -

"debt has already been recorded as a default in my credit reports"

tends to be a generic response from a debt collector under most circumstances, whether its true, or not.

OK two things you did wrong here.

(1) You took the word of a debt collection agency

(2) You paid a debt that, most likely wasn`t yours, and, without asking for a shred of evidence from them.


Firstly, a DCA will say or do almost anything in order to obtain payment, that is their number one priority, there "modus operandi".

In this case they asked you to prove you didn`t owe the debt, and then lied about there being a default on your credit file, typical DCA tactics unfortunately.

You see the onus is always on the collection agency to prove you owe the debt, not the other way around, you don`t have to prove anything, they are chasing the money, you don`t do their job for them.


They threw in the lie about the default to hasten your response, as you didn`t want the DCA to take any "further action" against you.

Well the DCA didn`t own the debt, they were just acting on behalf of their client, the water company, as a collector, so they can`t add a default to your credit file, nor can they take any further action against you whatsoever, all lies again.

I understand your haste to get this sorted due to the mortgage application, but never pay a debt you may not owe, especially without asking for proof of your liability.

David_Ford

sourcrates said:

The phrase -

"debt has already been recorded as a default in my credit reports"

tends to be a generic response from a debt collector under most circumstances, whether its true, or not.

OK two things you did wrong here.

(1) You took the word of a debt collection agency

(2) You paid a debt that, most likely wasn`t yours, and, without asking for a shred of evidence from them.


Firstly, a DCA will say or do almost anything in order to obtain payment, that is their number one priority, there "modus operandi".

In this case they asked you to prove you didn`t owe the debt, and then lied about there being a default on your credit file, typical DCA tactics unfortunately.

You see the onus is always on the collection agency to prove you owe the debt, not the other way around, you don`t have to prove anything, they are chasing the money, you don`t do their job for them.


They threw in the lie about the default to hasten your response, as you didn`t want the DCA to take any "further action" against you.

Well the DCA didn`t own the debt, they were just acting on behalf of their client, the water company, as a collector, so they can`t add a default to your credit file, nor can they take any further action against you whatsoever, all lies again.

I understand your haste to get this sorted due to the mortgage application, but never pay a debt you may not owe, especially without asking for proof of your liability.

I think you are correct. They probably lied to get the bill settled from someone.

However, after checking my credit reports again, there were no defaults but they had two addresses connected to me by that company. I have zero connections to that address. After contacting the credit agency, they did remove one but other address is still showing up.

Honestly, i am clueless about what’s happening, however, as long as there is no default. I think it’s ok.

But it’s scary to think, that random people can manipulate my credit report without my knowledge.