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Credit Card Company Cannot Give Me Specific Date With Regards to Credit Card Default!?

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I am in arrears with a certain UK credit card company. I am close to defaulting. I want to avoid default, as I may need credit in future for “emergencies.” I have just phoned their call centre, and I asked repeatedly “on which date will the default specifically be activated, if I do not manage to clear the arrears or setup a payment plan.”

They told me on the phone, that they could not give me the precise date for the default!? If that is the case, how am I meant to plan to avoid it? 

Is the default date just an “Act of God,” and can happen at any random moment in time?

Comments

  • Isthisforreal99
    Isthisforreal99 Posts: 26 Forumite
    10 Posts
    edited 14 July at 4:25PM
    So you want them to tell you in advance when they will default you. Not going to happen, you'll find out when you get the default notice.

    It's not a system to be gamed so you can keep the card for future.
  • debtslave2024
    debtslave2024 Posts: 100 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    I am not trying to “game the system,” I am trying to avoid a default by knowing the date of when it will occur. Can someone provide more helpful advice please.
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 5,585 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I am not trying to “game the system,” I am trying to avoid a default by knowing the date of when it will occur. Can someone provide more helpful advice please.
    You can avoid the default by paying off everything you owe them. Anything else is really gaming the system.
  • grumpy_codger
    grumpy_codger Posts: 970 Forumite
    500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I am in arrears with a certain UK credit card company. I am close to defaulting. I want to avoid default, as I may need credit in future for “emergencies.”
    You aren't "close to defaulting", you defaulted already and just want to avoid this default reported and recorded.


  • Hoenir
    Hoenir Posts: 7,714 Forumite
    1,000 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper


    They told me on the phone, that they could not give me the precise date for the default!? If that is the case, how am I meant to plan to avoid it? 


    Front line customer service agents would have zero idea. Will be dealt with by a totally seperate internal department that operate to a structured process.  Not their problem to deal with. Nor will they engage in micro managing your account. That's the harsh reality of the situation. You are on your own. 
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 18,075 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    If you can afford to pay off the card, do so and avoid a default.
    If you can't (and judging from your previous threads, you probably can't) maybe you need to ask for debt advice? Debt-Free Wannabe is the place for that, where you previously mentioned this credit card debt:
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
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  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 20,315 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    I am in arrears with a certain UK credit card company. I am close to defaulting. I want to avoid default, as I may need credit in future for “emergencies.” I have just phoned their call centre, and I asked repeatedly “on which date will the default specifically be activated, if I do not manage to clear the arrears or setup a payment plan.”

    They told me on the phone, that they could not give me the precise date for the default!? If that is the case, how am I meant to plan to avoid it? 

    Is the default date just an “Act of God,” and can happen at any random moment in time?
    Are you engaging with the CC on sorting this out & setting up a payment plan?
    Life in the slow lane
  • debtslave2024
    debtslave2024 Posts: 100 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 15 July at 12:03PM
    @born_again. I am engaging with them yes, and that is why I was hoping they could give me some indication of when a default would occur, to help me consider my options.
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 20,315 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    @born_again. I am engaging with them yes, and that is why I was hoping they could give me some indication of when a default would occur, to help me consider my options.
    TBH, you have 2 options
    Either pay them. Arrange payment plan, or default. They are not going to help you by telling you when a default is placed.
    If you do not want to default, then stop delaying things & sort out the payment plan.

    Even a payment plan is going to show on your credit file, so will effect any more lending you maybe hoping to take out (If you want to)
    Life in the slow lane
  • PixelPound
    PixelPound Posts: 3,057 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    How do you plan to avoid it?

    The reason they cannot tell you is because (a) they don't know, and (b) it depends on how their system is set up.

    Most companies don't report to CRA's straight away they do it in bulk. So you'll have a missed payment marker on, so in breach of contract, and your account will be in a pre-default status. Different CC co's have different strategies. Some move them to defaulted after a certain amount of time, some when they are considering selling the debt on. Your account could show as defaulted on their internal systems but not yet at the CRA as that will depend on when and how they go about that. Usually it will get updated in the normal monthly update but it may be selected for a letter campaign to either give you a chance to pay. It's why defaults often happen 1-6 months after the missed payment.

    So to avoid it either pay today or make a plan today, either way that will change your internal account status. Though you don't say why it vexes you. Are you able to pay by a certain date, are you aiming to take new credit before the default shows.
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