British Gas issued default after 8 years

[J0hnboy]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and looking for some advice.

I have found a default on my credit file from British Gas for £64 from an address I haven’t lived in since 2008 that I knew nothing about. The default was registered in October 2016

I only found this as I have a score of 995 with Experian and thought everything was fine but got declined for a mortgage, upon checking my file with Checkmyfile I found the default with Transunion.

Am I right to understand that this default should have been recorded back in 2008 and can it be removed even though the debt is not showing as settled?

If not what sort of action should I take to try to get this removed by British Gas?

Thank you.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Hiya

Yes they should have added it much sooner, you'd be best raising a dispute direct with them by pointing out this was from 2008 and the Principles for the Reporting of Arrears, Arrangements and Defaults at Credit Reference Agencies clearly states that a default must be recorded in a timely fashion and being you moved in 2008, this is the year the default must be applied.

Can you signup to Clearscore as they use Equifax. Let's see if it's on there. If not, and if it's only on TransUnion then I'll sort you a reply to raise a dispute direct with them. Or use a mortgage firm who uses Experian lol. But seriously check clearscore and let me know.

If you email me directly I'll sort you a suitable letter to send them to get it removed.

Source - http://www.scoronline.co.uk/sites/de...ment_final.pdf

[J0hnboy]

Thanks for the speedy reply, I have just checked Clearscore and it's not on there. It's also not showing on Credit Expert although on Checkmyfile it does show with Experian, Equifax and Transunion so that seems a little weird.

[Never-In-Doubt]

So maybe they're in the process of updating it? Can you notice any alerts on clearscore?

I'm away for a week but if you email me I'll help with a letter to send British gas, if you want. But it's not easy when you're using unofficial agencies.

There are only 3 agencies. Experian, Equifax & TransUnion. These offer a free feed via; MSE Credit Club (Full Experian feed), Clearscore (Full Equifax feed) & Credit Karma (Full TransUnion feed).

Ignore any others as they aren't official feeds and as regular as the 3 above. So register to all 3 of those, MSE Credit Club, Clearscore & Credit Karma.

Check alerts / notifications to see if a new derogatory account is being added next month then check the "next report available on" date. Let the next update go through as a lot of updates are behind due to CV-19 so the CRA's aren't accurate right now anyway.

Once the next report available date has passed login to each and check again, is there a BG entry & is there an alert.

it seems there's some drag between the feeds you're reading so I'm thinking let's catch up next month once the feeds are more up to date and hopefully the updates will be sorted by then.

** If you're subscribed to Experian credit expert then ignore the MSE one. Ditto if you're subscribed to Equifax or TransUnion.

*** Was the mortgage application Skipton? They seem to use TransUnion. Maybe try another lender that uses Experian or Equifax if it's clear there?

[J0hnboy]

"Can you notice any alerts on clearscore?"

No, there are no alerts at all relating to BG, these only show on Checkmyfile.

The issue we have is we will be applying for a mortgage in about 4-6 weeks and myself and my partner have squeaky clean credit files apart from this default, so if it stays on my file while we should still be able to get a mortgage it will be at a higher rate.

It actually shocked me to see it there as I have been keeping track of my credit report for years, obviously, I was not checking all of the CRAs and this is a lesson learned.


I signed up with MSE Credit Club and that's clean with a score of 987

It is showing on Credit Karma, here are the details.


Account type

Electricity - even payment

Status

Default

Account number

**************9018

Last updated

11 Jul 2020

Start date

15 Jun 2007 PAYMENT INFORMATION

Opening balance

£64

Repayment frequency

Monthly

Date of default

15 Oct 2016

Promotional rate

No


Once again thanks for all your help.

[J0hnboy]

Sorry, I missed this.

*** Was the mortgage application Skipton? They seem to use TransUnion. Maybe try another lender that uses Experian or Equifax if it's clear there?

It was The Halifax, we have an AIP from them and our broker tried a soft application with them first and the application was flat out declined, he then told me to register with Checkmyfile and that's when we noticed the default.

[Never-In-Doubt]

How bizarre. Check my file is nothing. They aren't a CRA.

Right so it's clearly only showing on TransUnion so email me the full screenshot please (don't blank it out) and I'll sort you a letter to send TU to get rid of this.

webmaster@all-about-debt.co.uk

[J0hnboy]

Thank you, I've sent you an email.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Hiya,

Letter to upload to dispute via TransUnion has been sent to you.

They'll remove it soon enough. Keep us updated

[J0hnboy]

The plot thickens.

I went to https://www.transunionstatreport.co.uk/ to raise the dispute and the default isn't showing, but it's showing at https://www.creditkarma.co.uk/

So how do I raise the dispute?

[J0hnboy]

Okay. I managed to raise the dispute via Credit Karma and will update once I receive a response.

[J0hnboy]

Another update, the default is no longer showing anywhere even though I haven't had a response from any of the CRAs. I just want to thank Niddy and this forum for helping me get it removed.

[Joanna Connolly Solicitors]

Another update, the default is no longer showing anywhere even though I haven't had a response from any of the CRAs. I just want to thank Niddy and this forum for helping me get it removed.

This is good news!

It seems Niddy's letter did the trick

Is it too late to resurrect your mortgage application that was declined which you believe was as a direct result of this rogue Default on your CRA file?

If so you may need to take issue with British gas not Transunion since a CRA only holds information like a library, they are unlikely to be responsible for incorrect information given to them by the finance provider (unless they were asked to remove it earlier and failed).

It would be a pity to lose a potential property purchase all because of a £64 default which shouldn't have been on your file.

I have found a default on my credit file from British Gas for £64 from an address I haven’t lived in since 2008 . . .
I only found this as I have a score of 995 with Experian and thought everything was fine but got declined for a mortgage, upon checking my file with Checkmyfile I found the default with Transunion.

Di

[J0hnboy]

Is it too late to resurrect your mortgage application that was declined which you believe was as a direct result of this rogue Default on your CRA file?


Di

As it happens the build date for our house (it's a new build) has been put back 2 months so we now don't have to exchange contracts until the end of September, so we should be fine as we haven't put in a formal application just yet. It was just a DIP.

I do have a question if anyone can answer it. The default is gone from Transunion and Credit Karma but my credit score with Credit karma remains unchanged and I was expecting it to jump up quite a lot. I know scores are irrelevant but if the default is showing as gone but things are not 100% updated would this show as gone when a lender looks at my credit file? I hope this makes sense.

[Joanna Connolly Solicitors]

the build date for our house (it's a new build) has been put back 2 months so we now don't have to exchange contracts until the end of September, so we should be fine as we haven't put in a formal application just yet. It was just a DIP.

. . . The default is gone from Transunion and Credit Karma but my credit score with Credit karma remains unchanged and I was expecting it to jump up quite a lot. I know scores are irrelevant but if the default is showing as gone but things are not 100% updated would this show as gone when a lender looks at my credit file?

In my personal experience a Decision in Principle typically lasts 60 - 90 days, but since yours was declined you/your broker may need to make a new application.

A DIP (or Agreement in Principle) is based on online credit scoring (no manual intervention at that point) but it may show as a search on your credit file, so too many searches can send out the signal that you may be reapplying due to rejection by a lender. Although you said your broker described it as a 'soft search' so check that with them.

From what you say the rogue Default was only removed a few days ago so it may take a little longer for your credit score to catch up.

Niddy explained why this happens and when you should expect to see your CRA files updated here >

. . . then check the "next report available on" date. Let the next update go through as a lot of updates are behind due to CV-19 so the CRA's aren't accurate right now anyway.

Once the next report available date has passed login to each and check again, is there a BG entry & is there an alert.

it seems there's some drag between the feeds you're reading so I'm thinking let's catch up next month once the feeds are more up to date and hopefully the updates will be sorted by then.

Di