Argos Card won't backdate default

[Firefairie]

I wrote to Argos Card Services to request they backdate a default.

I entered into a DMP March 2017. Payments to Argos Card were reduced to £5 a month but I paid off the account with a lump sum of £150 May 2020. Because the account was settled then, my credit files all show this account with late payments on and will not drop off until June 2026. If a default had been put on in 2017, the account would not be showing now.

They say a default would only be registered if no payments have been received for over 3 months or if an offer of repayment takes over 5 years to clear the outstanding balance.They say when a customer enters into a DMP and a payment arrangement is agreed, this doesnt class as the credit agreement being broken provided the agreed payments are received.

They say they will not backdate a default as the agreed payment arrangements were adhered to and the offer of payments wouldn't have taken over 5 years to clear the outstanding balance.

Is it worth taking this to the financial omnbusman as acomplaint? This is massively detremental to me and and feel will seriously affect my vhances of getting a mortgage in the near future.

Thank you for your help

[Dottir]

I would say yes take it to the FOS. Maybe do not pin to many hopes on it but try


I can’t link to the ico guidelines on defaults but it was the second result in Google.

Have a good read, I think it says more than 3 months in arrears but if it was 50% payment it would take 6 months to get there ( by my understanding)

Complain, become a pain in the ass and stick it to the man.

[Firefairie]

Thanks Dottir

I found a thread on another forum of someone in same situation who complained to FOS and FOS rectified the situation. So I definitely will send a dispute. If I hadnt paid anything at all, they would have defaulted me but by paying via a DMP its affects me negatively for 9 years instead of six!