A reader asked if starting to pay a defaulted account will help his credit rating. The simple answer is No! Paying defaulted debts may improve your general credit situation, making it easier for you to get a loan, a mortgage or a credit card in future. That credit score number isn't the only thing that matters! But if you have expensive debts that you are still repaying as normal, such as credit … [Read more...]
Defaults on your credit records
This page lists the main Debt Camel articles about defaults on your credit record, answering questions such as Can you get rid of a default? and Is the default date right?
 
Of course you often also need to tackle the debts themselves, your credit record may not be the most important thing to worry about. See Articles about old debts which looks at your various options, including whether a debt is "time barred".
What should the default date be & when will it disappear?
A default hurts your credit score, but how long for? That depends on the default date recorded on your credit file. If a the default date is too late, it harms your credit score for longer than necessary. The Key Rule to remember is "A default drops off after 6 years". This always happens, regardless of whether: you have repaid it in full you made a partial settlement you are still … [Read more...]
Can I get a mortgage with recent defaults?
A reader, Mr D, asked: My partner and I have a combined income of £56,000, We have a deposit of £28,000 (inheritance) and are looking to become first time buyers at a price of £230,000. We have defaulted debts that are being paid off, and previous history of payday loans from over 2 years ago from a time when our financial situation was much more difficult. The defaults are about 18 months … [Read more...]
No calls or letters about a debt for years?
If its been several years since you stopped paying a debt and you haven't had any phone calls or letters for a long while, you may be hoping your debt has "got lost". Perhaps the debt collector has forgotten about it... Mr H has a typical situation: I stopped paying a loan at the start of 2016 when I lost my job. I have a Default on my credit file for June 2017. The bank sold it to a debt … [Read more...]
When can you get a default removed from your credit record?
"This default is destroying my credit score - how do I get rid of it?" This is a very common question! It's sometimes asked when people's finances have improved and they are trying to clean up old problems on their credit history as fast as possible. Or sometimes the default feels unfair for some reason. I will look at various cases to see what - if anything - can be done for each of … [Read more...]
What is the difference between “settled” and “satisfied” on a credit report?
A reader asked: My Credit Karma report shows some settled debts but one is shown as satisfied. I am sure I paid them all off in full. Does it make a difference and should I ask for this to be changed? … [Read more...]