Forum Topic

Can anyone settle an argument please?

If someone is receiving letters from a debt collection agency, does that person automatically have a bad credit rating.

Maggie Dodge ● 6005d11 Comments

Roger Foreman will know

Sara Nathan ● 6005d

From what I am aware of, if a debt collection agency is involved it generally means that payments for credit have been missed, therefore this would show up on your credit history held with the credit rating agencies such as Experian etc.. suggesting that your credit rating has been affected in a negative way. But, I would check directly with the credit rating agencies, one is definitely Experian but I’m not sure about the other(s).

Bobby Newly ● 6005d

It depends whether the letters are addressed to the occupier (ie the address) or naming the person specifically. Addresses can have bad credit ratings due to a previous occupant running up debts, as can the person named.As advised, Google on how to check your own and the address credit rating

Kevin Regan ● 6004d

Thanks everyone. That's what I thought.  A friend thinks he is getting bogus letters about debt, but address to him at his address, and can't decide what to do.  He had no problem getting a mortgage etc and is worried that if he does a check on himself at Experien he will ttrigger something off.  If it weren't for the horror stories you hear these days I would tell him not to be so silly.

Maggie Dodge ● 6004d

These debt collectors I believe need a licence. If the collector firm is genuine, then they could be asked to stop, provided that debt really is fictitious, I mean really fictitious.The licenced collectors do not like being advised that improper behaviour on their part can lead to a complaint being made to the local magistrate.

George Knox ● 6004d

Thanks George, I understand there is a letter that you can send, with a £1 postal order, demanding specific information of the debt and they have to provide it.  So fingers crossed.

Maggie Dodge ● 6004d

Thanks George, I understand there is a letter that you can send, with a £1 postal order, demanding specific information of the debt and they have to provide it.  So fingers crossed.

Maggie Dodge ● 6003d

If the letter is addresses to an individual person, usually that person has a debt that they have not paid, but if it addressed to The Occupier, a debt may be linked to the address but not the current occupier. Call the debt company involved to clarify it before they send baliffs round, because once it has gone to a baliff, you have all sorts of trouble. Also check if the identity of the person named in the debt letter has been used as identity fraud. That happenned to me, when the new tenant of an address I used to live at bought goods under my name from letters that went to the address after we moved out. They bought goods and services using our names and did not pay for them, if this is the case, inform the police immediately, they will deal with it for you.

Marie Siddique ● 6001d

I found some one had raised £12,000 using our address and then defaulted.

Fran Leslie ● 6000d

If your credit file is inaccurate e.g. Equifax then you need to get it corrected. I recall it being called a "Notice of correction" and you send them proof and they correct it. If you do not then you may get turned down for hiring something or a mortgage.

Gary Malcolm ● 6000d

I called the mortgage people at Nat West and pointed out that we had lived at our address for fifteen years and they could check the electoral register. I asked if that would effect our credit record and they said no.

Fran Leslie ● 6000d