Lowell Default (Halifax)

[Sj19471]

Hi everyone,

First post.

First of all great site !

After a little advice please.

I've been monitoring my credit files lately as I'm trying to improve it. Today I received notification that I had an account added to my file from the lovely 'Lowell'

It's regarding a Halifax account that went into the minus by £600. I never paid it as I was young and careless. This account was actually a cashcard account with no facilities but Halifax still managed to pay a direct debit for 12 months with no money in it.

Anyway.. The account did close and I heard no response for a while. I never did receive a 'default notice'.

But today a default popped up on my file from Lowell. Registered 2013 apparently.

As I didn't receive a notice. Can I dispute with Lowell. I have rang them and they are adamant it cant be removed.

This will be settled but I'd rather no default be against me.

Has anyone ever had like luck with this sort of thing.

Or anyone got any links to similar stories that they could share.

Thank You

Steve

[Nibbler]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

The lending code from the time says:

http://www.lendingstandardsboard.org...odemay2012.pdf

40. Subscribers can give CRAs default information about a customer’s debts if:

• the customer has fallen behind with their payments;
• the amount owed is not being disputed by the customer; and
• the customer has not made a proposal that satisfies the subscriber for repaying the debt following the subscriber’s formal demand.

41. But, in all cases, the customer must be given further notice of the intention to disclose the information at least 28 days
before the disclosure is made (for example, when a default notice or formal demand is given). At the same time,
customers must be given an explanation about how default information registered against them may affect their ability
to obtain credit in the future. This notice will mean that customers have 28 days to try to repay or come to some
arrangement with the subscriber before default information is passed to the CRA.

42. For the purposes of the second bullet in paragraph 40, a customer dispute is relevant if it refers to the amount of
money owed by the customer and is genuine, reasonable and unresolved. Further detail is provided in the ICO
guidance referenced below.

43. Subscribers should refer to the Information Commissioner’s Data Protection Technical Guidance on Filing Defaults
with CRAs (www.ico.gov.uk).

[Berniethebolt]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

The problem with letters like that are that sometimes they bury their intention to place a default in the small print on page 2 and we never get past reading page 1.

Before you run off and pay it, when was the account closed and when did the payments go through? Have you made a payment to it since.

[Sj19471]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

Account was closed 24/08/12. A payment has never been made to it. I forgot it even existed. I actually thought that Halifax had written it off as they shouldn't of really paid any direct debits on such a basic account,

[Berniethebolt]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

Even if you pay the balance to lowells the default will remain on your file although it will show as satisfied , but it will still be considered a bad marker by many lenders

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

Even if you pay the balance to lowells the default will remain on your file although it will show as satisfied , but it will still be considered a bad marker by many lenders

This is true, however, one thing that could be argued is the date. If the account was closed in 2012 then that's when it should have been defaulted, not a year later.

Account was closed 24/08/12. A payment has never been made to it. I forgot it even existed. I actually thought that Halifax had written it off as they shouldn't of really paid any direct debits on such a basic account,

It's regarding a Halifax account that went into the minus by £600. I never paid it as I was young and careless. This account was actually a cashcard account with no facilities but Halifax still managed to pay a direct debit for 12 months with no money in it.

Anyway.. The account did close and I heard no response for a while. I never did receive a 'default notice'.

But today a default popped up on my file from Lowell. Registered 2013 apparently.

[Sj19471]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

Thanks for your responses. Im going to take this one on the chin I think. Get it paid and settled.

[beaconsman]

Re: Lowell Default (Halifax)

Lowell are very much a pain in the proverbial. If you defaulted in 2012, received no notice of default, then question, never take anything lowells say on the phone (dont call them!) always put it in writing, that way you have a reference of correspondence should you need to rely on it at a later date. If you pay it, then they wont remove the default entry as others have said, it will remarked as settled, BUT, make sure you get this in writing from Lowlifes if that is what you intend to do.