Can Link Financial Outsourcing change the default date?

[KhaoPad1984]

Hoping you can tell me if I'm right here, and what I should do next.

I had an old student overdraft from 2006 with Co-Operative bank that I owed £1500 on (kinda forgot about it and moved abroad).

According to the Co-Op Experian entry the 'default date' was march 2015 with a default balance of £1800 (rounded for privacy), 'last updated' May 2016 to a balance of £0 (sold to Link), the previous balance update (forgot to check the date) was £1500. So I had been making repayments after the overdraft was cancelled direct to Co-Op, but must have stopped paying them at £1500 at the end of 2014.

This Co-Op 'current account' record has now dropped off all 3 credit reference reports. I took some screen shots beforehand.

Now on Experian under 'defaulted accounts' I'm left with 'LINK FINANCIAL OUTSOURCING LIMITED with a balance of £1,500'

Account Started: Aug 2006 (same as Co-Op entry)
Current Status: 'Default/Ended'
Default balance: £1500
Current Balance: £1500
Entry Code: C4
Default Date: April 2016 (the month before the final update to £0 from Co-Op

So it looks to me like Link have decided to change the default date to the date the debt was assigned to them.

I honestly can't remember what arrangements, if any, I have made with Link but the balance has never changed since they acquired the date, so I haven't paid them anything.

I don't dispute the debt itself, if they contact me I'm happy to make a repayment plan. I just don't think it should still be affecting my credit rating.

I already disputed this default date with the credit reference agencies last summer.

Credit Karma didn't get a response from Link or Co-Op so they suppressed both accounts, but Link popped back on there last month.

Experian said they asked Link and Link said it is the correct default date from Co-Op and if I want to take it further I should contact Link directly.

Equifax said Link account is tied to Co-Op and they'll drop off together even though they are showing different default dates, that didn't happen but my score did shoot up 133 points yesterday. Link is still on there as an account 'in default' with 'no data' on payments for the past 6 years.

I have not contacted Link directly yet, wanted to make sure it didn't drop off along with Co-Op's entry this month.

Would be really grateful for advice on my next move.

Thanks in Advance.

[ostell]

Careful what you do here. As the debt appears to be more than 6 years old then it will be statute barred and they will be unable to claim through the courts. If you admit to the debt then the timeout clock could restart.

Shot across the bow to Link telling them that it is statute barred. Use the template in the Shortcuts panel on this page.

[KhaoPad1984]

Thanks, the only letters Link have sent in the past 12 months related to the debt was something apologising for getting a company name wrong in an older letter. That was several months ago and I don't think I have a copy.

Link are not actively chasing me for the debt, at least not whilst I've been back in the UK since January 2020. They don't have a current phone number for me, but they do know my postal address.

I think I may have spoke to them on the phone a few years ago (I was abroad and my UK finances were a total mess, a lot of agencies were calling me).

Link are definitely not 'harassing' me. So the blurb on the page you recommended seems a bit irrelevant to my case.

If they confirm that it is Statute barred, does that also mean they have to remove the account from my credit reports?

My interest is in removing the incorrect default date (which Link say is correct), not avoiding paying the debt.


Cheers,