Argos Card Services - Default Removal Advice

[irishdave]

Hi,

I was hoping that someone could help. I just found out that I have a default on my my credit record from a purchase I made on an Argos Card for circa £300 with 0% and nothing to pay for 6 months.

I took the credit out in March of last year. I moved house in June and rang Argos to give them my new address but it didn't get updated on their system. Now (and this is completely my fault) due to some family issues during the summer I totally forgot about the debt and as they didn't have my current address I didn't get any correspondence to prompt me to think about. It defaulted on the 13th of January and they passed it over to Moorcroft for collection.

On realising my error today (through a totally random look at my credit report) I have rang and settled the debt but it still will show as a default. I have read various things on the internet from drafting a letter to throw myself on their mercy to doing something around sending a CCA letter (although not quite sure exactly what that is or how it helps).

I am desperately worried that a £300 default will affect my credit rating (which is otherwise spotless) and myself and my partner were looking to buy a house later in the year and if this affects that it would be awful.

Any assistance/advice around the best course of action would be greatly appreciated.

I have attached a copy of the 'begging' letter I planned to send.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Argos Card Services - Default Removal Advice

I was hoping that someone could help. I just found out that I have a default on my my credit record from a purchase I made on an Argos Card for circa £300 with 0% and nothing to pay for 6 months.

I took the credit out in March of last year. I moved house in June and rang Argos to give them my new address but it didn't get updated on their system. Now (and this is completely my fault) due to some family issues during the summer I totally forgot about the debt and as they didn't have my current address I didn't get any correspondence to prompt me to think about. It defaulted on the 13th of January and they passed it over to Moorcroft for collection.

On realising my error today (through a totally random look at my credit report) I have rang and settled the debt but it still will show as a default. I have read various things on the internet from drafting a letter to throw myself on their mercy to doing something around sending a CCA letter (although not quite sure exactly what that is or how it helps).

A CCA request won't help you here. That's a request for a copy of your credit agreement, which wouldn't be applicable if there is no outstanding balance on the account (which you have now settled). Nor is it any use to get defaults removed.

Sadly, the way defaults work is that they are supposed to reflect your conduct with the account, i.e. if you really defaulted on it, for whatever reason, they are allowed to record a default. Now you have settle the debt, the default should change to 'settled' or 'satisfied', but it would still be there.

As it was not recorded in error, you probably don't have much of an argument to get it removed, however, you can always try, you have nothing to lose. :thumb: Ideally you should have done it before settling the debt, as in "I'm willing to pay you if you remove the default", not that it's guaranteed to work either.

[irishdave]

Re: Argos Card Services - Default Removal Advice

After writing a polite letter to Argos explaining the situation they have responded today saying that as they are governed by the Financial Services Auth and Consumer Credit Act 1974 and are required by law to record all factual information on my credit file. I thought it was within their remit to be able to remove the default. Should I keep pursuing with them? Any advice greatly received

[wales01man]

Re: Argos Card Services - Default Removal Advice

This proves unfortunately for the OP and others that a Default placed on a CRA file is for 6 years and not easily removed if applied legally is a powerful tool to get people to pay up not doing so can wreck a persons credit score

[Amethyst]

Re: Argos Card Services - Default Removal Advice

They are required by law to ensure only factual information is provided to your credit file, but there is no obligation by law on them to provide anything to a CRA. (Probably just the way you worded your summary of their letter)

Have they marked it as settled?