Whether you use a credit repair, or not, you should get your own file from the credit reference companies and scrutinize the information. The two things you are looking for are:

1. County Court Judgment

Judgment, CCJ or however it is described The information will provide the date of the CCJ, case no., court name, value, defendant, and whether satisfied.

2. Default

A Default is a formal demand for payment of some form of Agreement, say, a Hire Purchase Agreement that you have missed three payments of. A Default must contain a number of regulatory requirements. That it is served under the Consumer Credit Act, the demand must say who you are, delivered to where you live (or work), who the creditor is, their address, how to contact them, what is owed, what it is owed for, when you must pay the amount by and what will happen if you do not pay i.e. “if you do not pay £100 by 12/11/99 we will take legal action”, and finally that you should seek advice… A CCJ and a Default are both regarded as serious information by lenders etc. You cannot pay or satisfy a Default: it is just there! (Very, very unfair). An inexperienced clerk at a finance company can send a Default to you without any supervision or serious default.

On receipt of a Default Notice contact the creditor and talk to a supervisor. Tell them that their Default Notice is unfair, extremely damaging and may well jeopardize your current financial standing to the extent that you can foresee one creditor in particular who will get 'extremely nervous' if you are seen to be unable to maintain payments to another creditor: this is not a big lie, nor a little one, its the truth! Ask them to cancel he Default Notice (and yes they can, quite easily) and that you will make the required payment: I suggest you find what they need if at all possible.

Note of Correction

If you want to have a note attached explaining the circumstances of the debt you can request (by legislation) a 'note of correction'. The note should not be more than 200 words and must not be incorrect, defamatory, frivolous, scandalous or unsuitable. Loosing a steady job or suffering illness/injury are good reasons for sending a note - going 'off the rails' would not get much of a hearing.

If you feel that the information on file is wrong or unfair you can write to the credit agency and ask them to rectify the entry. The agency must reply within 28 days. If you feel that you are still not getting a fair hearing you can write to:

The Director General of Fair Trading

The Office of Fair Trading

Field House

Breams Building

LONDON EC4A 1PR

Add in your letter that you are "sending the letter under Section 159 (5) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974" and include:

a) Your full name and address

b) Name and address of credit reference agency

c) Your reference number given by the credit reference agency

d) The nature of your complaint: what you see as being wrong, and how it affects your credit status and applications