Default on my credit file: how to remove

[SOPOOR]

ok, as per what I previously thought apparently I have a default of $8500 on my file,

I have been quite credit savyvy for pretty much all of my life and treated my file like a baby, so was a bit shocked to see this when I got a credit card rejection.

Anyway, lectures aside, here is the general scope of what happened

Had a small business about 7 years ago, hired my local sport club mate who was an accountant working for a medium sized firm,

did my bas, personal stuff through him, paid all my fees all good

apparently he left the firm, started his own one.
I decided not to use him, (we departed on good terms)

fast fwd a year or so later, I get an invoice for $8k odd for services rendered going back 5 years
essentially the charges were like a lawyers office, $80 when I called and asked how to apply for abn or where to get a certain document etc. etc.
my guess is that he either left the firm on bad terms or had to cook the books (rememeber these guys are accountatns, to get invoices and charges a few years old is ludcirous), thats like a driving instructor not being able to tell the difference between a stop sign and giveway

payment liek this was never discussed, I never even heard of an accountant charging like a lawyer,
and the one that annoyed me the most was when my accountant came to my place of business to see how IWas going and because he was quiet, I bought him lunch, had a beer and chatted about the footy
BILL FOR $1000

anyway, when the debt collection agency called, I explained myself and said its invalid, there were a few more correspondaces back and fwd

and now I have a default, this is the only one I can think of, I am waiting for my credit file through dun and bradstreet to get details

Im a fair and honest man, i always pay my debts

but I also dont like taken for a ride

what do I do? the charges are so invalid its not funny

 

[turnip666]

Who actually issued the invoice, your mates' old firm or your mate at his new firm?
Are they saying you weren't billed for work that was done? I agree that being charged for taking them to lunch is ridiculous.....esp as you paid!
Do you have a copy of your agreement? My accountant issues me a list of charges every year that I must sign and return and it does include charges for time.
Can't help with how to get it off your file, but establishing who was owed money and on what basis is a first step.

 

[SOPOOR]

Who actually issued the invoice, your mates' old firm or your mate at his new firm?
Are they saying you weren't billed for work that was done? I agree that being charged for taking them to lunch is ridiculous.....esp as you paid!
Do you have a copy of your agreement? My accountant issues me a list of charges every year that I must sign and return and it does include charges for time.
Can't help with how to get it off your file, but establishing who was owed money and on what basis is a first step.

I was with the firm for about 3-4 years, the ivnoice comes from the firm he used to work at

1. i would never had adgreed if I knew about these lawyer type charges
2. I was never given a charge sheet
3. he never mentioned it, It was clearly an after thought
4. never was I billed or anything at any point, only after he stopepd working with them

 

[opusman]

Send them a registered letter outlining why you are disputing the charges, and explaining that you will be seeking legal advice with a view to possible legal action if they do not withdraw the invoice.

 

[turnip666]

Sound like they audited his activities and decided you had not paid enough. Pretty ordinary behaviour.

Good luck, maybe there is a professional accounting body that you can complain to as well.

 

[SOPOOR]

to be honest, I laughed when they tried to charge for 1 unit for $80 for simple things like asking how much it would cost to set up a trust?or

them to fwding me a doc or email.

It was clearely a hindsight thing and they tried to pressure me into paying

that was low

 

[hutch]

Did you sign a contract with the previous firm? Have they "just" listed the default with credit listing companies or obtained a default judgement from the local court/state tribunal?

Complaints about incorrect credit default listings can be made to OAIC https://www.oaic.gov.au/individuals/what-can-i-complain-about

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Given the length of time for billing this sounds like something to take up with the CPA head office... make a formal complaint and get them to help you sort it out. If they can't help, maybe the financial ombudsman.

I don't even know how long a firm has to retroactively bill you. There might be a limitation. CPA can probably help out.

 

[SOPOOR]

thanks everyone, will definitely lodge a dispute or something,

jsut waitign for my credit file to come

 

[Spongbob]

to be honest, I laughed when they tried to charge for 1 unit for $80 for simple things like asking how much it would cost to set up a trust?or

them to fwding me a doc or email.

These things are not simple. To answer accurately, and send you the materials, requires expertise, up to date knowledge, time, and effort. A professional charge-out rate of $80 for about 60 minutes of their time seems reasonable to me.

 

[SOPOOR]

to be honest, I laughed when they tried to charge for 1 unit for $80 for simple things like asking how much it would cost to set up a trust?or

them to fwding me a doc or email.

These things are not simple. To answer accurately, and send you the materials, requires expertise, up to date knowledge, time, and effort. A professional charge-out rate of $80 for about 60 minutes of their time seems reasonable to me.

In all my years of using various accountants I've never seen one that charges like a lawyer.

If I ask my personal trainer which foods to eat for weight loss. That also requires knowledge and experience and it's not a two worded answer.

Every profession is the same

 

[moa999]

Seen plenty of small and large business accountants who charge by the hour.

 

[SOPOOR]

OK. Update.

I requested a vedae credit report as soon as I got told about he default.

It arrived today. And there is no default to be seen.

Is this even possible?
I did have a legal dispute about 14 years ago for a similar amount which was a default. Then set aside and then settled.

My two applications for Explorer and edge have resulted in 4 enquires. Plus the nab bom and ANZ applications I made.

I also have a loan app in 2014
Plus two enquires for utilities for $100 each in 2014

What is going on?
Obviously I cannot imagine ANZ obtaining the wrong info?

Howwver I ve done about 7 get credit score enquires this year

 

[oz_mark]

It might be on another file such as the Dunn and Bradstreet one. Not sure if ANZ checks that one though...

 

[SOPOOR]

It might be on another file such as the Dunn and Bradstreet one. Not sure if ANZ checks that one though...

Thought dun and Bradstreet and Vesa were the same thing.

It so frustrating it takes me this long just to find out what this default even is

 

[andye]

Thought dun and Bradstreet and Vesa were the same thing.

It so frustrating it takes me this long just to find out what this default even is

There are 3 main agencies:
Veda via veda.com.au or getcreditscore
Experian via creditsavvy
Dunn & Bradstreet
All my Amex and citi applications have had entries on veda and experian. Cant remember about ANZ HSBC. Never checked the D&B file
Well worth checking your experian-I find it less complete than veda

 

[SOPOOR]

There are 3 main agencies:
Veda via veda.com.au or getcreditscore
Experian via creditsavvy
Dunn & Bradstreet
All my Amex and citi applications have had entries on veda and experian. Cant remember about ANZ HSBC. Never checked the D&B file
Well worth checking your experian-I find it less complete than veda

Is there a quick way to Check for what is on your credit file.
Don't really want to wait another two weeks to find out what is on there

 

[andy2015]

These things are not simple. To answer accurately, and send you the materials, requires expertise, up to date knowledge, time, and effort. A professional charge-out rate of $80 for about 60 minutes of their time seems reasonable to me.

What rubbish. Accountants setup loads of trusts for clients so could answer that question in 10 seconds flat. Now if any special arrangements or thought outside a basic trust needs to be done then yes I agree but that is not what is being discussed.

 

[SOPOOR]

another update, I called up the company who rejected my credit card app, and asked them, after asking 3 different people they finally told me the exact defualt,

intersting thing is that I had a dispute with a governemnt education firm which was about 8-9 years ago, we kept on disputing eachother, eventually unbeknowend to me it was put as a default, I appealed the default, it was SET ASIDE, we went to court and settled in 2012, so my veda file has been clean the whole time

however it looks like on my dun and bradstreet file hasnt been removed, certainly is better news than having a new default on my file, but a headache on how to sort it out

im not sure if the original company has the systems ro resources to get it removed or write a letter

 

[SOPOOR]

can anyone give me a few pointers

I contacted both D&B and the original company that put the default on my file and they both said they will ivnestigate it

meanwhile, I asked for a copy of my credti file via DB,

it arrived yesterday and lo and behold the default is removed (or so I thought)

I called DB just to confirm its not there, in case I miss it or its written in weird language ,
and get told, there is no record of this default, and they cannot see whether it was there and removed, but there is simply nothing of that

I called up anz and asked them to resubmit, they said they could but it would mean a manual credit enquiry

I got a call back saying its still there!

I confirmd whether they use DB and they said yes, and they also asked me to ask DB how long a default removal can take up to

so here I am another credit hit done, and the default is stil there even thogh I have the report right in front of me thats perfectly clean!


GRRRRR, im so annoyed

edit: i got a credit savvy score check ,and its 841!!! and its only registered amexx2 and anz, no nab, no st george

thats just weird