AIBU to be so anxious about a credit check?

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

Right, so it's a slightly complicated situation. I might be getting transferred to a new role and I'm worried about what will happen if they do a credit check as part of the screening process.

Firstly I have no CCJs, outstanding debts, criminal convictions or bankruptcies. Pay all my bills on time and never failed a credit check so far.

However, there was a £50 Vodafone bill that I once missed because I was outside the country for three months. I didn't realise that due to the low balance on my checking account, the direct debit had failed. Instead of contacting me to seek an explanation, Vodafone sent the debt to collection (a third party they called it). I found out about this a bit later and as soon as I did, I paid the £50 and cleared the default.
I have evidence that this debt has now been settled.

Interestingly, I never saw this default on my Experian credit file. I also haven't been declined credit or failed a check due to it. I even called Experian and asked them outright when this default would appear on my file and they said they couldn't see it. No idea what happened there!

My current job is with a bank and after a lot of stressing over this default, I did pass the background check for this job. I still don't know whether they never found the default on my file or whether they found it and didn't care because it was £50 and had already been settled?!

Anyway, the place I work for is transferring my role to somewhere else. I'm losing sleep over having to undergo the background check again!! I keep thinking that maybe I got this job because they never saw my default and maybe this time they'll find it and refuse further employment :-(

So does anyone with more knowledge of how these things work have some good advice? Am I overthinking this?

[Turquoisetamborine]

Was the default over six years ago? If so it definitely won't be on your file.

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

No, it was 3 years ago.

I still kick myself over it. I wish it hadn't happened, my intention was never to miss a payment

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

Do they take it off the report once you pay the collection agency? Maybe they do it when it's a small amount?!

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

Either way, let assume the worst and imagine this does show up somewhere on record.

How bad will that be? Can I fail a background check because of it?

[lightgreenglass]

I would check your credit with equifax - as we checked our credit score with experian and a default never showed but when my husband checked his with equifax, a default with BT showed. We were applying for a mortgage so it was incredibly stressful. We wrote to the CEO explaining that if they tried to contact us they couldn't as x, y, z and a sob story. 2-3 days later that default was removed and we got our mortgage.

I don't know how crucial the background check is to your job but you could try and do the same with Vodafone so you get 'fast tracked' to executive complaints.

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

I might try equifax.

I assumed it wasn't there on equifax either because I have since passed credit checks for various other contracts and also a tenancy background check.

Not to mention the background check for the existing job which I also passed.

I don't want to contact Vodafone again and open up a can of worms if that makes sense? Just in case the default isn't on file at the moment and talking to them brings it back up again.

Furthermore, when I spoke to them last they said that since it had gone into collection, they had nothing to do with the bill anymore

[QueefOfTheDamned]

Not all companies use Experian. It might appear on your file with another credit reference agency. You'd need to check your file with both Equifax and Call Credit (aka Noddle) to be sure that it's definitely not recorded anywhere.

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

I know not all companies use Experian, I just used that as an example.

I'll check again to make sure, but like I said, I assumed that if the default hasn't stopped me from passing at least 5 credit checks since, it wouldn't be on file.

Obviously employment checks are more thorough which is why I was concerned:

I suppose a better question to ask is- can something like this cost me a job?

[icclemunchy]

I should think it's highly unlikely they'll care about a £50 old default that's been paid.

When having credit checks done for jobs before I was told they were looking for CCJs or serious debts because A. I would be handling bank details and fraud/theft is more likely and B. It wouldn't be "proper" for someone with serious debts to advise others in money matters.

Try not to stress, and good luck with he new job

[FizzyJuiceJunkie]

Thank you :-) That makes me feel a bit better!