8 year old debt added to credit file!

[TheBreezyFox]

Can this be right?

I had financial issues in 2015/2016 due to marriage breakdown and eventually entered into an IVA in late 2016. One of the debts was to Vodafone and was included in IVA.

IVA ended in 2021 and started building credit back up to ‘Good’.

I get credit score notifications from my bank and noticed last week that my score had massively dropped. I soon discovered that Vodafone had registered a default on my credit file from May this year. Nothing before that.

I have spent 3 hours on the phone to them today and they are insisting they know nothing about the IVA and I must still pay the balance despite me telling them that a debt from 8 years ago should not be on my credit file and is not enforceable. They have confirmed the first default was from March 2016 and last bill generated in December 2016. They would not let me close the account at the time due to the outstanding balance but the line was terminated in March 2016.

Has anyone else had this? I can pay it off but I’ll still have that default on my credit file for another 6 years!!

AIBU to think this is illegal?

Debt is a civil matter so I doubt "illegal". You need proper advice for example from Citizens Advice

It should be statue barred. Don’t acknowledge the debt. Ring step change.

Also dispute it on your credit file.

Did you have a case officer who assessed your annual income etc to see what your IVA payments needed to be? I’d go back to them or that company and get them to speak to Vodafone.