Dorothy Perkins card, charges, defaulted but settled, knackering credit score.

[Carrieonregardless]

First of all apologies if I'm asking for information that's already available in FAQs or stickies - I did have a quick shufti before posting!

 

Briefly, my late first husband & I ran a business together which failed. He died on the same day that the business folded. My credit rating was shot to sh*t for several years, but frankly, at the time that was the least of my worries!

 

After a few years of relying on cash my new partner, now husband, included me on his credit card. I then foolishly took out a DP card (seduced by 10% off a cheap blouse... ).

 

I missed a payment, through scattiness, & got charged. I then had a series of nasty phone calls at home one evening from GE Capital. Being enraged at a charge of £20 on an £8 total account balance, a week overdue, & the obnoxious tone of their calls, I stupidly told them to get knotted. This was in 2003.

 

The account balance subsequently grew to £150 (ish), due to repeated charges, & was passed to ActivKapital. I eventually checked my credit with Experian, & discovered that only 2 things were causing problems: a cock up by British Gas (now resolved) & the AK default.

 

I paid off AK, but of course the default (now marked settled) is still on file, & will be till 2010.

 

My question is: if I go after the card for unlawful charges, can I then get this default removed? It's already cost me a re-mortgage deal.