A default registered more than 6 years ago should no longer appear on your credit file, because negative information is removed automatically 6 years from the default date, whether or not it was paid. For most people remortgaging, that means a default this old should have little or no bearing on a new application. It is still worth checking that it has actually gone, since errors happen, and understanding what "gone from your file" does and does not mean.
This page covers checking an old default has been removed, what to do if it still shows, and whether you need to mention it on an application. See our page on defaults over 3 years old for the period leading up to removal, or our main page on remortgaging with defaults.
On this page
This page covers
- Credit issue
- DefaultsUsually stays on your credit file for 6 years from the default date.
- When it happened
- More than 6 years agoMost issues drop off your credit file after 6 years, though some applications ask whether you have ever had one.
Read the main guide: Remortgaging with defaults on your credit file
In short
- A default should be removed automatically 6 years after the default date.
- Removal happens whether or not the default was ever paid.
- If an old default still shows after 6 years, it is usually an error worth challenging.
- The debt itself may still be legally owed even after it leaves your credit file, so check before ignoring old letters.
Does a default over 6 years old still show on your file?
It should not. Credit reference agencies remove a default automatically 6 years after the default date, and this applies whether the debt was paid, partly paid or never paid at all. Once removed, it should no longer appear on your Experian, Equifax or TransUnion report, and it should not be visible to a lender carrying out a new credit check.
| Point reached | What should happen |
|---|---|
| 6 years from the default date | The default is removed automatically from all three credit reference agencies |
| After removal | The entry should not appear on any new credit report or application search |
| If it was sold to a debt collector | It should still be removed 6 years from the original default date, not a later one |
Based on standard UK credit reporting rules. Check your own reports to confirm removal.
What if an old default is still showing?
If a default is still visible more than 6 years after the default date, it is usually an error, and it is worth checking each of the three agencies rather than just one, since removal can happen at slightly different times or be missed by one agency.
- Confirm the exact default date shown on the report, not the date you first noticed the entry
- Check whether the entry is under the original creditor or a debt purchaser it was sold to, since the date should be the same
- Raise it directly with the credit reference agency showing the entry, providing the default date as evidence
- Ask for confirmation in writing once it has been removed
Our guide on correcting errors on your credit file sets out the dispute process in more detail. If a debt was sold on, check our page on defaults sold to a debt collector, since the new owner should not have changed the original default date.
Do you have to declare an old default on an application?
Read the exact wording of any question on an application or form. Some ask whether you have ever had a default with no time limit, in which case you should still answer honestly even if it is no longer visible on your file. Others ask specifically about defaults in the last 6 years, in which case one that has genuinely dropped off would no longer apply.
A lender carrying out its own credit check should not see a default that has been correctly removed after 6 years, so in practice it is unlikely to come up unless you are asked a broader question or it is still showing in error.
Is the debt itself still owed, even once the default has gone?
Removal from your credit file is separate from whether a debt is still legally owed. A default disappearing after 6 years does not automatically cancel the underlying debt, and in some circumstances a creditor may still be able to pursue very old debts, subject to legal time limits on taking court action. If you receive a letter about an old debt you thought had gone, do not ignore it, but also do not assume it must be paid without checking your position first.
Free, confidential advice on old debts, including whether they can still be enforced, is available from National Debtline and StepChange. They can help you check your position before you respond to any contact about a debt from years ago.
What to check once a default is over 6 years old
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Confirmed removal | Check all three agencies show the entry has gone, not just one. |
| Exact default date | The date the removal is based on, to confirm 6 years has genuinely passed. |
| Sold debts | Confirm any entry from a debt purchaser used the same original default date. |
| Anything more recent | An old default removed correctly should have no bearing once it is gone, but newer issues still count. |
| Mortgage payment history | A clean, up-to-date mortgage record remains relevant regardless of old defaults. |
| Loan to value and equity | Standard factors that apply to any remortgage, adverse credit or not. |
| Affordability | Income and outgoings, assessed in the usual way once old credit issues are no longer a factor. |
These are general points, not lender rules. Each lender sets and changes its own criteria.
Information an adviser may ask for
You don’t need all of this to make an enquiry. It helps to know where to find it, because an adviser is likely to ask about most of it.
- Current copies of your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion reports
- The original default date, if the entry is still showing and needs to be disputed
- Confirmation from the credit reference agency once an old entry has been removed
- Your mortgage balance, deal end date and any early repayment charges
- Proof of income and your regular outgoings
Frequently asked questions
Does a default really disappear after exactly 6 years?
It should be removed 6 years from the default date, though the exact timing can occasionally vary slightly between agencies. If it is still showing well beyond 6 years, raise it with the agency concerned as a likely error.
Can an old, removed default still affect my mortgage application?
It should not appear on a new credit check once correctly removed, so it should not be treated as a current issue. If an application form asks whether you have ever had a default, answer honestly regardless of whether it still shows.
If my default has gone, does that mean the debt no longer exists?
Not necessarily. Removal from your credit file relates to reporting rules, not to whether the underlying debt is still legally owed. If you are contacted about an old debt, get free advice before assuming it must or must not be paid.
What if my default was sold to a debt collector years ago, does that reset the 6 years?
It should not. The 6 years should always run from the original default date, even if the debt was later sold. If a sold debt is still showing after 6 years from the original date, that is worth challenging.