How to improve a bad credit rating in Germany

I had a disagreement with a mobile telephone carrier some time ago over the size of one of my bills (it came in at €600 !!!).

This lead to a stand-off, which eventually ended when they froze my bank account (which had sufficient money in it) and I decided to pay.

Now, approx. 6 months afterwards, I have applied for a new telephone contract with another carrier, but this has been turned down because of a bad credit history (which can only have come from my previous problem).

Can anyone tell me how long I will be in this situation for, or if it is possible to get my credit rating improved as I have no debts at all (or if my pig-headedness has irreperably damaged my credit history for the forseeable future) ?

Thanks

Calv

You probably have an Eintrag i.e. an "Entry" in the SHUFA register of bad debtors. If the matter's settled it should really come out but they'll only do that if you push them.

Do you know where I could find the contact details for SHUFA (my google search found nothing in particular) ?

Add a "C" to "SHUFA"

As in SCHUFA. There's a thread about getting your SCHUFA report. HTH.

However, since they had to freeze your account in order to get the money, they are not obligated to erase this information even if eventually they got the money from you. The information that you defaulted on a debt (legally it is that way even if you felt or feel differently) is of course for all other "lenders" an important information and will stay there for a while. Chances are you'll have to work with prepaid cards for a while. You might want to ask the SCHUFA for how long this information is going to be stored, I guess it is 5 years or so...

Cheerio

A little background info:

Back in 2004 I lived in Germany and had a mobile phone contract with vodafone, I had many many problems with receiving bills, the telephone not working and so on... Unfortunately my method of closing the contract seemed to conflict with how Vodafone want it done. I took everything I had dropped it off in the shop and walked out... I realise that this was not the smartest way to do things but I was a little hot-headed to say the least. I returned to Germany in 2007 and waiting for me was a fat bill and what translated to an Arrest Warrant, which scared the poop out of me to say the least. I paid up in full including charges and debt collectors fees.

Nearly two years on I still cannot get any form of credit, Sparkasse refuses even a nominal 200 euro overdraft (even though I've had close too 3000 euros per month going into my account) and today I tried once again to get a small finance agreement for a new television from Saturn, this made my blood boil as after I was refused the clerk telephoned citibank, who had declined me, to enquire what was the reason. The Gentleman on the telephone told my girlfriend that he cannot speak to her (this I understand, data protection etc...), however, he could not pass me to anyone that could speak english and his phrase of "He is in Germany so I will speak German" somewhat annoyed me. I'm trying to learn German and in casual conversation I'm ok but over the telephone and speaking technically I did not have a clue what was going on.

I've heard a few times that I need to manually remove items from my Schufa report once they are paid, I've also heard I need to go to the court to remove items after paying. Is there any steps that I should have taken after paying it off back in 2007, I still have my bank statement showing the transferred funds to the debt collector.

Many thanks for any help in advance.

Nick.

Topics merged by admin

Hi all,

I have a similar problem, and this was also an unpaid, disputed Mobile telephone bill that ended in a Bank Account freeze!!!
I have a full time job with a good income, but cannot get an overdraft nor measly finance. I have a SCHUFA report which I ordered which tells me that I have a credit % of 75, but also displays that I have paid everything off, so clear!

What can I do now????

I want to buy things, without firstly saving aaaarrrrgggghhhh

Thanks, a frustrated English man!

If the mobile phone company froze your account they must have had a writ (Vollstreckungsbescheid). If you have paid off the complete debt get in touch with the company and demand the - original! - cancelled writ. Make copies of it, have them certified by a lawyer and send a certified copy to the Schufa demanding immediate cancellation of the entry and a re-evaluation of your credit rating.

Hi Sarah,

Thanks. On my SCHUFA report that entry states that "the Contact partner states that the Contactual relationship, ended was resolved on the 13.06.07" Vollstreckung was 23.04.07. So, SCHUFA knows that it was resolved. Does this mean that I must wait 3 years from the Vollstreckungs date before I can obtain credit, or before my 75% increases, due to the Vollstreckung?

Thanks again Craig

Sorry Sara not Sarah

I found this in German, quite detailed:
http://srbg.de/negativen-schufa-eintrag-loeschen-lassen-nur-mit-entsprechenden-nachweis.html

So, unless you do as Sarabird says - actually you seem to need a certificate from the local court that your debts have been paid and the info can/shall be erased from my understanding of the text in the link - you'll be stuck til 3 years are thru after the info has been made to Schufa.
Which means if you want to get it out before you'll have to become proactive and invest a lot of your time (and some money for legal advice, too) and then you'll have a chance to get it erased. Not sure if it will also improve your credit rating, too...

Cheerio

I have a modest income and my bank won't stop trying to make me agree to an overdraft!

Thanks for the info on the Schufa... I shouldn't have anything on mine but I'm interested to know what data they do have...