The main (urgent) situation that I am in is that I am not entirely sure what to do about complying with two Default Notices that I have (one needs payment by Friday 26 October 2012). Two of my creditors want to default me & terminate my accounts. They accepted £1 payments for a short period but now wish to close the accounts and presumably either pass on to a DCA or manage in house via collections. I am trying to work out what the least damaging situation for my credit file is in terms of getting SECURED credit (i.e. remortgaging my property) in the future. Previously I thought that I had to avoid default notices at all costs on my credit files otherwise I would end up with an inability to remortgage & obtain secured debt (believe me when I say that I will NEVER take out unsecured debt again!). Therefore, my main tactic has been to try and avoid any default notices on my file. However having read various material it appears that I have been misguided in doing so. My understanding from reading some of it is essentially that I now have two options: DEFAULT NOW ON THE ACCOUNTS - the notice/marker will automatically drop off after a six year period - full stop - whether or not I agree a repayment plan with them (that may or may not last after the six years). As soon as 6 years is up the default notice drops off and my file would be "cleared " of all information regarding that account. AVOID DEFAULTS ON THE ACCOUNTS - I carry on trying to agree or come up with a repayment plan with them but this could sit on my file for six years after the repayment plan that I undergo with them ends. In that case it could be, for sake of example 5 years to pay it off and then it sits there for six years after that = 11 years. Much worse. Therefore it would be better to get in now and "default away" as it were, rather than come to an arrangement whereby it could potentially go beyond the 'defined' six year default notice expiry ad nauseum after each debt is repaid. I understand that DCA's or those who might buy my debt from the initial creditor may try to stick further defaults onto my file. Any thoughts or help would be gratefully received. Many many thanks!