UPDATE- An email from MBNA
Folks,
I've had a communication from MBNA following email contact a couple of days ago advising my circumstances. I've included it below, in case anyone is interested, but I do have a question with regard to the last portion of it, something about a search made against the credit bureau. What sort of information turns up in this search? Does it include details of balances in my accounts? Or what accounts pay my bills?
Up until now I've had no black marks against me. Another credit card (business card linked to my consultancy work) with a limit of just €1000 is cleared every month. Obviously that card doesn't see much use, particularly as I've locked the PIN on it. I've no outstanding loans- any loans in the past were paid off in full. I own my car outright having paid cash plus a trade-in last year. All bills, utilities etc are paid on time by direct debit.
Here's the mail from MBNA:
"Thank you for your message. We do have a reduced payment facility to help customers in financial difficulty. You will need to complete an income, asset and expenditure form to apply for this. You can find this on-line. From google type in mbna.ie. Click on the second option, personal credit cards | Ireland | mbna - official site. On the right hand side under quick links, existing customer click on minimum payment change. Scroll down to income and expenditure details and click on income and expenditure form. When complete please either return to the address on the website or call 0818 211 784 where an associate will be available to help you.
If your application is successful we will reduce your monthly payments suppress the fees and also either suppress or reduce the interest charged to the account. We would also certainly consider an offer of payment to settle your account. You can use the same application form to offer a settlement amount on the account. If your application is successful you will have up to 60days to make the payment from the date of the agreement. If you give us a certain date within that 60day period that the payment will be on the account then the payment must be received by that date. Failure to have the payment on the account by that date will result in the agreement being cancelled and your account registering as a default with the credit reference agencies. We can only accept one payment for a settlement therefore you should wait until you have the full agreed amount available before making your payment.
Any partial/short settlement will show as such with the credit reference agencies for six years. We will also require your permission to conduct a credit reference search on you"