If they wont do a PFD, the next best thing is to get a settlement for less, thus saving money, but with their agreement not to report any reference to paid/settled for less than the full amount..
However, whenever you settle for less, the creditor has the right to post that info with the CRA by way of a special comment, or by reporting paid, with the supplemental information of "paid/settled for less than the full amount."
The reporting of settled for less informs others that you have a history of not paying the entire debt you have obligated, and that the creditor took a loss in having dealt with you. That is never favorable in any future manual review.
To avoid that negative comment, you can make your settlement offer or acceptance contingent upon their additional agreement not to report any reference to the debt having been paid for less than its full amount. If they agree to that term, then your accout will appear, after update to paid, the same as if it had been paid in full.
