Paying charge off with TXU energy

[Onlyoneme0205]

Hello everyone. I have a charge off on my credit report with TXU energy for $165. The date of major delinquency first reported was10/2010. I need to pay this off in order to get approved for an apartment and also to get utilities in my name. If I pay this in full, will my score decrease due to the amount of years since it was last reported? From what I'm seeing,it's hard to get TXU to delete it from your credit report and they will only mark it as paid in full.Thanks.

[RobertEG]

You dont pay a charge-off, you pay the debt that just happens to also have reported as charged-off, so the CO continues to be included in scoring.

Some have posted that the impact of reporting of paid  can affect the scoring of a CO or collection, although I see no reasonable basis why it should.

However, not paying the debt coould result in additional damage should the creditor either refer the debt for collection, or sell the debt, thus resulting in the addition of a collection to your CR.  That may be a more significant reason to pay now, regardless of a possible update of current scoring of the CO.

And of course, if a prospective business or lendor is requiring its satisfaction, as appears to be your situation, you may have no option.