cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Westar collections pay for delete

tag
Anonymous
Not applicable

Westar collections pay for delete

Hi everyone! 
I am working on rebuilding my credit and I have a westar electric bill that is giving me some grief. So here is the background:

I moved out and thought I paid the final bill, but I paid the last bill that was due when I lived there, not the FINAL bill. Discovered all this after disputing the bill and it stands on my CR's. So I figured out my old login and PW (I live in another state now so use a whole different company) and when I login, I can see the balance is still there with an option to pay. Westar was sold to Everly so now it is on the new Everly site. This is also showing up on my credit from Midwest Credit Bureau. Amount is $542. So I'm wondering should:

1. Pay it online, get the bill, and then dispute again with proof it was paid to the original creditor

2. Call and see if an agent will accept the payment over the course of 1 or 2 payments and ask if I can get proof it will be deleted

3. Call the Midwest Credit Bureau and pay through there

I didn't see great things about Midwest being easy to work with, so haven't had contact with them yet and would avoid them altogether if I can cut out the middle man. I am also looking to buy a home this year and do prequal in the next 60 days. My score was at 495-520 (each report slightly different) 6 weeks ago with 5 maxed out CC and 5 collections. I paid off the CC (still waiting for 2 to show as paid on my report), had 2 erroneous collections deleted (showing up on 1 just waiting on the other 2) paid 1 collection for deletion on Friday (Caine and Weiner and waiting for it to be removed), and have this electric bill and a sprint bill left. The sprint will fall off in October, so I might just leave it? I'll have to think about that one. My score is up to 587-620. I can afford to pay it, just trying to get the best result on my credit report when I do. What say ye?

5 REPLIES 5
BmoreBull
Established Contributor

Re: Westar collections pay for delete

I would call the electric company and see if you can pay them. If you pay them the CA doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The electric company may delete it from your credit or at the very least mark it as paid. If it’s still showing a balance from the electric company, then they haven’t sold it and the CA may just be collecting on there behalf. I recently had this with Comcast / Xfinity. The collection agency sent me a letter, I ignored them and called Comcast. They said if I paid, they would recall the collection. This debt however, was not yet on my credit reports.Edit: I would not pay then dispute. If you dispute and it comes back verified it will ding your score again.


Starting Fico Scores:November 2019

Current Fico Scores: January 6, 2021
Goal Scores: 700 across all three
Message 2 of 6
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Westar collections pay for delete

Than you! I thought speaking directly to the energy company might be the way to go, but wasn't sure. When you did this with Comcast, did you speak to a specific department? Or just whoever answers?

Message 3 of 6
gdale6
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Westar collections pay for delete

If this is on your CR as a collection you want to deal with the OC and ask them to recall the collection in exchange for full payment on the account, this will take the CA off your CRs

Message 4 of 6
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Westar collections pay for delete

Thank you! I called the electric company and they were really nice. Now we see how long it takes to be removed. 

Message 5 of 6
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Westar collections pay for delete

*UPDATE* Shows as paid but not deleted. Still have my score a nice jump. Now to attack everything else...

Message 6 of 6
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.