Discharge Notification

Johnpj

Yes I had 70 credit accounts open, not particularly large amounts. I had mobile phone accounts for all members of my family, the usual utility stuff, and loads of dormant accounts which were not used or marked as dormant. I also had employment related joint liability charged cards etc. I had eleven bank accounts, some in different currencies, or for different purposes. All had to be closed. What really annoyed me on a few of them is even though I owed no money at the point of bankruptcy, and the accounts were in dormant status, when they were informed of the bankruptcy (by me) they defaulted me!!!! That was easy to fix, but what a cheek!!

I had 35 mobile phone accounts, and before anyone shouts, there was a reason. It was a way of making money around 9 years ago if you had a good credit rating, which I did prior to the financial problems and bankruptcy. You could get a mobile phone on contract on a high monthly tariff, and the phone of course for free. Almost the next day you could ring them up, drop the tariff down, sometimes to a data only £10 a month rate. Sell the phone on ebay for example or to friends. Then put the money in the bank, earn interest and pay the contracts off over time at the revised very small monthly contract amount. I suppose it was a old fashioned way of stoozing with credit cards, but with mobile phones. These days it cannot be done as you cannot change the monthly cost during the life of the contract, generally speaking.

mandyl

ooh someone who had more than me, way more than me

Dolly-Rocket

dojoman wrote: »

Also if you are on certain benefits, you could possibly get the court certificate free of charge.

Do you have any more info on this please?
I work but recieve WTC and CTC.
Im currently getting divorced and from what i can see i'm entitled to a free divorce in my county court. Wondered if the same would apply.

Johnpj

If you get income related benefits, such as income based job seekers or income support etc then you automatically qualify normally for fee reduction. If not, then you fill in a form at the court and the court looks at your income and benefits and decides how much to reduce your fee, it might be 100%, no reduction or anything in betweeen. You do not go before a judge, its done via the court office. Just pop along and ask. Are any of your benefits given to you DIRECTLY because of you low income?

fermi

Ineedaname wrote: »

I don't recall many members posting they had creditors insisting on an official discharge certificate, most seem to manage with a print from the IS website and/or a letter from their OR.

Yep. The vast majority are normally fine with that.

A letter from the OR is certainly good enough.

Plus of course, a creditor can easily check with the IS to confirm discharge. If they can't be arsed to do that, then they don't have much of a leg to stand on.

fermi

Dolly-Rocket wrote: »

Do you have any more info on this please?
I work but recieve WTC and CTC.
Im currently getting divorced and from what i can see i'm entitled to a free divorce in my county court. Wondered if the same would apply.

• HMCS - Court fees do you have to pay them? (The form and guidance on completing the fee remission form included). (pdf)
• Example application for a fee remission based on gross annual income - EX160 (Thanks to NE Derbyshire CAB)
• Example application for a fee remission based on permitted benefits - EX160 (Thanks to NE Derbyshire CAB)

Johnpj

fermi wrote: »

Yep. The vast majority are normally fine with that.

A letter from the OR is certainly good enough.

Plus of course, a creditor can easily check with the IS to confirm discharge. If they can't be arsed to do that, then they don't have much of a leg to stand on.

I agree with all of the above. If a creditor continues action against a bankrupt without taking the time to check they are on the wrong side of the law.

BUT if you want your credit file cleaned you play by their rules, as it is in your interest not the creditors, to some extent they can be as nasty as they want. Yes it can reach the information commissioner but that takes time and lots of hassle on your part. Much easier to get the certificate and shut them up.

However in my case I did have a few who even said they did not care about the bankruptcy, and would continue chasing me anyway. Although I agree thery are on dodgy ground, the debtor is the one getting all the grief in the meantime.

The law and the right thing is all well and good, but reality can be very different.

fermi

Easier if you can get it for free or you don't mind spending £70+.

Dolly-Rocket

fermi wrote: »

• HMCS - Court fees do you have to pay them? (The form and guidance on completing the fee remission form included). (pdf)
• Example application for a fee remission based on gross annual income - EX160 (Thanks to NE Derbyshire CAB)
• Example application for a fee remission based on permitted benefits - EX160 (Thanks to NE Derbyshire CAB)

Silly question but i'm guessng tax credits are benefits? If so, then I dont qualify as this pushes me over threshold.
Many thanks though.

Johnpj

Tax credits are NOT benefits, but they are an indication that you are on a low income. You will probably qualify for part reduction rather than full reduction, but the court manager might be nice to you, its certainly worth a try. They work to guidelines not rules, so things are not always predicatable. Things might change soon though as the court service like every other public service is having to tighten their belts, so to speak.