Getting offers, failing credit screening

Contractor1

Hi

Can anyone help please?

I work as a freelance Project Manager via my own limited company. Typically, I work on contracts of between 3 and 6 months and most of my work has been in the finance sector.

Just recently, banks and insurance companies have started credit checking potential contractors and this is causing a problem.

In 2003, I had a very nasty domestic violence situation and my ex partner literally wiped me out of over £100,000 by forging my signature and running up massive debts and incurring CCJs (some in joint names and some in his alone). I sorted everything out and settled all the bills and debts and cleared the CCJs and got certificates of satisfaction but I had no savings. I wasn't able to recover any of the money he stole.

By 2009 my life was pretty much back on track but I still had limited savings. Just as the banks crashed, my client cancelled contracts for me and several hundred other people and I found I was unable to get a new contract and so spent 6 months out of work. My husband had quite a severe breakdown and he was unable to work (he's a farmer). I found out later that he had been hiding post. As a result, we got into debt.

During the time I was out of work, we didn't claim any benefit or receive any help, we lived off what little savings I had built up.

As soon as I became aware of the debt problem, I sorted it all out and since returning to work in the latter half of 2009, I haven't had a break in employment and I've been able to secure contracts. I've settled all debts and we're back on track again.

The problem I'm having is that although I'm in contract at the moment, it's due to finish soon and I've started to look for new roles. I'm getting offered the roles but I'm failing the credit check screening.

I've contacted Experian and registered with Credit Expert and have taken the steps suggested to improve my credit rating. I check it monthly and I can see it is gradually improving and it's now showing as "Good".

But I'm still failing credit screenings for jobs.

Is there anything I can do? I'm always honest and up front, I haven't hidden anything and I have all the supporting paperwork to show that I've settled everything.

I can't understand how my credit rating can be improving but banks and insurance companies still won't take me on as a contractor.

I'm being offered super roles but fall at the final hurdle. It's a shame when I beat 200 people for a role but can't take up the position because of something that happened due to extreme circumstances and that I've put right.

Is there anything I can do so that I can become employable again? It seems pretty unfair that after all the strife and stress and hard work to put things right that I could borrow money but be prevented from earning an honest wage for working hard!

Thanks for any suggestions.

rlkjs

i have a similar problem, when i couldn't afford to pay my debts (due to being ill and losing my job) i entered straight into a debt management plan and have paid every payment, however due to the fact theses are lower than the normal payment my credit rating does not look good. As the lady above i want a job but don't seem to be able to find anything that i have experience for as it involves credit checks surely this is punishing people who have had a problem but haven't walked away from it but have tried to solve it.

please help - surely this can't be right and with the state of the country ie the economic crisis this is going to happen to more and more people

look forward to any advise

cheers

DVardysShadow

Contractor1 wrote: »

... I've contacted Experian and registered with Credit Expert and have taken the steps suggested to improve my credit rating. I check it monthly and I can see it is gradually improving and it's now showing as "Good".

But I'm still failing credit screenings for jobs.

Is there anything I can do? I'm always honest and up front, I haven't hidden anything and I have all the supporting paperwork to show that I've settled everything.

I can't understand how my credit rating can be improving but banks and insurance companies still won't take me on as a contractor.

As I see it, you are wasting your effort looking at credit scores. They are complete and utter baloney. What is stopping you is specific facts on your credit file somewhere. You need to get the actual credit records from the referencing agencies and check those. Check too for CCJ's that you don't know about. And being on the electoral role and having all your addresses over the period recorded.