Discharged 2004 still can't get an account

fuzzyyumyum

I was discharged May 15th 2004....However am still not able to open a decent bank account with VISA Debit etc....

I've been using my Co-op account for a VISA electron and my main account is Royal Bank of Scotland, who wont give me or my my wife a 'current' account with VISA debit...

I thought by now I would be able to open one!?

My wife just applied with Alliance & L for a Premier Direct account and accepted, check book, visa debit, and pin all arrived this week, I tried and was instantaly refused....

Should I not by now be able to open an account, or at least get some sort of credit card to rebuild my credit?

any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks

silkglade

Hi, Sorry you are having such a bad time at the moment.

I found that when the discharge went through it took 6 years to drop off the credit file (6 years from the actual date of discharge) and that we had to send in a letter to all the credit check agencies (equifax, experian and call credit) from the Official Reciever to prove that I had been discharged from bankruptcy as apparently it is not always automatic. But don't worry if you have not already done this, call the OR and then once you have the letter photocopy it and send it to them and it will be backdated to the date of discharge as shown on the letter.

Hope that helps as you might find that if your records have not been updated then as far as any banks are concerned you are still bankrupt. I applied after the 6 years was up and am now with Nationwide and got accepted instantly and was offered an overdraft and credit card at the same time.... totally shocked as i expected yet another refusal!

We had a cardcash account with Halifax the whole time we were bankrupt and then for the 6 years after discharge, never had bank charges once in all that time and yet the refused point blank to give us a current account.

Good luck

fermi

silkglade wrote: »

I found that when the discharge went through it took 6 years to drop off the credit file (6 years from the actual date of discharge) and that we had to send in a letter to all the credit check agencies (equifax, experian and call credit) from the Official Reciever to prove that I had been discharged from bankruptcy as apparently it is not always automatic. But don't worry if you have not already done this, call the OR and then once you have the letter photocopy it and send it to them and it will be backdated to the date of discharge as shown on the letter.

Rulings from the Information Commissioner in the last few years mean that all defaults should now be marked as NO LATER than the date of your bankruptcy order. The bankruptcy and any account info the drops off the CRF 6 years from the date of the bankruptcy order.

The account should also be marked somehow to indicate it is satisfied/settled.

fuzzyyumyum Go to the following link to see exactly how your Credit Reference Files and account info should have been correctly updated:

CREDIT REFERENCE FILE CLEAN UP – POST BANKRUPTCY

If they haven't then write the letter in the next link to their "data controller(s)" by recorded delivery.

Letter to former Lenders post Bankruptcy

If they then fail to update your account and records correctly, raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner:

How to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner

The Information Commissioner will force them to update correctly, and even fine them heavily if they don't.

The process is a bit lengthy, but it always gets the job done.

After that it's just a matter of letting time heal your credit rating.

fuzzyyumyum

Thanks very much for your replies...FERMI, I will take your advice on board and will act on it straight away...

SILKGLADE....I have an account with the co-op, it give me electron, which is good, but I really need a local bank, my wife just managed to open an A&L account, premier direct current, but they refused me....

What we both me and my wife would like is a local bank that will give us joint accounts, or 2 accounts one in each name linked together with debit card and internet banking...sounds easy, but it's not! we are going to stick with what we have, I will really go about cleaning up my credit score and then try again...oh the joys....

thanks again!

Conor_3

I think you're going to be stuffed for quite a while now the banks are tightening up after the sub-prime crises.