Discharged! What to do next?

AdviceSought

So, that's me been discharged, a huge weight off my shoulders, and hopefully will help my mental health issues improve too.

Do I need to contact the creditors to ask them to update my credit reference file or should that be done automatically?

Is there any particular site that is best to check my reference file, or should I check multiple ones?

System

You don't contact creditors, you contact the credit reference agencies, all of them, if they don't update in the next couple of months.

Other than that its continue to live within your means, don't spend money you don't have, don't repeat the mistakes that got you into bankruptcy in the first place, start building a solid financial base to move forward from and put this section of your life behind you.

TheGardener

As Tarambor says, it take a couple of months for the credit file folk to update the systems and in a few months, have a look at your credit files and check everything is in order - if it isn't then do a credit file clean up.

Although not everyone is responsible for their own downfall when it come to BR - this is the start of your new financial life and prudency and care in financial management makes it much easier to sleep at night

luvchocolate

Hi if you go on the I.S website and click on your name status will show as discharged, this stays on there for 3 months so its a good idea to print a copy off for your records.
All credit files updated without any help from me, its an amazing feeling.

bradders80

I'd have hoped your mental state improved as soon as you went BR and had the debt and associated stress removed. What is it you're so desperate to do that you need your credit file updating right now? I've been discharged a year and never thought about it.

luvchocolate

bradders80 wrote: »

I'd have hoped your mental state improved as soon as you went BR and had the debt and associated stress removed. What is it you're so desperate to do that you need your credit file updating right now? I've been discharged a year and never thought about it.

We do advice leaving it a couple of months then following the sticky thread, really just to make sure the dates are correct so after the 6 years from B.R date everything falls of at the right time.
I was lucky all my files were correct and needed nothing doing.

TheGardener

bradders80 wrote: »

I'd have hoped your mental state improved as soon as you went BR and had the debt and associated stress removed. What is it you're so desperate to do that you need your credit file updating right now? I've been discharged a year and never thought about it.

Its not uncommon for the CFA's to get things wrong (in fact its quite common) and a good credit history is needed for more than getting credit. Renting property and some jobs require a credit check so all BR's are advised to make sure their files are cleaned up a few months after discharge. That way all the BR stuff will come off the file at the earliest opportunity. Its also worth checking occasionally after the clean up as some posters have found old 'sold on' debts re-appearing on their files even years after the BR.

Mental Health issues are rarely 'turned on and off' that simply - if that were the case then PTSD wouldn't even be a thing would it...often its the mental health problems that lead to the financial problems - not the other way round.

AdviceSought

TheGardener wrote: »

Its not uncommon for the CFA's to get things wrong (in fact its quite common) and a good credit history is needed for more than getting credit. Renting property and some jobs require a credit check so all BR's are advised to make sure their files are cleaned up a few months after discharge. That way all the BR stuff will come off the file at the earliest opportunity. Its also worth checking occasionally after the clean up as some posters have found old 'sold on' debts re-appearing on their files even years after the BR.

Mental Health issues are rarely 'turned on and off' that simply - if that were the case then PTSD wouldn't even be a thing would it...often its the mental health problems that lead to the financial problems - not the other way round.

Thanks for that.

Yeah, I was keeping my head above water reasonably ok until I started suffering from depression, and a few jobs basically were lost thanks to that, and ended up with no other choice than BR.

Hardly_Quim

The files should be cleared after 6 years from your discharge ( usually) a year after bankruptcy.
If you have been discharged, after a year they will still show the BR.

TheGardener

Hardly_Quim wrote: »

The files should be cleared after 6 years from your discharge ( usually) a year after bankruptcy.
If you have been discharged, after a year they will still show the BR.

You mean 6 years from the date of BR...

AdviceSought

So, I just signed up for Clearscore and it shows my discharge and the fact I've £0 in debt.

In the accounts section it shows that I have no credit cards or loans at present, which is obviously correct.

In the close accounts section, balances are still showing though.

Should these balances drop off automatically soon, or am I going to need to contact these companies?