Bankruptcy from 1989

heidiprincess13

Hi. I am hoping someone can help. I was made bankrupt back in 1989 and it was for a year only. Last week I went to open a business bank account with NatWest, who I have banked with for 8 years with my personal account.

i have received an email today asking for proof of discharge. Obviously I haven’t got proof but they want me to take it to a branch. 

Is this normal when my bankruptcy was over 30 years ago. 

They have done a credit check and saw the bankruptcy from 30 years ago. My credit rating is excellent and there is no record on the CIFAS register 

Thanks in advance 

Minkym00

I would push back on this and complain to the bank that it’s totally unreasonable. There just won’t be any records after all this time, surely the bank will appreciate that? In any case, you should just point out that, as your name is not on the Individual Insolvency Register, then you are discharged. If your discharged had been suspended (for example for non co-operation) then your name would still show on the Register, so that should be proof enough. 

If they absolutely insist you could write to Insolvency Service who will be able to give you a confirmation of discharge, but I would be banking elsewhere if they insisted to be honest.

fatbelly

It wouldn't show on a credit check. It might show on an insolvency check if you were never discharged, which is worth a look

https://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/eiir/

I can only think that you had a debt to Nat west 30 years ago and it still shows on their internal records

If everything is clear, just try another bank.

bradders1983

"They have done a credit check and saw the bankruptcy from 30 years ago"

Erm, no they haven't. You need to try harder than that.

sourcrates

Credit files normally retain public information for 6 years, certainly not 30.

If that`s what they told you, then its not an accurate reason, fatbellys suggestion of internal records may be nearer the truth, but 30 years is an extremely long time to keep public information and would be unheard of.

Silvertabby

It may be that they checked the London Gazette archives (of bankruptcy notifications).  

bradders1983

Silvertabby said:

It may be that they checked the London Gazette archives (of bankruptcy notifications).  

...which isn't a "credit check".

I suspect its a Natwest internal list the OP is on. AMEX are exactly the same in this regard, you can be shown as being 100% eligible to get an AMEX but woe betide if you included an AMEX in a bankrupcy 8 years ago, as the chances are you apply and it comes back a big fat no.

Silvertabby

bradders1983 said:

Silvertabby said:

It may be that they checked the London Gazette archives (of bankruptcy notifications).  

...which isn't a "credit check".

I suspect its a Natwest internal list the OP is on. AMEX are exactly the same in this regard, you can be shown as being 100% eligible to get an AMEX but woe betide if you included an AMEX in a bankrupcy 8 years ago, as the chances are you apply and it comes back a big fat no.

Not normally, no - but checking the LG insolvency archives is so quick and easy (and free) to do, it may have been introduced as another 'check' in these troubled times, especially in the case of business accounts.

ADD.  Just typed in my late sister's full name (no date) and her 1997 bankruptcy listing popped right up.  Wouldn't be so straight forward in the case of 'Smith' or 'Jones', but the listing would still be there.

todaytom578

Surely the time alone is enough to prove discharged 

Minkym00

todaytom578 said:

Surely the time alone is enough to prove discharged 

Bankruptcy discharge is suspended if the individual doesn’t engage sufficiently with the Official Receiver and they remain bankrupt until they do. Sometimes it’s can be decades.