Financial association with ex partner on closed account

AndyWin

I see from the sticky that a bank account which defaulted and was closed will take 6 years to be removed from my credit file. The account in question is a joint account with the ex partner which had an overdraft balance of about £1500. It defaulted after I was made bankrupt in early 2019. I have no financial connection with her now but her name remains on my file as an association. Experian won't remove it and said it is a matter for the bank. The bank said, understandably, that both names are on the account so they won't remove mine. 

It's annoying because she won't work (which is what led to the bankruptcy) and I don't want the financial association with her. Do I just have to wait out the 6 years or is there any other option to remove her as a financial association? Thanks.

Jimjim78

Hi Andy, not want to hear but your ex will remain on your credit file indefinitely, they just don't drop off. It will need to be raised with the bank in question. I've just gone through the process myself. My ex was still on my report 8 years after I last had any link with them. You may find this link helpful www checkmyfile com/articles/how-to-remove-financial-associations htm replace the spaces with dots, good luck!

AndyWin

Jimjim78 said:

Hi Andy, not want to hear but your ex will remain on your credit file indefinitely, they just don't drop off. It will need to be raised with the bank in question. I've just gone through the process myself. My ex was still on my report 8 years after I last had any link with them. You may find this link helpful www checkmyfile com/articles/how-to-remove-financial-associations htm replace the spaces with dots, good luck!

Thanks, as you say, not great news, but it's good to know in advance if it's likely to just continue. Sorry you had to deal with that as well. Thanks for the link.

Cotswoldtony

Hi Andy,  you can not change the past or debt that you both are jointly and severally responible for to repay.
The important thing is to start a fresh financial record from a new address after your discharge from bankruptcy.
Banks and credit cards companies need to make money and will take more notice of your account/s than they will of credit reference agencies if your salary is paid into your account showing a good balance. 

ratechaser

I assume the account in question, has now been closed or at least frozen post your bankruptcy? The last thing you need is to still be on an account where your ex could take out further borrowing etc that you would be jointly liable for?

AndyWin

ratechaser said:

I assume the account in question, has now been closed or at least frozen post your bankruptcy? The last thing you need is to still be on an account where your ex could take out further borrowing etc that you would be jointly liable for?

Yes, apparently it is now closed. I hadn't considered the possibility of her still taking out borrowing on an account I was liable for. Do you write horror stories for a living?

ratechaser

AndyWin said:

ratechaser said:

I assume the account in question, has now been closed or at least frozen post your bankruptcy? The last thing you need is to still be on an account where your ex could take out further borrowing etc that you would be jointly liable for?

Yes, apparently it is now closed. I hadn't considered the possibility of her still taking out borrowing on an account I was liable for. Do you write horror stories for a living?

I don't need to, they get posted on here by others with alarming regularity!

adamp87

I think the advice above is incorrect. You can get financial associations removed. Direct from Experian:

(After 6 years the defaulted account will fall off your file)

5. You can get financial associations removed from your report

If you no longer share finances with your financial associate, you can ask Experian and the other credit reference agencies (Equifax and Callcredit) to remove them from your credit report. Get in touch with us, and be prepared to provide proof that your financial connection has ended.

If you've had a break up or divorce, but still share a mortgage with your ex-partner, we may be able to break the association between you if you've been living apart for more than six months. In this case, you'll need to close all other shared finances with them, such as joint bank account

etienneg

adamp87,

Each person has a separate credit file containing information about accounts that include their name, so either sole or joint accounts. By contrast, an association is just that - a reference to another person's credit file because there is a joint account of some kind.

So, the problem with what you say is that it refers just to associations. From the first post, it appears that the account that defaulted was a joint account, so both the OP and partner are liable for this. Hence the default will remain on both of their records for 6 years.

If it had been an account solely in the partner's name that defaulted, this would not appear on the OP's credit file. In that case the association would be the important thing and getting it removed (as in your quote) would have removed any issue for the OP. But you can't get rid of a default on an account which had your name on it at the time of default.

Agentmomo

Hi, I had a similar experience,

You can get a financial association removed but you have to request via the relevant credit reference agency

AndyWin

etienneg said:

adamp87,

Each person has a separate credit file containing information about accounts that include their name, so either sole or joint accounts. By contrast, an association is just that - a reference to another person's credit file because there is a joint account of some kind.

So, the problem with what you say is that it refers just to associations. From the first post, it appears that the account that defaulted was a joint account, so both the OP and partner are liable for this. Hence the default will remain on both of their records for 6 years.

If it had been an account solely in the partner's name that defaulted, this would not appear on the OP's credit file. In that case the association would be the important thing and getting it removed (as in your quote) would have removed any issue for the OP. But you can't get rid of a default on an account which had your name on it at the time of default.

Yes, it is just the association to the ex that I want removed. I'll get back in touch with Experian as adamp87 suggests. Thanks to everyone for your help.