Experian just added bankrupt records to my credit file from over 8 years ago

credit_file1

I have just noticed a change to my otherwise perfect credit file whereby Experian has added adverse data to my credit file on July 2024. The data relates to a bankruptcy back in Feb 2016 of which dropped off my report back in 2022 after the 6 year period.

I raised this with Experian and the initial response was to send in a copy of the discharge certificate dated back in 2018. Experian have now came back and stated that due to some change within their systems they no longer accept the discharge certificate and that they now require a copy of the trustee discharge certificate before they can remove the record.

In my case the trustee has still not completed their process due to various properties that are still held within the estate and therefore I have no control as to how long the trustee will take to complete their process and discharge their services.. 

The timescales are unusually long for the trustee however this is outwith my control.. 

Has anyone else had any recent experience with Experian all of a sudden changing their stance in connection with adverse data ?.. My understanding has always been that data drops off after six years and thats exactly what happened in my case .. However both myself and my wife have had data appear again when the data relates to more than eight years ago .. 

Experian has stated  that due to a change on their side they no longer refer to any discharge certificates and that they now reply on trustee discharge certificates of which I have no contol over the timescales.. 

This is a rediculous change of data reporting by Experian and clearly goes agains anything that I have read in general in connection with timescales for data to be retained and shared on your credit file.. 

I have raised a formal complaint with Experian however the repsonse thus far (one email and a phone call) has not filled me with confidence. They are unable to advise when their stance on this changed. I find it very strange that no data has been showing on my file for over two years and then all of a sudden new data appears that relates to a period over eight years ago .. 

I only found out about this adverse data entry appearing again when I recently appiled for a facility and was refused and clearly the data on my file has significantly impacted on my score.. Up unitl now i have had no problem obtaining any credit facilities however unfortunately this has all changed now.

fatbelly

If you've not been discharged from bankruptcy and are still on the register

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

Then they are correct that the mark should still appear on your file.

A similar rule applies to IVAs 

If you have been discharged and do not appear on the register then the mark should not appear on your file and you should make a formal complaint which you can escalate to

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Minkym00

fatbelly said:

If you've not been discharged from bankruptcy and are still on the register

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

Then they are correct that the mark should still appear on your file.

A similar rule applies to IVAs 

The OP hasn't indicated that they are undischarged, just that the trustee hasn't finalised the estate. 

Experian's rule seems egregious and unfair to me. Keep complaining.