A Debt Relief Order (DRO) lasts for one year and then your debts in it are wiped out. But it shows on your credit record for six years.
This article looks at what should happen to your credit record during the DRO year and after it has finished. Some of your creditors may have go tt this wrong, you need to ask them to correct any problems.
You can start to improve your credit rating after the twelve months of your DRO ends, but this will be slow going until the DRO goes after 6 years, when you will see a big improvement.
The reason to start early is that when the DRO and all the debts in it disappear from your credit record, you want some newer good debts to remain, so your record will look great, not empty.
Contents
How a DRO should be recorded
To make sure you don’t miss any problems, check your credit records with all the Credit Reference Agencies.
This is what your credit records should show:
After your DRO is approved:
The DRO will show in the Public Record section of your credit record.
All debts which are in your DRO should have a default date which is the date your DRO started or before.
There will be no change for any debts which do not form part of your DRO, but these (things like student debts and magistrates court fines) do not normally show on your credit record at all.
At the end of the 12 months of your DRO:
You don’t get sent a certificate when your DRO completes, see What happens at the end of my DRO? for details. You can print off your Insolvency Register entry when your DRO finishes as proof – but do this quickly as it disappears after three months.
Your credit record will be updated to say your DRO has completed. The DRO marker will remain on your record for five more years, dropping off six years after the start of your DRO.
You no longer owe the debts that were listed in your DRO.
These debts should be marked by the creditors “to show that you no longer owe money on that account (perhaps by marking the entry as ‘partially satisfied’ or ‘partially settled’ or in some other way)” (quote from the Information Commissioner’s Office) and the balance on the accounts should show as zero.
CCJs won’t change, because there is no way to mark them as partially settled.
At the end of six years from the start date of your DRO:
The DRO marker will drop off your credit record.
Some of the DRO debts may already have disappeared. The rest should go at the same time as the DRO marker, because their default date should be on or before the date your DRO started.
CCJs drop off six years from the judgment date, so they also should already have dropped off by this six-year point.
So now your credit record should be completely clean – unless you have had credit problems after your DRO finished.
The only creditors that will be able to tell you had a DRO after the six-year point are those who had a debt included in your DRO. They may still be able to see the DRO on their internal records.
Correcting problems
There are two sorts of common problems.
1) a default date is after your DRO started
If the default date is later (or not there at all!) it will delay the point at which your credit file becomes clear. You can ask the creditor to correct the record.
Don’t ask the credit reference agencies to do this – they just report what the creditors tell them.
It can take a while for creditors to add these defaults. I suggest you wait four or five months after the start of your DRO before you bother to do this. By then most should be right and you may only have one or two to deal with.
Don’t try to do this on the phone!
Instead send the following email or letter to the Data Controller for the creditor (get the address from the ICO ), send it Recorded Delivery and keep a copy:
I had a Debt Relief Order approved on dd/mm/yyyy. You can confirm this by checking the Insolvency Register at https://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/eiir/.
I am writing to ask you to correct my credit file for [details of your debt with the creditor, including account number or reference number].
At the moment [there is no default date/the default date is dd/mm/yyyy]. This is incorrect and a breach of the ICO guidelines and the Data Protection Act 1998. There should be a default date not later than the start date of my DRO.
Please correct this entry within 28 days or supply me with a written reason why you will not do so.
If the creditor replies saying they don’t know anything about your DRO, talk to the DRO Unit about whether the creditor has been informed.
If the creditor knows about your DRO but refuses to add or correct the default date, complain to the Financial Ombudsman if this was a loan, credit card, catalogue or similar financial product and complain to the ICO for utility and similar debts. Attach copies of your letter to the creditor, proof of posting and any reply from the creditor.
One exception – mortgage shortfall debts are unusual in a DRO but if you have one, read How to repair your credit record after bankruptcy which covers these debts.
2) Creditor doesn’t mark debt as satisfied when your DRO has finished
The creditor doesn’t have to mark the debt as fully settled/satisfied so there is no point in complaining if the debt has been marked as partially settled/satisfied.
Give them a few months after your DRO has ended to deal with this. There is no hurry, your credit record isn’t going to get up to being good for another five years.
If a debt is still showing an open balance, send the following email or letter to the data controller for the creditor:
My Debt Relief Order finished on dd/mm/yyyy. I attach a copy of my Insolvency Service Register entry which shows this.
I am writing to ask you to correct my credit file for the above debt. The ICO guidelines state that my credit file should show that I no longer owe money on that account, perhaps by marking the entry as ‘partially satisfied’ or ‘partially settled’ or in some other way.
Please correct this entry within 28 days or supply me with a written reason why you will not do so.
Again, complain to the Financial Ombudsman or the ICO if a creditor doesn’t correct the entry.
What if my debt was sold after my DRO started?
Say creditor A (who may be the original lender) sold the debt to creditor B.
The important thing is who owned the debt at the relevant time…
If creditor A owned the debt when the DRO started, they should have added the default to your creditor record at that time. If they didn’t write to them and tell them to do it. Then when that is done, write to creditor B and say you had a DRO and creditor A has now added a default date of dd/mm/yy and ask them to do the same.
If creditor B owned the debt at the time your DRO year ended, they are the one that now needs to mark the debt as settles in some way. Write to them about it.
Is it worth doing this?
Yes. It is worth correcting the dates of default unless they are just a bit late. If they are months or even years late, this delays the time until your credit file is finally clean as these defaulted debts will still show when your DRO itself has disappeared.
It’s also a good idea to get them all correctly marked to show that you no longer owe any money. This doesn’t change your credit score, but it may mean that you are more likely to be able to get credit, probably from a “bad credit lender”.
Having the debt marked as settled also stops the irritation of the debt being ‘sold on’ to another Debt Collector. That isn’t a serious problem – the debt really has been written off – but it is annoying as you have to correspond with yet another person and send them details of your DRO.
Getting positive markers on your credit file
Once your DRO has ended, it’s good to start getting some new, positive credit marks on your credit record.
There is no hurry to do this as your credit rating is going to remain poor for 5 years, but after a while you may want to do what you can to start things going in the right direction.
Can you save regularly?
If you can, then read up about LOQBOX. This is a clever new product that lets you save each month for a year and reports this to the credit reference agencies as loan repayments – so your credit score will benefit as you have taken out a year-long loan and repaid it. There are no fees and you will definitely be accepted for this, no matter how bad your credit score is.
At the end of the year, you will have a nest egg saved up and a better credit score.
Get a “bad credit” card
First deal with the “clean up” process outlined above for your old debts. And make sure that you are on the electoral roll, your address and any other details are all correct with the credit reference agencies. This may take several months to complete if you have to go to the ICO.
Then apply for a Vanquis or a Luma credit card. Vanquis is owned by Provident, Luma is owned by Capital One – if you had a debt to one of these companies in your DRO apply to the other one to maximise your chance of being accepted. If your application is rejected, double-check your credit file really is clean with all three credit reference agencies, wait a few months, then apply for the other card.
These cards charge very high rates of interest. This doesn’t matter because you should aim to repay it in full every month, so you never pay any!
The best thing is to use it once a month for something small such as a tank of petrol and set up the card to be repaid in full automatically every month so you can never forget and pay late.
Your credit rating will improve faster if you repay the full balance every month,
At some point, you will probably want to be able to get affordable credit to spread the cost of a purchase. This is a good time to prepare for that by getting a savings account with your local credit union. Don’t plan to use your horribly expensive credit card, or you will be heading back into debt problems again.
This all takes time
If you were expecting the end of your DRO to make a large, immediate improvement to your credit score, it doesn’t.
Getting a bad credit card or saving through LOQBOX isn’t going to magically increase your score to good. But when the DRO and all the debts in it disappear, having these positive markers then will mean that your credit score is looking good, not just empty.
Never pay any firms offering a ‘repair your credit’ service because either they don’t work at all, or they will be only suggesting what I have said here – there are no shortcuts. The template letters here are very likely to work and if they don’t, putting in a complaint to the ICO is the best way to repair your credit.
How much will my credit score change if…
which of these ways to save will work for you?
What happens at the end of a DRO?
Neville says
Hi Sara, I recently had a DRO which ended on the 9th March this year. Currently all accounts are shown as active/open and defaults are being added every month and all dates of default are the wrong dates except for one. Should I still be getting defaults added every month? I will use the above template to have the default dates corrected and ask for the accounts to be shown as settled but just wanted to confirm about the ones added every month. Thanks in advance.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
defaults will always be added every month until a debt is settled. This is normal and only the first default is counted in credit scoring.
But I suggest you wait another month before starting this. Some firms are slow to update for completed DROs.
Doug says
Hi Sara,
I opened a DRO back in December 2017 so at the end of this year i will finally be free of it.
However, When I checked my credit report last year I found that one of the debts (Motonovo) included in the DRO has added defaults to the record each month since the DRO and is showing a balance of £562 although it also is marked as satisfied.
It appears the error is only with Transunion
I contacted Motonovo by phone in June 2022 where they did find an error and had it corrected but the error still showed.
In November i emailed them and they confirmed that the account is satisfied, with zero balance and no missed payment markers.
I then raised a dispute with TransUnion, which was unsuccessful. I emailed back asking what evidence they needed to correct the entry but got no reply.
I raised another dispute in April 2023 and waited the 28 days for a reply but got none. So I called them on the phone, where they told me that there is nothing they can do their end and that the information is coming from Motonovo.
I emailed Motonovo again. They have confirmed that everything is settled their end but have sent another credit amendment request anyway (at my request) and have advised I contact TransUnion.
At this stage I am now going in circles.
Any advice for next steps are much appreciated
Sara (Debt Camel) says
What is the date of the first default?
Doug says
Date of default: 27/10/2017
Sara (Debt Camel) says
This debt will drop off your credit record in October 2023.
You can send Motonovo a complaint saying your credit score is still wrong and and it is their job to correct this – ask them to do this and for £200 for the inconvenience as this has been going on for nearly a year. Say your claim goes to the Ombudsman in 8 weeks if they haven’t sorted this.
Doug says
Thank you for replying so quickly.
Will the debt still drop off if new defaults are still being added each month?
Just to confirm, I should send Motonovo a complaint now (not after it has dropped off) and to ask them directly for £200 in compensation? Or to say that i will be putting a claim with the Ombudsman for that amount if it’s not resolved?
Do i need to justify the amount in any way?
Thanks for your help
Sara (Debt Camel) says
yes it will. it is the date of the first default that counts.
yes you need to either give up and decide this isn’t worth your time or push now for them to put it right and pay you compensation.
Doug says
Just wanted to say thanks for your help.
I did as you said and told them I’d be taking this to the ombudsman if they didn’t sort it and asked for £200 compensation.
I received a reply yesterday, they are confident it is sorted (though I will check again in 8 weeks) and they have given me compensation of £350
I’m very pleased.
Thank you
Karl Chapman says
I had a DRO on 08/02/2018. One of my creditors recently registered a default last year with a default date of 28/01/2022. I have disputed it multiple times through different credit reference agencies but it keeps reappearing. I have tried to contact the company BT and ask them about it. I sent them a copy of the letter template on your website asking them to stop. I contacted the ICO but they aren’t willing to do anything. They said because I don’t have a final response from BT they won’t look into it. At first the ICO said they don’t deal with defaults and DRO’s. BT won’t let me make a complaint and said they don’t talk to customers about credit files so I can’t get a final response. I threatened them with court action but I’ll probably lose. You mentioned that it is a breach of the Data Ptotection Act 1998. Although I’m unclear which section and verse of the act. All I can fathom is it is an offence to make a false statement. This would be true about the default balance as they are saying it is £520 when the amount written off in the DRO was £451 which was up to date at the time. I don’t know what to do. At this rate the default is going to stay for another 5 years which will be 10 years after the DRO was approved. I’m really annoyed about the whole thing.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Understandably annoyed.
I suggest you go to your local Citizens Advice and ask them to help you with this.
jacqueline says
I have a DRO that was discharged in Feb 2022. I am thinking of applying for a mortgage in 2024. Do you think I can realistically apply/be accepted for a mortgage if I can raise a 10% deposit? I am also in the process of improving my credit score through loqbox and looking for ways to increase my level of income. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you
Sara (Debt Camel) says
It is likely to be at a VERY poor interest rate. Normal high street lenders won’t consider you.
Lisa says
Hi , please could someone point me in the right direction of what to do next. My DRO ended in January 2020. I left it 11 months and sent the relevant letter to two banks who hadn’t updated my credit file. The sent a response adjusting the amount which was included in my DRO and created a new account number with that debt. To be honest I haven’t been in the right frame of mind to address anything since until this week. Not only are 3 debts still showing as open and owing on my credit file , the companies have also added defaults every month as well as creating new over drafts. So basically under one debt it shows it as open , it has defaults every month from the end of my DRO , it’s included in the total currently owing on my credit file and it states ‘ recent over draft added ‘ . Having fully looked they seem to be adding overdrafts every few months and the debt appears to be dropping by 2p. I know I’m not liable for the debts even though my credit file suggests I am but as they took no notice of my last letter what would my next step be ? I’ve looked on the ICO website and understand I can make a complaint and raise a dispute with the credit reference agency but what basis am I doing this and how would I word it. I apologise for the lengthy post I hate having this looming . It worries me that I will suddenly have a battle on my hands .
Sara (Debt Camel) says
What did the banks responses say to your previous complaint?
Liam Attrill says
Hi Sara,
I hope you are well.
My question is, if you owed a credit card money, that’s part of your DRO and once this ends do they have to delete your information after six months or are they allowed to hold it on file do you know?
I would like to get a credit card with capital one but did owe them money so is it ever likely they would lend to me again?
Thank you
Sara (Debt Camel) says
A lender can retain their own records for as long as they want. Pick another lender.
Liam Attrill says
Ok thanks sara
Lisa says
They didn’t acknowledge my credit file at all query or the DRO , they stated that they carried out an internal review on my closed account regarding their collections process and adjusted the balance stating the new outstanding balance and reference number. The other company who’s still showing as open and defaulting every month didn’t even respond
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Which companies are these?
Lisa says
Halifax and Barclaycard
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I suggest you send them both an email complaining. Use the email addresses in this article https://debtcamel.co.uk/email-addresses-banks-credit-cards/ and the subject line “Complaint about inaccurate credit recording after my DRO”
Lisa says
Thankyou so much ! I will give that a try
Lisa says
Hi Sara ,
Just to say I followed the advice you have , one bank came back within days , apologised , altered and updated my credit file plus gave me £100 compensation. The other bank is being rigid with an 8 week rule . I’ve received a letter this week saying that if they haven’t addressed my complaint by the 06/08 which is 8 weeks they will write and let me know why .
Barclays was the very proactive bank , Halifax is the one I’m still waiting on.
Thankyou for your advice , I’d still be chasing if I hadn’t found this site
Lisa says
Is there a letter template I can use ?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
yes, use the one very short one in the article above.
Lisa says
That’s the one I used before which they ignored , I’ll try it again and see.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Send it to the Financial Ombudsman if yiu do not get a response
Lisa says
Thankyou !
Lisa says
Hi Sara ,
Thankyou so much for all your help so far. I’ve emailed using the relevant email addresses . I just wondered whether people have used the email addresses and received any acknowledgment like the usual generic , we will respond in x amount of days ? Or whether nothing pings back. Neither email has pinged back which I think is strange as it’s regarding complaints. Maybe I’m just too impatient 🤣🤣
David says
I’m looking on the ICO website to try and find contact details for the Data Controller, but all I can see are contact details for the Data Protection Officer no matter which creditor I look at. Is the Data Controller the same as the Data Protection Officer?
Several of my debts are still showing balances on my credit report despite my DRO ending at the start of the year so I’m trying to get these corrected. Does I have to contact the Data Controller or would contacting the creditors complaints department yield the same results?
Thanks
Sara (Debt Camel) says
What sort of creditors are these?
David says
Two credit cards, a catalogue, a mobile phone contract and two current accounts that had OD facilities. The one current account was closed and the debt sold to a debt recovery agency, not sure if that makes a difference but thought I’d mention it :)
Thanks
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Yes you can complain to the normal complaints department – for the overdraft that is the complaints department of the debt collector that bought it.
For all of those you can send the complaint to the Finacial Ombudsman if it is not sorted in 8 weeks, except for the mobile. The mobile company will tell you which Ombudsman they use.
Clare says
Hi Sara,
I had a DRO which ended September 2022. I have checked my credit report on 3 different websites and they all say something different, so I don’t know if I need to do anything about it.
Experian says “Our records do not show any active credit accounts for you”
Credit Karma lists 9 accounts as open and 5 closed
Clear score lists 9 accounts open and 4 closed
Do I need to do anything?
Many thanks, Clare
Sara (Debt Camel) says
yes, you need to look at the details of the individual debts. On all three CRAs – as you can see they don’t all have the same data!
For Experian, if you are using their brief summary report which is really just a score, this is useless and you should unsubscribe from it and instead use the MSE Credit Club report which is free and gives full experian details.
You want to check every individual debt that is still open or has been closed since your DRO started in Sept 21.
What are those open debts? Are they all new debts since the DRO started? That is fine. But if not…
Every debt that was in your DRO should
1) have a default date on or before the start date of your DRO, and
2) be marked as settled, partially settled, satisfied or partially satisfied with zero owing.
If any debt is wrong, see the article above which tells you how to complain.
Clare says
Thank you Sara
I really must apologise, I don’t understand these credit reports and the information on them.
The Experian score was via the MSE.
It says that ‘our records do not show active accounts for you’ then under credit accounts apart from my basic bank account & utilities it only has Fraser Group listed and it says dormant underneath it and that I have £300 available credit. That was a debt included in my DRO, I don’t understand why it says £300 I didn’t accrue that much on it and it says it’s dormant.
Under ‘report summary’ it says that I have 20 accounts and 2 closed accounts, but it doesn’t list any of the 20 accounts, or I can’t find where to view them.
I don’t understand it, or where I’m supposed to be looking, sorry.
These are all debts that were included in the DRO.
I don’t have any actual debts at all at the moment the only ones I had were all included in the DRO and I have no new debts.
Where do I find out conclusively about the actual individual debts and whether they have been actually marked as settled or not?
Do I have to phone up all the creditors?
I know that they all agreed to the DRO because I had to phone up some to make sure they knew as I was still getting letters and they did all stop contact and there’s no new defaults just the one from the start of the DRO
Thanks again for your help
Clare
Sara (Debt Camel) says
ok if you are having trouble reading these reports – and the “free” ones are often pretty but don’t always give the full information – I suggest you get ta statutory report from Each iof Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. They will have all the key infomration on them that you need such as the default dates. See https://debtcamel.co.uk/best-way-to-check-credit-score/ which has links to get these reports.
Clare says
Thank you for you help. I have managed to get all the accounts closed/partially settled and defaults removed, apart from the 4 cards I had with New Day.
I phoned them up and they have said that it’s not their policy to show the account as closed until the end of the period where it stops showing on the credit file (6/7 years?) It shows that I owe them nothing, but all 4 accounts are marked as open. Is this correct?
Thank you
Sara (Debt Camel) says
No it isn’t correct.
Point out the cards are not open – you cannot use them so the reporting is incorrect and abreach of GDPR and the SCOR reporting rules ( https://www.scoronline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Principles-for-the-Reporting-of-Arrears-Arrangements-and-Defaults-at-Credit-Reference-Agencies-version-2a-final-updated-to-refer-to-GDPR-and-DPA-2018.pdf ) which say:
“Your record should be closed and marked as partially settled if: …
• Your account is included in an insolvency such as a bankruptcy or IVA which is discharged / completed and less than the full amount is paid”
Also say that this does not help your journey towards rebuilding your finances after insolvency and it is a breach of the consumer duty. Say you will be taking the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman if it is not corrected.
Dan says
Hi Sara, I was wondering if you could help me.
I’ve got two lenders showing on my report who kept marking my accounts as in default during my DRO, and they are still marking them as in default with a credit owing to this day (10 months after my DRO ended) – One is Barclays bank whom I had an overdraft with and the other is a Vanquis credit card.
I’ve sent them both the template from section 2 above insisting that they update this within 28 days, but now 45 days later they are STILL showing on my credit file and other than the automated response saying they’d received my E-Mail, I’ve received zero communication from them.
I don’t know if they’ve processed the change but it’s taking time to get through to my credit report (which is why I actually left it a further 2 weeks after the initial 28 day deadline) or if they’ve completely ignored me since I didn’t even get so much as a “We’ll get this sorted for you” response.
What would you suggest my next step is? Thanks
Sara (Debt Camel) says
It takes time for a bank to look at your complaint and decide to correct the credit record. It takes time to implement that. Depending on what reports you are looking at, they may also be based on a delayed snapshot.
You should get a response in 8 weeks. If you don’t, ask Barclays & Vanquis why not.
Rosie says
Hi Sara,
I had a Sainsbury’s loan which was included in my DRO which ended in Jan 2023. On my credit report the debt has been recorded in the settled accounts section but it was still showing the account balance. This has finally been amended to £0 but it’s got the date of July 2023 not July 2021 which was when my account went into default. Will the 6years start from 2023 if this is not corrected?
I also had a HSBC bank account included in the DRO, this account is in the default section on credit report but the amount is still showing. I have sent them the template letter and have called them various times in the last 6 months but keep getting told it has been updated but still nothing has changed. Where can I go from here to get it sorted?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Is there a default date on the Sainsbury’s loan – if so what was it?
Have you made a complaint to HSBC – and have they told you of your right to go to the Ombudsman?
Rosie says
Thanks so much for your reply.
There’s no default date just a settlement date of 13 Jan 2023 (the date my DRO finished). But I stopped making payments back in July 2021 as it took until Jan 2022 for the DRO to be approved.
I haven’t made a complaint with HSBC.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
OK you need to send Sainsbury a complaint saying that a default should have been added to the loan credit record with a date on or before the date of the DRO which was dd/mm/yy.
And you need to send HSBC a complaint saying they have been telling you for 6 months that they will correct your credit record to show a zero balance and that the debt has been satisfied or partially satisfied. but this has not happened. Attach a copy of your current credit record to prove this. Say this complaint goes to the Finacial Ombudsman in 8 weeks if it has not been sorted by then and you will be asking for compensation for poor customer service.
Jane says
I had a DRO which completed in November 2022. My credit file with Credit Karma shows I have 5 public records or defaults reported. There is no mention of the DRO at all. What do you suggest I do about it?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
This is unusual.
Are the debts showing on CK that were in your DRO all marked as defaulted on or before the start date of the DRO? And have they now been marked as settled or satisfied or partially satisfied with a ball ve of zero owing?
CK only shows TransUnion data. Have you looked at Experian and Equifax reports? See https://debtcamel.co.uk/best-way-to-check-credit-score/ for how to do this.
Joanna Moss says
Thank you for that helpful information, I will check the other reports and will let you know what I discover
Marie says
Hi Sara
Hope you can help please? So my DRO completed July 2022 and I am having huge issues with JD Williams and 118118
I have two accounts with JD Williams – both showing balances still and wrong default dates and marked as ‘open’. I have written three times now using your templates but they have completely ignored me!
And 118118 have responded to my letters by email finally but two separate customer services agents have replied in the thread stating that it’s not down to them to correct my credit file and that I need to go to the ref agencies and raise a dispute (which I’ve absolutely refused to do and explained that it’s their responsibility not mine or the agencies to correct wrongly reported information) Both my loan account and credit account with them are showing with balances and wrong default dates! No explanation from them at all, just ‘sorry for the inconvenience please raise this as a dispute with the credit reference agencies’ even though I’ve emailed them screenshots of the incorrect info as they requested
I said I would like to complain and they’ve just said they’ll forward on to customer relations?!
Is it time for the ombudsman for both companies now? Do I ask for compensation? And how long should I now wait for 118118 other customer services to respond or should I go straight to ombudsman now? All these accounts add up to over £3000 in debt which I don’t owe and all three ref agencies are showing the same info
Thanks in advance!
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Have you send JDW and 118 a formal complaint? If not, you need to do this first. Emails to daniel.mcintyre@nbrown.co.uk for JDW and complaints@118118money.com
Eve says
I haven’t as yet – 118 just had three letters requesting changes and i just replied to 118 by email saying I wish to file a complaint about how they’re handling this and they just told me they will forward onto their customer relations team but I think I’ll email the addresses that you gave me for both instead as I don’t hold out much hope from what they’ve been like so far! Thank you for giving me those that’s so helpful
Lastly Sara – what sort of things should I mention on this complaint? Should I be mentioning the 8 week timescale that Ombudsman requires before taking to them and also should I mention compensation or anything for inconvenience at this stage? I’m not sure what to write other than what I wrote in the original letters and saying it’s not good enough that they haven’t responded/are refusing to help: Thank you in advance!
Sara (Debt Camel) says
They know about the 8 weeks. I would just say that you will be asking for compensation if they don’t correct your credit record and the case has to go to the Ombudsman.
Eve says
Ok that’s great advice – thank you very much for your help
Matt says
Hi Sara,
Incredibly helpful information – thank you!
My DRO is from 09/2019. My Barclays account is showing as ‘in default’ on ClearScore, ‘Currently Open’ on Credit Karma and ‘Default/Ended’ on MSE Credit Club. All show the balance of £3k.
My question is, is it worth reaching out to Barclays to ask the to remove the balance and mark it as ‘Partially Settled’ or should I just wait? Is there a risk that if they change the balance and mark it as partially settled, the date will change and the 6 years will start over?
I know it won’t change my score but I’m trying to rebuild my credit whilst I’m waiting for this to be removed. I have a Capital One card (to rebuild) but my reports show that I’m using over 100% of my available credit because of this Barclays balance.
I don’t mind waiting, but is writing to them and getting this corrected the best thing to do?
Thanks!!!
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Yes you should ask Barclays to correct this. The default date should be on or before the start of your DRO so the record will always drop off when the DRO does.
Nigel says
Hi,
On my credit files under public records, there is a case reference number that I or The insolvency Service do not recognise. I disputed this with Experian and The Insolvency Service have written to them to remove this and Experian won’t take this off.
What can I do about this
Sara (Debt Camel) says
is this for bankruptcy, an IVA or a DRO? Have you ever had one of these?
Jade says
Hi, I entered a DRO in April and I checked my credit file today and it says my DRO has been removed from my credit score? Confused as it’s not supposed to end until April 24
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I have no idea… what credit report are you looking at?
Jade says
It’s on clearscore
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Well you could check MSE credit club. And Credit Karma. See what they say.
But it’s not a problem in itself,,, have all the debts in the DRO being marked as defaulted on or before the DRO started?
Zoe says
Hello,
I´m worry because I think I must start a DRO due to I can´t find a job. I know if I start to work I could pay my cards, but I can´t in this moment. And I can see that this also affects renting a flat. I’m worrying that all the doors will close on me and I’m starting to get a little depressed.
If I order a DRO, won’t I be able to rent my name for another 6 years? What happens if I start working and pay off all my debts before the next 6 years, or in the first year of the DRO?
Do I have to wait the 6 years anyway, which in turn I have to wait 5 more years for everything to go back to normal?
Can you guide me please? I´m very anxious with all this situation.
Thank you for your help.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Are you renting at the moment? Getting Universal Credit?
How likely is it you will Get a job soon?
Zoe says
Hi,
I renting in this moment but we want move because is so expensive for us. I receive UC, yes. I’m looking for a job but I can’t find. (I can’t do physical work due to a chronic illness. I’m 57. I also thought I would offer them a payment of £1 temporarily maybe for about six months until I find something because I haven’t worked for three months now.
And if I don’t achieve anything, do a DRO. I don’t know if that’s possible but they’re already starting to call me. I have not spoken to them because I thought I would find a job soon but this is getting difficult and because also until now I was paying the minimum when before I was paying more than the minimum. But now I have an unpaid a card When always my payments were excellent in credit karma.
I have no assets, and most of the household expenses are paid by my husband but he cannot cover my card expenses as well because his salary is not that high.
What do you think? I offer them that payment first and then if I don’t get anything I’ll make a DRO? because for now I can’t pay anything, although my intention is to pay everything as always done even if I can’t do it now.
Thanks for your help.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I think if you are trying to move and you rent privately, it may well be best to avoid a DRO until after you have moved. That will also give you more time to try to find some work you could manage.
Making token payments now is probably a good option. See https://debtcamel.co.uk/token-payment-debt/. Explain about your ill health and say you are making payment offers to all your debts – don’t miss any out. First because you cant afford to keep paying them and second because when you do apply for a DRO you want to have treated all your creditors the same.
You are not “asking” them to accept a token payment – you are telling them that is all you can afford. Ask them to freeze interest and charges – if they refuse let me know and I will explain how to complain.
I think it would also help to talk through this plan with a debt adviser – phone National Debtline on 0808 808 4000.
PS as you are on UC, do you know you can switch to a cheaper “social tariff”? See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/social-tariffs
Zoe says
Many thanks, I´ll check it.
Have a good evening.
Zoe says
Hi Sara,
After a lot of research, I would like to make a token payment, but talking to StepChange, who I must admit have been extremely kind and have advised me a lot, they suggest that I make a temporary suspension of payments.
I’ve read that they can still charge me interest. Imagine the ball that could be made with that! I’m horrified to think about it.
They tell me that if I want to make a token payment they won’t support me. I don’t quite understand that part.
Is it that they can then speak if I have a problem with the creditors? Because they told me that I must send all the letters to all the creditors by myself.
What if I do it on my own? Will I be denied or charged interest anyway? They tell me that they probably won’t charge me interest by saying that they advised me… And another thing, do you think it is necessary to send the creditors a list of all my expenses so that they will accept it?, I do not want to send them in detail all my situation. If I don’t send it, would they accept it anyway? (It’s a bit humbling that they have all that information).
Thank you for your help.
Regards,
Sara (Debt Camel) says
they suggest that I make a temporary suspension of payments
My guess is that this is because your income & expenditure show you have a “negative budget” – your bills plus essential living expenses come to more than your income. Is that right? Do you know how negative it is – there is a lot of difference between minus £20 a month and minus £200?
Zoe says
Ok Sara.
Thank you for let me know your opinion.
Regards,
Tracy says
Hi Sara
My DRO ended in May 2023. All bar 2 of my debts show £0. The 2 that still show a balance are Virgin and TBI. TBI are my main cconcern as this is a balance of £7000 , the default date is 2020, but still showing a balance. Now this debt was due to me being a guarantor for a relative, who sadly ended up in financial difficulty and on an IVA. This meant I was then liable for the debt, so it was included in my DRO.
My question is….Is the balance still showing because it is still ongoing with the other persons IVA, or should it show as settled on my part and it will disappear in 3 years so should I just leave it or request it to be showing £0. ???
.. I am quite happy to leave it as I have no i terest in getting any credit etc.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
So the guarantor lender asked you to pay this amount before your DRO?
Tracy says
Yes, although the original borrower had gone into an IVA, Iwas advised that as guarantor I would still be chased for payment of the debt, so was advised to include it in my DRO.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Well the balance should show as zero – whatever happens to the IVA you are not liable for the remaining debt.
It’s up to you if you want to get TBI to correct the record or not bother, as it will drop off your credit report after 6 years as you say. If it was me, I would like it tidied up now.
Same for Virgin.
Zara says
Hi Sara,
I was discharged from my DRO Feb 2022, one of the creditors was Barclays they are showing on credit report first default Feb 2021 and this carries on to Feb 2022 as the end date. Is this correct?
Thanks
Sara (Debt Camel) says
so the default was at the start of your DRO? And the balance now shows as cleared?
Zara says
Does it matter if the last default date is 12 months after the dro started, does a default be added every month after dro
Is approved until the dro is discharged ?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
This is what always happens Walter a default – every month after is is marked as defaulted. Only the first one is counted in the credit score calculations
Zara says
Yes it show clear satisfied
Sara (Debt Camel) says
that all sounds correct.
Gg48 says
Hi Sara, I used your template and all my creditors have now marked the debt as satisfied. My biggest creditor has even updated the court and the ccjs shows as satisfied on my credit file. None of the other creditors have done this with the ccjs just the debt part.
Do they need to update the court or was this a fluke occurance?
Thank you.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
No they don’t have to mark CCJs as satisfied. It was just lucky one of your creditors did.
Gg48 says
Thought so, thank you.
JP77 says
Hi Sara,
I had a DRO approved in Jan 2019, finished in 2020, I have two questions:
I have 3 CCJs on my credit file:
2 of them were included in the DRO, why are they still showing on my file, and how can I get them removed?
The third one (not in my DRO) I have settled; why is it still on my file for 6 years from the date of settlement, should this not be taken off once it’s paid, or at least be 6 years from the date of issue or date of debt?
Many thanks in advance,
Sara (Debt Camel) says
CCJs stay on your credit record until 6 years after the judgment date.
The DRO doesn’t change this.
Nor does settling the CCJ (unless it is settled within 30 days in which case it immediately drops off).
There is no way to remove these CCJs.
Tamara says
Hello, I wonder if you could help me please.
I feel like I was pushed into the IVA in April 2022, I was looking to consolidate my loan and credit cards and somehow was convinced I couldn’t afford my repayments. My total debt with my council tax bill and other small bills they added on to help me ‘qualify” for the IVA were added in.
The total amounted to around £16,000, ive been paying £100 each month to this and now they want £257 per month. I am struggling as it is, I really am hoping I can apply for DRO, but cannot find where to apply, can you help please?
Thank you
Sara (Debt Camel) says
why do they now think you can afford £257?