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Credit Ratings

There is a lot talked about credit ratings on the Internet but it can be very confusing and sometimes even wrong!

If you can't make the proper payments to your debts, your credit rating will suffer. But different debt options affect your credit score in different ways, so I've written these articles looking at the details of each situation.

And most importantly, when will your credit rating improve and what can you do to help this.

See The top ways to check your credit records for details.

“Will paying off debt improve my credit rating?”

Will your credit score improve if you can clear some debts? The answer is "Yes sometimes!": it will go up if the main problem with your credit score is credit utilisation - you are using too much of your credit card limit; it won't if the debts you will be paying off are defaulted or are in payment arrangements. Your credit score isn't the only thing that matters Experian points … [Read more...]

June 13, 2025 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings

Paying a defaulted account & your credit score

A reader asked if starting to pay a defaulted account will help his credit rating. The simple answer is No! Paying defaulted debts may improve your general credit situation, making it easier for you to get a loan, a mortgage or a credit card in future. That credit score number isn't the only thing that matters! But if you have expensive debts that you are still repaying as normal, such as credit … [Read more...]

May 19, 2025 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings, Defaults

What should the default date be & when will it disappear?

definition of default

A default hurts your credit score, but how long for? That depends on the default date recorded on your credit file. If a the default date is too late, it harms your credit score for longer than necessary. The Key Rule to remember is "A default drops off after 6 years". This always happens, regardless of whether: you have repaid it in full you made a partial settlement you are still … [Read more...]

February 12, 2025 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings, Defaults, old debts

“Will a credit builder card improve my score?”

Four million people in Britain have a credit card specifically aimed at people with a bad credit rating. These cards have interest rates of 30-70%. A standard interest rate on a normal credit card is about 20-28%. Brands include Vanquis, Capital One, Aqua, Ocean, Marbles, Zable and 118. Some normal credit card lenders like Barclaycard have a specific bad credit product available. They are all … [Read more...]

November 24, 2024 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: credit cards, Credit ratings

The best free ways to check your credit score

Keeping track of your credit record is smart, but how do you go about it? With more than a dozen ways to check your credit record in the UK, it can get confusing. So, what are your options—and which are the best free ones? And is it ever worth paying for "extras"? Many people think they have a single credit score - WRONG! The three Credit Reference Agencies It is a myth that everyone has a … [Read more...]

November 20, 2024 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings

Can I get a new mortgage fix with poor credit?

A couple of readers have asked about mortgage fixes when they have a poor credit record or simply a lot of other debt: Ms A: We are in a DMP and we were told it would make it very hard to remortgage. So we are now on Santander’s  SVR and it’s over 7%. Can we really just ask them for a new fix and they won’t say no? Mr B: I'm worried about talking to Nationwide when our current mortgage fix ends. … [Read more...]

October 1, 2023 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings, DMP, Mortgages

How does a DMP or a payment arrangement affect your credit rating?

A debt management plan (DMP) is a good debt solution for many people who can manage to repay their debts if interest stops being added. If you are trying to decide whether you need one, you may want to know how bad the effect will be on your credit file, and how long it will be before your credit rating recovers. There isn't a simple answer: DMPs are used in a lot of different … [Read more...]

September 2, 2023 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings, DMP

How to repair your credit record after bankruptcy

credit record after bankruptcy - it needs tidying up

  Bankruptcy badly affects your credit record for six years. This article looks at what should show on your credit record after you are discharged from bankruptcy. For almost everyone, discharge happens after a year. But if lenders don't record bankruptcy and your discharge correctly, they will continue to damage your credit record for longer than they should. Even if you … [Read more...]

June 2, 2023 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Bankruptcy, Credit ratings

Correct credit records by “suppressing” them if the lender has disappeared

If you feel that your credit report is wrong, the usual first step is to ask the lender to put this right. But when the lender is in administration, the administrators may not respond to requests from you to correct your credit files. And if the lender has been liquidated, there is no-one for you to contact. Here the Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs) should help if you ask them to. Incorrect … [Read more...]

March 6, 2023 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings

Improving your credit score after an IVA

An IVA wrecks your credit record for at least six years. It can be longer than six years if your IVA doesn't complete within the 6 years, perhaps because you have had payment breaks. After your IVA finishes, in theory you don't need to do anything and all the problems will disappear from your record after the six year point... But it is important to check your IVA firm has closed down your … [Read more...]

November 18, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings, IVA

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