Although I don’t want credit cards or loans in the future, I’m realistic enough to realise that my car isn’t going to last for ever and I may need finance, or that we might want to get a joint mortgage. With this in mind I’ve started sorting out my credit files - Experian, Equifax and Callcredit.

Once you have been made bankrupt, creditors are no longer allowed to default you, meaning that after 6 years is up your credit file should be ‘clean’. However, this doesn’t stop some of them! I have sent the data controller for each creditor a letter requesting that the default date on my file is no later than 29th March 2007 (the date of my BR), and that they mark my account either ’satisfied’ or partially satisfied.

The results are as follows:

Barclaycard - will amend the default date and mark the account as satisfied
Egg loan - no reply
Egg card - no reply
Littlewoods - will amend the default date and mark the account as partially satisfied
Natwest - will amend the default date and mark the account as partially satisfied
Next - letter to be sent this week
Virgin (MBNA) - letter to be sent this week
Tesco - no reply

If I don’t receive a reply within 28 days of the receipt of the letter I will then refer the companies to the Information Commissioner, who can (eventually!) force them to comply.

I have also got to write to Callcredit and ask them to amend their information - apparently I was made BR in Kingston and Warwick on the same day, with the same reference number!