www.iva.co.uk

Hi folks. It will be six years next month that my wife and I first undertook our joint IVA. I finally settled mine in February last year and my wife did the same two months ago after repaying 60k (I know a long wait but it really is possible).

I would now like to begin improving my credit profile and I've been told it is possible to have the IVA removed from my file once the six years has expired.

Is this true and what will I need to do in order to achieve this?

I should point out it is not my intention to start borrowing again. Even though I was made redundant last year I have begun trading as freelancer and so far doing well. The improved credit would enable the opportunity to move house to cheaper affordable rents away from London and get better deals on subscription services and so on. My new life as sustainable Mr frugal has started and enjoying it so much more as a consequence.

Regards, John

Hi John, well done on successful completion for both you and your wife.

Do you hve your completion certificate? The IVA should drop off your credit files 6 years from date of the meeting and this should happen I believe. However, I think with one of the CRA's it remains in another part of your record and you would need to request this is removed.

I'll try and find this information for you and post a link unless someone beats me to it that has a better memory.

Thanks Lesley, really useful. I do have my completion so would it be ok to make a copy to send to the relevant agency as part of my request. I'm aware Equifax and Experion is there anyone else?

You can check with Noddle too. They are free for life and the only one I use.

We do have a poster namely TheMatrix and he is a wealth of information in respect of this subject area. He may pick up on this. I do think to send them a copy may be a good idea. Call credit is the other one I believe.

Having a read online it looks like the Noddle credit report is provided by Call credit so worth joining Noddle as it's free for life.

I'm with them and got a notification the other day there was activity on my account, when I logged it, my rating had risen I'm now 2/5 yay! Long way to go but my IVA doesn't drop off until February 2014.

Just signed up. Excellent. I've discovered my IVA started 6th of August 2007 so I should be able to get it free from my record by then. The only downside is I will be moving and signing paperwork for a new rent at exactly the same time but I've no idea when the earliest is it will come of my record. 6th of September would be to late.

Probably explain this to them John, maybe they'll over look it as you do have your completion certificate.

maybe, doh, why is life never straight forward! My son has to be at his new school by early September, we need somewhere near a school, but need to have an address before he's allocated. Ahhhhaaahhh I think I might go insane. Thanks for the very valuable help. At least now I can check the status of my file and make changes more easily.

Hope you get sorted John.

Thanks Lesley. At least the IVA is done and becoming a distant memory and thanks again for your advice and thanks also to Melanie and Andy for their advice during the early days of my IVA. The support and hard work that you all offer is invaluable.

No point sending off the completion certificate to the agencies. Best get hold of your report from all 3 then go through them ALL with a fine tooth comb and identify any defaults after the start of the IVA.

Ensure the IVA is marked as completed. If it's not then this is the time to ask them to update this, and enclosing a copy of the certificate. You may find the Insolvency Service have already informed them.

Get onto Equifax and tell them to remove the Notice of Correction if they have added one. They usually do.

Experience are crippling my credit score with incorrect outdated information , infact I'm just about to do a separate post regarding them , make sure you send them a copy of your certificate otherwise your iva will stay on file indefinitely