www.iva.co.uk

Hi
I completed my iva in 2011, completion cert received 2013... Delayed due to ppi. Anyway I need a credit card as am hiring a car for a summer holiday and need a credit card to secure deposit on the excess insurance. I have checked with experian and they say my credit score is excellent. Maybe a daft question but can I assume that I can approach a mainstream lender or do I need to apply for a credit card specifically aimed at people with a history of bad credit? I have not had any credit since my iva began except mobile phone contract.

If the IVA is no longer mentioned on your credit reports ( from any of the three agencies) and there are no notices of correction there, you stand a fair chance of getting a mainstream card.

Even with the likes of Vanquis we have discovered it is still a bit of a lottery regardless and you want to avoid too many searches.

I would STRONGLY recommend trying the credit card eligibility calculator on moneysavingexpert.com - it will give you a fairly accurate idea of which credit cards you may/may not be accepted for, but DOESN'T leave a visible stain on your credit record.

I completed in December and came off the register in March although my IVA will be on my report until 2017.
Two weeks ago I applied online for a Capital One card and surprisingly I was accepted.
It has a £1000 limit. It's merely a tool to help build up my credit and will always be paid off when I use it.
As has been said, they are necessary for hiring etc but another reason I wanted it was because I bought some furniture via the internet which failed to arrive and the firm really messed me about. I'd paid on my debit card but credit cards are a much better weapon in those situations.
When I applied for mine I just thought to myself, my report won't really change for another 2 years so even if my application fails the search would be well behind me by the time things drop off. Good luck.