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Extreme Credit Fixer © Rob Warner 2016 (First Edition)

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Extreme Credit Fixer - A Final Solution

How it works

Your Credit History - The Basics

! What is a credit file?!

! The big 3
! How your credit file can work against you
! Places that DON’T share your personal data
! Information CRAs do not (or should not) collect

How To Regularly Check Your Credit File And Not Be Penalised

! Preventing your checks from showing on your file

! Obtaining your credit file with a subject access request
! The difference between a ‘limited’ and ‘full’ subject access request (SAR)
! When requesting your credit file be cautious!
! Why not to use pre-prepared forms
! Template subject access request letter
! How to search for county court judgements
! Challenging your credit file

Your New Financial Identity

! How to begin again

! Changing your name
! Obtaining a deed poll
! Which name to choose
! Signing your new name
! Changing your address
! Using a ‘second home’ address
! Moving home with your new name
! Staying at your existing address
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Changing Your Official Documents

! The documents you will need

! Obtaining a new passport
! Obtaining a new driving licence
! Transferring vehicle documents: what you should know
! Avoid using on-line registration forms!!

Obtaining A Utility Bill

! The deemed contract

! In brief...
! Tax, National Insurance and work records

Appearing On The Electoral Register

! How the Register is compiled

! How to have your new name entered on the electoral register

Opening A Bank Account In Your New Name

! Basic bank accounts: A little known secret

! Avoiding bank credit checks
! Alternative bank accounts

Obtaining Further Credit

! Services you may be able to retain in your old name

! To tell or not to tell?

Protecting Your Credit Rating

! 15 DO’s and DON’Ts of resubscribing to services

Obtaining Free Help and Advice

! Other services
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Introduction

This Ebook has been written to help anyone who is looking for a way to rebuild their
credit history from scratch. A credit history that may have been irreparably damaged
through no fault of their own and is causing serious financial hardship and loss.

The methods we describe here are unique and highly effective, but should not be
entered into lightly. We recommend using them only when all other avenues of
repair have been exhausted. Given enough time and effort it may be possible to
restore even the most ruined of credit histories, but there are often many cases
where creditors, ombudsman, regulators and the authorities fail to assist those who
need their help the most.

We hope that anyone who acts upon the information provided in this Ebook does so
carefully and with honest intent. We do not advocate using this guide to escape
debts that you fairly owe. There are a multitude of websites and governing bodies
set up to help people get out of debt and deal with money management issues.
Creditors themselves are often keen (as well as legally obliged) to assist debtors as
much as they reasonably can, and as long as you show a willingness to pay (no
matter how slight that willingness may be) you may find there are many options
open to you before you become the target of bailiffs and debt collectors.

As much as we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date, we cannot

be held liable for any errors or omissions that may occur in this Ebook. Nor can we
be held accountable for any action that you may choose to take in relation to the
information contained within.

We do not endorse or encourage the actions of anyone wishing to use these

methods to break the law.

As we cannot say that all of the information provided here will be relevant to your
specific circumstances, we would recommend that when in doubt - research!

Other than that we wish you the very best of luck in your pursuits of recreating your
credit and hope that you will come visit us soon at Your Civil Law where we provide
advice, Ebooks and resources on a broad range of legal rights and Crimebodge
where we provide humour, resources and articles on combatting the police and
authorities.

Rob Warner
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Extreme Credit Fixer - A Final Solution

How it works

Extreme Credit Fixer is a powerful tried and tested strategy to reinvent yourself
financially. It relies specifically upon the lawful process of adopting an identity that
you can use exclusively for your financial dealings, while maintaing your existing
name for everything else.

In this Ebook we outline effective strategies on how to lawfully:

• Change your name without surrendering your old name

• Obtain official ‘certification’ of your new name
• Obtain a passport and driving licence in your new name
• Obtain a utility bill without a credit check
• Obtain a council tax bill at a separate address
• Open a bank account without a credit check
• Appear on the electoral register under your new name
• Protect your new credit history

By following these methods you will learn how to obtain all the official documents
that you need to subscribe to essential services so that you can build a fresh credit
history from scratch without it ever being associated with your old credit history.

Before you begin, you must be prepared to make radical changes to your present
circumstances. You cannot build a new home on rotten foundations. If there is
anything that you currently own, rent or subscribe to that continues to feed your
damaged credit history then it must be unsubscribed from, settled up or sold on.
Unless you are willing to take such drastic action then you will always be at the
mercy of your existing credit history, and it’s unlikely that the methods here will
provide anything other than short term relief.

Unfortunately, owning property and vehicles are the two surest methods that credit
reference agencies use to keep tabs of individual credit histories. They are also the
greatest threat to anyone faced with insurmountable debt, as they are the first thing
that a bailiff or creditor can seize should the registered owner consistently fail to
repay a debt.

Although it may be possible to follow the steps in this Ebook and retain some of
your old credit and property, we offer this advice as if you were willing to start
afresh. This doesn’t mean that you have to move into a new home and start a new
job (although it would help) but if you are unable to make a totally fresh start it may
mean that you will have to pursue two separate credit histories for a while.
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Either way, we aim to advise you on how to lawfully create this new and
unblemished credit history, with a step-by-step guide on obtaining all of the official
documentation you need, explaining how it works, why it works and exploring the
pros and cons along the way.

You won’t have to work harder or make more money to achieve this outcome.
Extreme Credit Fixer works by utilizing little known methods and exploiting legal
loopholes.

So please read each chapter of this Ebook carefully. Only when you have fully
explored all the processes involved and learnt how to utilize them can you make the
decision on how much of this advice will work for you. And believe us when we say
that this strategy works and works well. In just a matter of weeks it’s possible to
have your new credit history up and running, and to achieve a high credit score in
months! And even if you choose not to follow the advice offered here, this Ebook
will still teach you methods and tricks, loopholes and secrets that you won’t have
read anywhere else.

So get ready to start taking steps that can have a powerful impact on your financial
life...
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Your Credit History - The Basics

The more you understand about the whys and hows of your credit file, the better
position you will be in to take control of it, rather than let it control you. Therefore, In
this first chapter we explain how credit histories are created, how they are fed and
what information does and does not lurk within them...

What is a credit file?

Many people confuse their credit file with their credit score, without realising that
they are two very separate things.

Your credit score is an assessment by a particular lender of how good a credit risk
you are.

A credit score gives points for each piece of information you provide to a lender and
is added together to produce a final result. If the score reaches a pre-determined
level, the lender will agree to the application. If the score falls below it they may
reject the application.

The lender may base some of their decision upon the answers you provide during
the application process. They will also make a check of your financial history by
obtaining a copy of your credit file from a credit reference agency (CRA). This
credit file will reveal account information from a variety of different lenders and
services that you have used in the past.

If you have a bank account, pay monthly bills, have insurance, or are listed on the
electoral register then it’s safe to say that each of the credit reference agencies are
likely to have information on you stored upon their database.

The big 3

Currently in the UK there are 3 main credit reference agencies who provide your
account history data to lenders. They are:

Experian
Equifax
Callcredit
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What’s important to understand is that it ISN’T the big 3 CRAs that decide if a
person should be accepted or rejected for credit. They merely provide the data. It is
the creditor that make that decision. And ‘creditor’ can mean a whole range of
different services, not just those that lend money. Creditors can also include
services that charge monthly fees under fixed term contracts, including:

Mobile phone service providers

Gymnasium and leisure centres
Electric, gas and water utilities
Digital TV and internet services
Letting agents
Hire purchase agreements
Home and car insurance
Credit card companies
Banks and building societies
Payday loans
Store cards
Rental agreements

Almost every company within these categories will pass your account data directly
to the CRAs. The general rule being that if the company does credit checks of its
customers it will almost certainly be supplying the credit reference agencies with
the same data.

Credit files will also include details of your previous addresses and information from
public sources such as the electoral roll, county court judgment, bankruptcy and
insolvency registers.

How your credit file can work against you

Each lender will have a different credit scoring process and algorithm which means
that each potential lender will have a different criteria for what they look for in a
customer.

So if for instance you have a mobile phone contract and have paid the bill every
month without missing a payment, most creditors would see this as an indication of
a trustworthy customer. However, if you miss or delay making a payment, then this
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would appear as a ‘default’ on your account, and a creditor may decide that you are
a risk.

Any unpaid bills, overdue bills, disputes and other problems with repayments will
have a negative impact on your overall credit score.

There are many different things that could appear on all these various accounts
over the years that could affect your overall credit rating. As no two creditors look
for the same things your credit worthiness will vary from business to business,
depending upon the type of customer they are looking for and the value of credit
they are offering.

This is why if you are rejected by a certain creditor it can be difficult to establish
why. Even if you obtain a copy of all the information that was passed to them by the
CRAs, you may still be none the wiser. But in general there are many obvious signs
that may appear on a person’s credit history that will determine if they are likely to
be regarded as an unprofitable customer. Such as the following:

1. County court judgements (CCJs)

If you have had a court claim made against you for an unpaid debt, then you will
probably have a county court judgement issued against you. All of the 3 main CRAs
can access this information because the county court judgement register is a public
document. CCJs can be the kiss of death when applying for almost any credit.
Worst still there is no way of having them removed from a register unless you are
willing to go back to court and can prove you knew nothing about the proceedings,
and were not served with the court papers.

Even if you pay a CCJ it will still show on the register - although it will be listed as
paid.

The good news is that CCJs become void after 6 years and that means they should
also be removed from your credit history.

If you are unsure if you have any CCJs against your name at your current or old
addresses then you can find out quickly and easily with having to undergo a credit
check. We explain this fully, under How to search for county court judgements.
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2. Defaults

Defaults occur when you fail to make a payment to a creditor or when you become
overdrawn with your bank without having an overdraft agreement. Defaults can also
occur when you dispute a charge which you refuse to pay, or when an unpaid
balance arises against an account you thought had lapsed or closed.

Just like CCJs they can be poison to maintaining a good credit history. And just like
CCJs they can take up to 6 years to lapse.

3. Too much credit or too many applications for credit

Whether on credit cards, store cards, overdrafts and loans, if you have too much
available credit in comparison to your income then this may have a negative impact
on your overall rating.

This also goes for APPLYING for too much credit. If you make numerous
applications for credit services in a relatively short space of time, then this too can
have an adverse effect.

Each time you are credit scored by a company, even if it is to just get a quotation, a
notification is made against your file that a check has been undertaken. These ‘hard
searches’ as they are known can be seen by other lenders, and the more they see,
the lower your credit score becomes.

We explain in detail how to make searches of your credit file that will not show up to
lenders in How To Regularly Check Your Credit File And Not Be Penalised.

4. Multiple linked addresses and unconfirmed addresses

This seems to be something that few people realise, but linked addresses on your
credit history can be extremely damaging.

There’s no doubt that stability plays a major role in credit scoring. If it appears that
you have been moving home regularly in the past 6 years then this can have a
negative affect. And if any of the previous occupants have racked up huge debts or
committed fraud at your address then this too could cause problems.
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Just a simple misspelling of an address or an unidentified postcode can make it

appear as if you have huge breaks in your credit history, or no history at all!

And making searches of your credit file can cause old addresses to become
needlessly linked to your history.

We explain in a variety of chapters how to overcome these problems, including how

to get control of your details on the electoral register, how to prevent previous
addresses being linked and above all, how to ensure that credit reference agencies
only obtain the information that you WANT them to have.
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Places that DON’T share your personal data

Unfortunately it’s very difficult - if not impossible - to prevent credit reference

agencies from processing the account data they collect. The Data Protection Act
doesn’t require CRAs, or any other organisation, to have your consent to process
your personal data as long as they have a legitimate reason for doing so.

Even if you were to prevent CRAs from processing your data it’s unlikely you would
then be able to obtain credit, simply because you would have no corresponding
history that could be searched.

However, not ALL accounts that you have held will be shared with the CRAs. In
general most public authorities, such as council services, do not share customer
information with the CRAs. Any organisation that DOES share their data must tell
you if they do, when asked.

Below is a list of those that DO NOT share data with credit reference agencies,
many of whom would be breaking the law if they did so:

Savings accounts with any bank or building society

Council tax
Student loans
Fixed penalty fines such as driving or parking fines
Criminal court fines
PPI, CPP, bank charges and other reclaims
Child support
Benefit claims
Inland Revenue payments

This list is not exhaustive and if you are in any doubt as to whether or not your data
is shared, then you should contact the organisation concerned and ask them.

Information CRAs do not (or should not) collect

There is also a limit to the type of data that a CRA can collect and process in your
name. For instance, a CRA should not process any sensitive information about your
private or family life. Furthermore the Data Protection Act prohibits the processing
of data that may be excessive, unnecessary, out of date or false. They are also
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prohibited from processing data for any other reason than the purposes of credit
referencing.

It’s not always easy to say exactly what a CRA may or may not be processing in
your name, but as we will explain it is relatively easy to find out EVERYTHING that
they have stored. Data that they SHOULD NOT be processing for instance is
information such as:

Marriage status
Race, religion, ethnicity
Political beliefs
Leisure activities
Salary
Medical history
Criminal record
School, college or university records
Fines
State benefits
Tax details

If you discover that a CRA has been processing information unfairly (or even
illegally) about you then you can apply to have the information amended or deleted
(See Challenging your credit file).
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How To Regularly Check Your Credit File And Not Be Penalised

Now you know a bit more about which companies do and don’t feed credit histories
and what information they pass on, let’s take a look at how you can personally
access your own files.

This is an important first step in Extreme Credit Fixer because not only will you
learn how to make regular health checks of your new credit history, you can check
your existing file to establish if it is still within repairable means.

Preventing your checks from showing on your file

As we have already established, each check made against your credit history is
also recorded onto the same file. Therefore, whenever you apply for a store card,
bank account, mobile phone contract or use one of the numerous on-line services
to perform your own credit check, this will be flagged up to any other creditor who
makes a subsequent check of your file. The more credit checks that are made
(especially if resulting in a rejection) the lower your credit scoring may become.

For this reason, it's advisable that you stay well clear of any internet services that
offer you multi agency credit reports. Such services are like Venus fly traps for
CRAs because every piece of information that you enter into the search form -
including your e-mail address - will be stored and passed directly on to them.

The best method for checking your credit file is to apply directly to any or all of the
big 3 CRAs that process your data. The reason you may have to apply to each of
them in turn is that although they share information with the same companies, they
often process different data. This means that where you may have a good credit
rating as far as Experian are concerned, Equifax or Callcredit may hold slightly
varying data that could result in a much lower credit rating.

Some of them may also hold out of date or erroneous information, so it’s well worth
checking with all 3 CRAs every six to twelve months to see what information they
are processing.
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Obtaining your credit file with a subject access request

By law every company that stores and processes your personal data must disclose
exactly what information they have on you. This includes revealing the methods
that they use for ‘weighing up’ your creditworthiness, such as any computer-
generated decisions to grant or deny credit.

The Data Protection Act provides every consumer the right to see their own
personal data under a process known as subject access request (SAR). You can
check your credit report as often as you like via this method and it won’t leave any
footprint on your file for having done so.

Subject access requests are quick and easy, cost no more than £10 (the maximum
any company can charge under the Data Protection Act) and can be made via e-
mail. Credit agencies also have a statutory obligation to provide you with your credit
report under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for just £2.

The difference between a ‘limited’ and ‘full’ subject access request (SAR)

The limited subject access request is the most common that credit reference
agencies receive and unless you make it clear that you require a full request then
you are likely to receive just a basic report.

In general, the limited SAR may be all you need, but if you suspect that there is
further documentation, or paper files held against you that may be affecting your
score (such as personal information taken from credit application forms), or if you
believe the CRAs are processing information they are not entitled to, then you
should make a full request.

Unlike with the limited £2 search, you may be asked to supply proof of your identity
for a full SAR. This usually means providing a copy of your passport and recent
utility bill. In most cases you can scan these documents and attach them to your e-
mail, but some companies may ask that you send original documents by return of
post.

By law, each credit agency must respond to your request within 40 days (for a full
SAR) or 7 days (for a limited SAR) after receiving a request form.
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As well as sending a copy of your credit file, the agencies will also send details
explaining how to correct any information you believe is wrong.

When requesting your credit file be cautious!

When making ANY type of subject access request to a credit reference agency,
NEVER supply them with any more information than is necessary. For a subject
access request to be valid you do not have to provide anything other than your
name, current address and date of birth.

Any further information you supply them with, such as contact phone numbers, e-
mail addresses and previous addresses, will be entered against your credit file.

CRAs commonly ask for a list of all the addresses you have lived at within the past
6 years including a copy of your signature. These will then be linked together on
your credit file. You do NOT have to supply this information and a CRA cannot
refuse to fulfill your subject access request as a result.

Why not to use pre-prepared forms

It is an offence for any organisation to insist that you fill in a pre-prepared form to
make a subject access request. A simple letter or e-mail is valid and this is what
you should use to avoid the agencies from harvesting information about you that
they do not already possess.

Below is an example of an effective letter for both a limited and full subject access
request. Just delete the parts you don’t require depending upon the type of search
you are requesting:
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[Date]

[Your name and full address]

[Date of Birth]
[Reference or Account Number - If Known]

Full (or) Limited subject access request

This (e-mail / letter) is a valid subject access request. Under principle 6 of the Data
Protection Act the requester is not obligated to fill in any pre-prepared form. If you
are in any doubt as to the validity of this request then please read the ‘Subject
Access Code of Practice’, Section 2 which is available from the ICO website or
contact the Information Commissioner’s Office on 0303 123 1113 or at ico.org.uk.

Please provide me with copies of all data that you hold under my name - including
but not limited to - credit history, account statements, application forms, notes,
annotations, recordings, memos and correspondence.

If you need any more information then please contact me. I understand that there
may be a charge for this SAR. Please let me know how much the fee is and how it
can be paid.

A request for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 should be responded
to within 40 days for a full subject access request and 7 days for a limited subject
access request (credit file request).

If you do not handle such requests, then please pass this letter onto the department
that does.

Yours faithfully
[Signature]
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This letter should be sent to any or all of the following credit reference agencies:

Equifax Ltd:
ADDRESS: Credit File Advice Centre, PO Box 1140, BRADFORD BD1 5US
TEL: 0844 335 0550
E-MAIL: Customer.RelationsUK@equifax.com

Experian Ltd:
ADDRESS: Consumer Help Service, P O Box 8000, NOTTINGHAM, NG80 7WF
TEL: 0844 481 8000
E-MAIL: consumer.helpservice@uk.experian.com

CallCredit Ltd:
ADDRESS: Consumer Services Team, P O Box 491 LEEDS LS3 1WZ
TEL: 0870 060 1414
E-MAIL: consumer@callcreditgroup.com

Note: Subject access requests aren't limited to credit reference agencies such as
the big 3. You can ask any creditor for a copy of all the personal data that they used
to make their decision with, even if they rejected you.
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How to search for county court judgements

Although a subject access request of your credit file should show any county court
judgements (CCJs) you can check them yourself on-line through the official
government registrar at http://www.trustonline.org.uk/. At the time of writing the
charge is £4 for a search.

The Registry Trust maintains the list of all county court judgements on behalf of
the Ministry of Justice, and as it is a public register it means that you can search not
only your own CCJs but everyone else’s too.

Unlike applying for a copy of your credit file you can get the results of your search
immediately. And no information that you enter will ever be stored or passed to the
credit reference agencies.

All you need to enter is a target name and residential or business address. The
system will then show any judgements made against that name and address. By
clicking the “Download Report” button you can print off an official looking hard copy
of the report.

CCJs appear in the status column under the headings of satisfied or unsatisfied.
Unsatisfied means that the debt is still outstanding. Satisfied means the debt has
been fully repaid.

All county court judgments remain on the register for six years. After six years they
will not show on either the register or your credit history.

Contrary to myth and dubious debt-help schemes, there is no easy way of having a
CCJ removed from the register, even when it has been fully paid! The only way you
can get a judgment removed is to pay it within a month of the filed date. If paid later,
you can have it marked as satisfied but it will still remain on the register. Partially
paid debts remain as unsatisfied.

If you genuinely did not receive the court papers and did not know the creditor was
commencing court proceedings then it may be possible to apply to the court to have
the judgement set aside and your entry deleted from the register. However, it’s
likely you would be brought back to court for a ‘re-trial’ and could still end up with a
judgement against you.
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Challenging your credit file

Once you have obtained full disclosure of your credit history, it is up to you to
decide if the entries made against it are accurate. If you see anything recorded that
should not be there or is in error, then you must take it up immediately with
whichever creditor entered that information against you. You can ask to have a note
attached to your file correcting the entry if it is inaccurate or insist the information is
deleted if it is entirely wrong. If the creditor refuses to amend or delete a false entry
or gives you an unsatisfactory response then you can appeal to the Financial
Ombudsman Service (FOS):

FOS Consumer Helpline: 0800 0234 567

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

And remember it is isn't just untrue or incorrect entries you can challenge. The Data
Protection Act gives the public the right to challenge data that is excessive or out of
date. Therefore, if a creditor places unnecessary remarks against you, or holds
sensitive data about your personal circumstances or family life that you did not
volunteer when applying for credit, you can request that the information is removed. 

If defaults and bad debts over 6 years old are also shown on your credit file, then
you can ask that these too are removed under the Statute of Limitations:
Legislation that places strict time limits on all recoverable debts.

If appeals made to the creditor and the FOS have no effect then you can make a
complaint to the Information Commissioners Office - the government office
tasked with ensuring organisations comply with data protection rights. The ICO
have powers to force creditors and CRAs to amend, delete and disclose data where
appropriate.

You can Contact the ICO on: 0303 123 1113 / 01625 545745

www.ico.org.uk
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Your New Financial Identity

How to begin again

Like it or not, if you wish to start your credit history from scratch, then you must
detach yourself entirely from your old history. As long as you remain subscribed,
registered and linked to anything that feeds your damaged credit history you will
always be at the mercy of it.

The most thorough method of achieving this disconnect is with a simple name
change...

But don’t be alarmed. Changing your name may sound drastic, but we are not
suggesting you erase your existing identity. What we are saying is that it is your
common law right to call yourself by any name you choose, as long as it is not done
to commit crime or evade justice.

If you wish to be known to your friends and family by your existing name, and yet
be known in your financial dealings by another name, then that is your choice. You
can change all of your name or just a part of it. Remove middle names. Change the
spelling of your surname. Change your children’s name. Or change both your first
and last name completely. And if you change your mind and wish to revert back to
your old name, then you are free to do so any time you choose.

Each year tens of thousands of people in the UK change their name for many
different reasons:

Their existing name may be a source of embarrassment

They may wish to adopt the same surname as their common law partner
They may wish to obtain anonymity from their current circumstances
They may have assumed a pen name or stage name they prefer
Their name may often be confused with somebody else’s
They have been the victim of identity theft

Changing your name

There is no legal procedure that has to be followed in order to change your name,
you can simply start using a new name. There is also no requirement under
common law that a change of name requires a legal document to be drafted, but if
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you want to have official documents registered in your new name, such as your
passport and driving licence, then you will be asked to provide official proof of your
name change.

There are a variety of methods for doing this. You can obtain a statutory
declaration from a solicitor - whereby you make a sworn declaration in the form of
a legally worded document. Or you could have an official letter drafted by
somebody in ‘a position of responsibility or authority’ testifying to your new name.
You could even make a public announcement via social networking sites, or
newspaper ads.

However, the surest and most effective method is to declare a change of name via
a deed poll...
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Obtaining a deed poll

You may have heard the term deed poll in relation to a change of name, but never
known exactly what it is. Well a deed poll (or change of name deed) is an official
document that can be obtained by anyone in the UK who wishes to certify a name
change.

Surprisingly there is no central register that stores all name changes in the UK. Nor
is there any government department that manages a database or controls the
procedure for a change of name. Any registration or enrollment you choose to make
of your name is entirely voluntary. Simply put, the state does not have any control
or authority over your name. In the UK names are changed by usage and
reputation, not by legal authority.

You can obtain a deed poll from a legal stationers or by downloading one from the
internet. However, unless the document is professionally worded and drafted, you
may encounter resistance from some authorities as to its’ authenticity.

There are a variety of on-line companies that provide a deed poll service. Prices
vary, but for roughly £10 and on receipt of your details you will be sent an official
looking certificate which lays out your change of name, as well as stating your
former name. This deed poll must then be signed by yourself in both your old and
new name, as well as witnessed and countersigned by a third party (such as a
friend or relative).

You can purchase a downloadable deed poll from our web site YourCivilLaw.com
which you can complete yourself, or for an additional fee we will add your details
and send you out an official certificate printed on legal stationary. Please see the
Ebooks and Products section of our website for details.

However you choose to obtain your deed poll, don’t be put off by any legal
declaration that appears on it. Almost all of them make the same declaration of
intent to ‘renounce, relinquish and abandon the use of your former name in it’s
entirety.’ But just remember that the deed is not law or contract but an official
declaration of your change of name. As you remain the only party bound to the
deed you can update, amend or cancel it whenever you wish. No matter how this
document is worded, your common law rights to call yourself by any name you
wish, whenever you wish, are not affected by signing a deed poll.
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Which name to choose

When it comes to deciding which new name to use the best advice is to change
only your surname, dropping any middle names you have and leaving your first
name intact. This will at least minimize the unfamiliarity of your new name and allow
you to refer to yourself informally as you always have.

As much as you may be tempted, try to avoid using misspellings of your existing
surname, or ‘soundalikes’. For instance, if your last name is ‘Spencer’, changing it
to ‘Spender’ or ‘Spence’ would defeat the purpose of the name change in the first
place. It’s likely that your old credit history could become cross linked to this new
name quite easily, as the change would look like nothing more than a spelling error.

You should also avoid using a middle name as a surname or adopting the name of
a common law partner, because these too could become easily linked to your old
credit history.

A better choice of surname would be something that feels familiar in some way.
Perhaps your mother’s or Grandmother’s maiden name. The last name of an author
or celebrity you admire. Whatever your reasoning, try to choose something that has
some meaning to you as it will feel much more natural when you refer to yourself by
it.

A good tip is to adopt a common last name that begins with the first letter of your
existing surname. At least then your initials will remain the same. And by using a
common last name, the less of a likelihood you will be casually linked by future
credit checks. Creditors and CRAs commonly deploy rather crude tactics to locating
debtors. They will often forward on a list of debtors that share the same first and
last names within a specified territory, so that debt collectors and bailiffs can contact
them ALL in their pursuits. The more common your name is, such as: Smith, Jones,
Taylor, Williams, Brown, Davies, Evans, Wilson, Thomas and Roberts (The Top Ten
most common surnames in Britain) the less likely these unscrupulous tactics will
have any affect.

An entire list of British surnames can be found here:

http://surname.sofeminine.co.uk/w/surnames/most-common-surnames-in-great-
britain.html
 26

Signing your new name

Whichever name you choose, make it natural and make it stick. Practise referring to
yourself by it so it will aways sound familiar to you when in use.

You should also create a new signature and practise using it! Although there may
be few instances that you will need to write it, you will want to be able to sign off
naturally and effortlessly in your new name, without making the mistake of
reflexively scribbling your old signature.

Just a variant of your old signature will be good enough. Most signatures are
illegible and cryptic at best, so absorbing your new name into a shortened or
extended version of your existing signature should not be a problem.

Changing your address

To successfully obtain a new line of credit doesn’t mean you have to move home as
well as change your name, but it will certainly help. The methods we explain here
will help you create a new credit history quickly and legally, but your old credit
history will always remain.

There is nothing you can do to erase a damaged credit file unless it can be proven
to be incorrect. And changing your name and remaining at the same address won’t
stop debt collectors from coming to your door chasing you for these old debts. What
a change of name will achieve however is to stop your old credit file from being
updated and linked to your new file as well as give you the opportunity to create a
new credit history and achieve an excellent rating.

Effectively this method involves having TWO credit files. Your old file that you can
either discard (or take your time gradually repairing and rebuilding) and your new
file clean and unblemished totally unaffected by your past financial history.

To fully protect your new history from your old you must consider either using an
alternative address or moving home completely.
 27

Using a ‘second home’ address

A person with two places of residence who spends about the same amount of time
in each can be lawfully registered at both addresses. This is a fact agreed by both
the Electoral Commission and the law.

This means that it’s possible to register yourself at a parent’s or friend’s home for
instance, as well as your own accommodation, if it can be said that you live an
equal amount of time at both. You do not have to be paying rent or possess any
formal document such as a tenancy agreement to validate proof of dual residency.

The advantage to this of course is that if it’s impractical for you to move home, you
could choose to rebuild your credit history with your new name at a second
nominated address. The down side however is that you will be eligible for council
tax at both addresses, albeit at a possibly reduced rate of up to 50%. However the
upside is that by being listed on the electoral register at two separate addresses
you will generate two separate council tax bills. And a council tax bill is an accepted
proof of residency, which is one one of the essential pieces of official
documentation you will need to rebuild your credit history from scratch.

Moving home with your new name

By far the most effective method of distancing yourself from an old credit history is
to move home and begin renting accommodation under a new name. However, you
may need to obtain some of the official documents via the steps outlined in the next
few chapters to achieve this.

Using the services of a letting agent may be tricky as many of them will perform
credit checks and share information with the credit reference agencies. Wherever
practical you should leave all traces of your old name behind, and a letting agent is
most likely to ask for a list of previous addresses before they will accept you.

This doesn’t mean you CAN’T undergo a credit check, it just means that you
WON’T have a credit file at this stage or be found on the electoral register. And if
you reveal your name change during the application process then this information
could be fed back to the credit reference agencies and you will be right back where
you started.
 28

If you are moving in with friends or a partner then this won’t be an issue, and you
can make that clean break from your old name and address almost immediately.
Otherwise, you may have to consider renting property through a private landlord,
many of whom do not insist on credit checks.

Most letting agents will also accept third party guarantors or large deposits as a
result of unsuccessful credit checks or even in place of them. So you may find that
you are able to rent a property through a reliable letting agent if you can find
somebody who will act as your financial guarantor for the duration of your tenancy.

Without that your only alternative would be to seek out a short term lease for a fixed
duration and pay all of the rent up front. A very costly alternative. Just make sure
that the letting agent won’t insist on credit checking you anyway, which would place
you in the position of having to flatly refuse or dodge the awkward questions they
could be asking.

If you are any doubt if a letting agent shares their information with CRAs or what
questions will be asked during the application process then you should make
discreet enquiries with the relevant agent to find out in advance.

Staying at your existing address

If neither the use of a second home, renting a room elsewhere or moving home are
practical then remaining at the address where your old bad history resides, for
anything other than the short term, should only be considered as a last resort.

Although it’s possible to create a new credit history at the same address as your old
without the CRAs linking them together, this will not stop you being pestered for
debts owing on your old credit. Especially if you have CCJs, are registered
bankrupt or have any kind of bad debt entered into public records.

Furthermore, if you have an existing tenancy agreement, then you may have to
change this into your new name. Although technically this should not be a problem,
you may find such a request met with resistance from your landlord. And if you are
currently renting with a letting agent, then any change of name you give them could
be passed to the CRAs.

If you have a mortgage then this makes the situation even more complicated,
because most people who have mortgages are tied into a variety of different loans
 29

and insurance contracts, all of which feed the CRAs and will link your change of
name the moment you attempt to transfer over documents and accounts.

There is no easy solution to any of these fixed residency problems except to say
that a change of name at the same address as your old credit file may still serve it’s
purpose. It’s likely that your change of name will still appear as an additional
resident in an existing household and your new credit history can co-exist happily
alongside your old without the CRAs ever realising it’s the same person.

Remember, it is not up to you to supply the credit reference agencies with ANY
information, change of circumstances or change of title. Any obligations you have
are toward your creditors via the terms and conditions of your contract. You will be
committing no offense by willfully withholding information from the credit reference
agencies, or preventing them from acquiring information about you that you would
rather they don’t have.
 30

Changing Your Official Documents

Once you have been issued with your deed poll and decided what address you will
use as residency, you can register your change of name with other authorities and
organisations. That way you can have all of your essential I.D. such as your
passport and driving licence altered to reflect this change of name.

It is entirely up to yourself which documents you want to change. Just because you
have a deed poll does not mean that you are obliged to call yourself by this new
name and none other. It still remains up to you which name you wish friends, family
or work colleagues to know you by. You don’t have to register your name with
everyone, and you will not be breaking the law by referring to yourself by both your
old and new name.

If you have children, then you can keep your old name registered with schools,
colleges, nurseries and G.Ps to avoid any confusion you may have with identifying
yourself as a parent.

You can keep your medical and dental records against your old name as well as
your National Insurance records, tax records, employment records and other
private records.

However, when setting up any new accounts with private companies and creditors
you should refer to yourself strictly by your new name.

The documents you will need

As you are most likely aware, when applying for credit or services, you will have to
produce at least 2 of the 4 main documents as proof of identity and address. These
are:

Passport
Full driving licence
Recent utility bill
Recent council tax bill

We will deal with these each in turn and explain how you can quickly and lawfully
obtain them under your new name.
 31

Obtaining a new passport

A full UK passport is the most essential piece of I.D. you will need to begin building
your credit history from scratch. And the good news is that if you already own a
current UK passport, changing it into your new name is quick, easy and 100% legal!

The UK Passport Office recognize every individual’s right to call themselves by any
name they wish and their right to travel freely under that name. They do not impose
any penalties or restrictions for those who reapply for their passports under a new
name.

You will not be asked to provide a reason for your name change. Nor will your will
you be scrutinized by officials and asked probing questions. You simply fill in a
change of name form, then return your old passport and your original deed poll
together with a signed declaration, recent photos and the relevant fee and your new
passport will be sent out. It’s as simple as that!

Don’t be alarmed into thinking that your passport will now be ‘flagged up’ each time
you leave the country or worried that you will be hassled by customs. There are no
additional checks or travel limitations imposed on those who change a name on
their passport. The passport office deal with thousands of such requests each year
without imposing extra delays or scrutiny upon the applicants.

The Passport Office will not share your change of name details with any credit
reference companies or outside authorities. Your old name will not show on your
new passport either. Even your passport number will change.

In general the Passport Office will only reject a change of name if they believe that
name to be rude or offensive.

However you must surrender your old passport on request and although it will be
returned to you (usually with a corner clipped to ‘void’ the passport) you must not
use it again. If you decide to change your name back at a later stage, then you
must re-apply for another passport. You cannot simply return to using your voided
passport.

Remember, you must provide the Passport Office with a residential address where
your documents can be delivered. They employ private couriers to deliver
passports and if there is nobody there to sign for it at the address given on the
application then you will not receive it.
 32

As your details will not be shared with any CRAs then it is perfectly okay to apply
for your passport under your new name and have it delivered to an existing address
where your credit may already be ruined.

If you have any queries or doubts about applying for a new passport under a
change of name, or which forms to use, then contact the Passport Office and
discuss the matter freely and openly with them. You may be surprised at how
matter of factly they deal with such requests.

UK Passport Office: 0300 222 0000

In most cases you can obtain a passport change of name form from your local post
office.
 33

Obtaining a new driving licence

Changing over your existing driving licence into your new name is even easier than
changing your passport. Better still there is no charge and no need to send in new
photographs. Just collect the relevant ‘change of name / address’ forms from your
local post office (or ask the DVLA to post them to you) and return your existing
licence, paper counterpart, deed poll and relevant I.D.

The DVLA will then issue you with a new photo card licence under your new name
within approximately 1 week. Again, there will be no mention of your old name on
this licence.

DVLA cannot arbitrarily share your name and address details with any credit
reference agencies. Only government departments that process data for the same
purpose as the DVLA can share this information (such as the police, road traffic
enforcement, courts and driver testing) and they in turn are prohibited from sharing
that information with third parties. For that reason you can be confident that when
applying for a new driving licence this information will not be passed onto any credit
reference agencies.

Transferring vehicle documents: what you should know

It’s worth bearing in mind that the DVLA maintain two distinctly separate databases
for driver and vehicle data. The driver database holds information on driving
licences, driver entitlement, endorsements and medical information. The vehicle
database contains specifics of the motor vehicle plus the name and address of the
registered keepers.

It is the vehicle database that supplies almost unrestricted access to credit

reference agencies and other third parties who have a ‘reasonable cause’ for
requesting the data. This is why you should never re-register a vehicle that you may
already own from your old name into your new. As soon as you do, this change of
name information will be passed to the credit reference agencies.

Although interested third parties can check the driver database for information
relating to endorsements on your licence, they cannot access the driver database
for the purpose of credit referencing. Nor can they locate personal information on a
driver by supplying a name or address alone. Only the police and other prosecuting
 34

authorities can do this, and they in turn are prohibited from sharing such sensitive
data.

Only after you have obtained the key essential documentation in your new name
should you consider registering a vehicle with the DVLA.

Avoid using on-line registration forms!

When it comes to updating information with the DVLA, NEVER USE ANY OF
THEIR ONLINE OR TELEPHONE SERVICES THAT OPERATE UNDER THE
Government Gateway / Gov.uk Verify scheme: the password protected web site
that allows you to register for online government services. This scheme allows
credit reference agencies such as Experian to ‘verify your identity’, which almost
certainly means that they will share data that you provide on-line.

For maximum security, you should only communicate with the DVLA and other
participating government agencies directly. Either via e-mail, letter or by phone.

Any forms available on-line should also be available by post. Many of which you
can collect in person from your local Post Office. By filling in documents via pen
and ink and mailing them directly to the authority concerned, your information is
less likely to trickle down to a credit reference agency who’s only interest is to
accumulate and sell your data.
 35

Obtaining A Utility Bill

Among most creditors you will find that a recent utility bill is the most universally
accepted proof of residency. Not only does it prove the address that you are living
at (or at least receiving correspondence at), it shows that you are already
subscribed to some form of credit service.

Utility services will cover the following energy providers:

Electric
Gas
Water

Unfortunately in the past few years, some utility companies have opted to share
customer account details with the CRAs. Therefore opening an account with any of
these companies could mean undergoing some form of credit check. Your data may
then be shared which means you could find your new credit history beginning
before you are ready!

What most people don’t seem to realise is that it is possible to subscribe to any of
these three main energy providers almost effortlessly. You can do so without having
any previous credit history, previous address, previous accounts or without being
listed on the electoral register. In fact, you don’t even need to provide a name to
obtain a contract!...

The deemed contract

The moment you enter a new home, or cancel your existing account with an energy
company, your address is automatically contracted back to their services again.
Albeit in a slightly different form.

How does this work? With a little known provision called a deemed contract...

A deemed contract arises from an energy company’s statutory obligation to provide

an uninterrupted supply to every household in England, Scotland and Wales. This
means that once a homeowner or tenant moves out of a property, or cancels their
existing service, the energy company cannot simply disconnect it. They must
maintain the connection for the next person who moves in, so that there is a
continuity of electric, gas and water.
 36

This doesn’t mean that a utility company cannot disconnect somebody for non
payment of a bill. They can and will do this if you enter into any kind of domestic
supply contract and consistently fail to pay your bill.

However, the moment those premises become vacant, or the domestic supply
contract is cancelled, the property will automatically revert back to a deemed
contract supply.

What this means is that on the day you enter any new home you should be able to
switch on a light, turn on a tap or light a hob without having to contact the energy
provider first. In fact, as long as you pay each bill that is subsequently generated,
you are entitled to continue consuming any of the energy services supplied without
EVER having to set up an account.

Furthermore, if you change your mind at any stage and wish to set up a named
account with another supplier, you don’t have to give the existing supplier any
notification whatsoever. Nor can the existing supplier refuse to cancel your contract
on the grounds of an outstanding debt. They cannot set any minimum or maximum
time on the deemed contract’s duration and they cannot demand any deposit or
credit reference checks to maintain it.

Better still, if you decide that you want the deemed contract bills to be sent out
under your name (rather than to ‘the occupier’), then the energy company must do
so when instructed. You can choose any name you wish and you do not have to
submit ANY documentary evidence of that name or undergo any kind of credit
check. As long as you pay the bills, the energy company must maintain this default
deemed contract and cannot disconnect you or bully you into subscribing to a
domestic supply contract.

Some suppliers often insist that the customer provide them with bank account
details or a credit or debit card number to initially subscribe to their services. You
have a right to refuse this method of payment and pay cash over the counter. The
utility company cannot deny you service if you refuse to pay via an automated
service.

If you encounter any resistance from your energy company regarding your right to
maintain a deemed contract then you can contact Ofgem - the regulator of electric
and gas companies or Ofwat - the regulator of water companies. They can impose
penalties and enforce orders against any energy company that fails to supply a
deemed contract service pursuant to the ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 Standard
 37

Conditions of Electricity Supply Licence, which are a list of rules and obligations
that both electricity and gas companies must abide by.

There are some drawbacks to deemed contracts however. The main one being that
the tariff you will be on will most likely be very uncompetitive and you will end up
paying more for your supply. However the energy supplier must take all reasonable
steps to ensure that the terms of the deemed contract are not unduly onerous and
the charges are fair.

Also, the deemed contract can only be obtained through one energy provider. And
that will be whichever gas, electric or water company have been issued what is
known as a Last Resort Order by the local authority to supply that particular
household with an uninterrupted supply. This means that you cannot contact a
competing energy supplier and demand a deemed contract with them.

If you are unsure which energy provider has the obligation to provide a deemed
contract service to your home then contact Ofgem or Ofwat who will provide you
with the information.

In brief...

By ending an existing utility service or moving into a new property, you will
automatically have a new account started the moment you begin consuming
services. This deemed contract will enable you to obtain a utility bill in your new
name without having to go through any credit checks. You can supply them with
any name you wish and avoid credit checks simply by insisting you remain on a
deemed contract. Simply contact the utility company concerned and tell them that
you wish all future bills to be sent under a new name. Once a bill is sent out, in all
likelihood this new name information will be shared with the credit reference
agencies. This will mean that your new credit history will have begun, just as you
intended, fresh and uncorrupted without any links to your old name and damaged
credit history.

And if the utility company DON’T share this information with the CRAs, don’t worry,
as we will be explaining a little later how to open a bank account with your new
passport or driving licence and utility bill and trigger your new credit history.

Once this new credit history has been established then it is up to you if you wish to
switch over to a more competitively priced domestic supply contract with your utility
 38

service provider. As you will have already proved that you are a reliable paying
customer you may find that your utility company will be happy to switch you over to
a cheaper contract without having to go through any credit checks.

Tax, National Insurance and work records

It is entirely up to yourself at this stage if you wish to change your employment

records into your new name. Asking your employer to amend their records as well
as informing everyone you work with of your new name could be an
embarrassment you’d rather avoid. So remember, you still have a common law right
to call yourself by any name you wish, and if you wish to be referred to by your old
name in some areas of your life and not others, you are free to make that choice.

If you are self-employed - especially if you are a sole-trader - then updating all your
records to reflect this name change is less likely to be a problem. It could also be
vital to the effective and legal running of your day to day business.

Wherever practical though, you should try to be thorough and register your name
with every public authority, ESPECIALLY if you are in receipt of any benefits or
state handouts. The vast majority of these public authorities will not share your
information with any credit reference agencies, so you should not be fearful of your
new and old name being automatically linked.

To register your name for tax purposes then you can contact the Inland Revenue on
0300 200 3300 and request a change of name form. DON’T use their on-line
services to make the request, as this is a service that is shared by all government
agencies. You will be sent out a form that you must return with your change of
name deed and any relevant I.D. Your records will then be amended with your new
name. This information will automatically be added to your National Insurance
details, tax credits and benefits.

However if you are receiving benefits it would be wise to ensure that whichever
council departments you deal with, such as the job center or housing benefit, are
also informed of your change of name. If you don’t then this could constitute an
offence.
 39

Appearing on the Electoral Register

By this stage you will have obtained the three essential documents necessary to
apply for most credit services. However, as you will have little or no information held
against your new name with the credit reference agencies, you may encounter
quite a few problems trying to reapply for credit.

The most obvious problem is that your new name will not be showing on the voter’s
roll (electoral register). As well as being the most common data that CRAs use to
create credit files, an entry in the electoral register is important proof of residency.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s impossible to obtain services without ever
appearing on the electoral register. This is a common misconception. There are
many different reasons that someone may not appear on the voter’s roll and most
companies will factor this into their decision making.

However, as the electoral register plays such a significant roll in credit histories it’s
worth understanding more about it. That way you will know precisely what steps to
take to have yourself placed upon it.

How the register is compiled

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered
to vote in public elections.

Each Autumn, forms are sent out to every address in Britain asking for details of all
residents. These details are then entered into the electoral register - a public
document which can be viewed by anyone - which is published on the 1st
December each year. This register is also used to determine who is eligible for
council tax.

Two versions of the electoral register are published - the open register (also
known as the edited register) and the full register. Both copies are open to scrutiny
by members of the general public. The edited version is usually held in local
libraries and a copy can be purchased by any person, company or organisation.
The full register is held by local councils and can only be viewed under supervision
(supposedly to prevent copies of it being made). It can only be purchased by
government organisations and credit reference agencies.
 40

If you are registered to vote and / or paying council tax then you will appear in the
full register. You can only prevent your name appearing in the edited register and
not the full register. This means that if you are registered to vote you will
automatically have an entry made against your name and address with the credit
reference agencies.

How to have your new name entered on the electoral register

Changing your entry on the electoral register to your new name is even easier than
changing your passport and driving licence. Just contact the Electorate Department
of your local council and ask them to send you a change of name form. You can
then return it with your original deed poll to have your entry in the registry changed.
You should then contact the council tax department to ensure that all future council
tax bills are sent out under your new name.

Just as with a utility bill, this new council tax bill will act as proof of name and
address when it comes time to apply for credit.

Don’t worry, just because you changed your name doesn’t mean you will have to
pay your council tax all over again. You can just transfer your council tax account
from your old name into your new name. This is because your council tax account
details will not be shared with credit reference agencies. All that the CRAs will know
is that a new name has appeared on the electoral register at your address. No
notification will be made that you have changed your name. Your old name will
simply vanish from the register and your new name will take its’ place.

Bare in mind that although updates to the register are made once a month and sent
out to the credit reference agencies, they could take anywhere up to 9 weeks to
process this information. Voter registrations made between August and November
can take even longer. This is because during these months the local council are
busy collecting details from each household to update the annual register. They
don’t process any monthly updates between these times, thereby creating a ‘blind
spot’ on the credit files of anyone who chooses to move home during this period.
It’s unlikely that any credit checks made during this time will show your registry
entry until the beginning of December when the annual electorate is published.
Even then you may still have to wait another 9 weeks for the CRAs to update their
records!
 41

There is a way round this however and that is to MANUALLY update your credit file.
The way you do this is to first obtain written confirmation of your registration from
your local electoral registration office which will specify your official entry on the
voter’s roll. You can then send copies of this letter to each of the 3 main credit
reference agencies with a request to update your name and address.

Bare in mind however that some councils may try to charge a fee for this
confirmation letter, asking anywhere between £10 - £25. If you are faced with a
charge higher than £10, simply send a subject access request to the Information
Officer of your local council asking for all details in relation to your electoral roll
registration. By law, the council cannot ask for any more than £10 to process this
request, but could delay responding for up to 40 days

Again, this written confirmation will not mention anything to do with your old name.
The CRAs will just process your name and address as if it were a brand new credit
history entry. And if they should ask for any additional information you are not
obliged to provide them with it.
 42

Opening A Bank Account In Your New Name

Basic bank accounts: A little known secret

Having acquired the necessary I.D., proof of residency and entry on the electoral
register you can begin obtaining necessary services. The most important of which,
will be a bank account.

Although in all likelihood your new official documents would allow you to open a
current account with a high street bank, you are certain to be asked questions
during the application process that could link your new credit to your old.

For instance, any information you offer about previous bank accounts you have
held or previous addresses you have lived at could mean disclosing your change of
name. This would therefore link your new and old credit files together and you
would be right back to square one.

However, what very people seem to know is that the banks offer special accounts
to people who are likely to fail credit checks, and these are known as basic bank
accounts.

The reason you may not have heard of them is because many banks actually
resent having to offer them. There is almost no profit in it for them and the main
reason so many banks and building societies do offer basic accounts is simply due
to government pressure and financial regulations that ensure that they do.

Everybody should have access to a bank account, regardless of their financial

standing. Unfortunately millions of people in Britain are turned away from banks
due to having poor or non existent credit histories, or because they are in receipt of
state benefits or on a low income.

However, gradually, and in anticipation of the new EU Payment Accounts Directive,

which requires member states to provide access to a basic payment account from
2016, more and more banks and building societies are offering basic accounts, with
a fairly broad range of services and with little or no credit checks.
 43

Avoiding bank credit checks

The reason credit checks are not generally made with basic bank accounts is
because unlike full current accounts you cannot go overdrawn. If you don’t have
funds in your account and attempt to make a payment, the transaction will be flatly
refused.

However, the good news is that most of the services provided with a standard bank
account are also provided with basic accounts, such as: card payments,
withdrawing cash from ATMs and setting up direct debits.

A basic account can also be a first step towards opening a different type of credit
account later on.

Some of the banks that offer basic bank accounts are Barclays, HSBC, Bank of
Scotland, Santander, Nationwide, Nat West, RBS, and the Ulster Bank. There are
many on-line consumer sites that compare and review these type of accounts so it
pays to do your research early on to find out which is best for you.

If you are uncertain which banks perform credit checks, or want to know what
questions you are likely to be asked in advance of applying, then call the bank in
question. Even without volunteering your name, they should assist you in letting
you know what checks - if any - you are likely to encounter.

Alternative bank accounts

As well as the well known high street banks, there are many lesser known internet
banks that offer similar accounts. Some of which can be applied for on-line or over
the phone. As with all these accounts you will have to provide proof of your identity
and address before it can be opened.

Some lesser known alternative account providers such as ThinkMoney and Ffees
Family Finance make it clear as part of their incentives that they perform no credit
checks. They will even accept bankrupts, bad creditors and customers with CCJs
just as long as they can confirm their identity and address. The downside is that
unlike free basic accounts there is a small monthly charge to maintain the account.

As we have no affiliation with any third party companies we cannot endorse or

recommend any specific service. However we would say that with the ever
 44

increasing proliferation of basic bank accounts and alternative account providers it

pays to shop around on-line and find out which service would be best for you.
 45

Obtaining Further Credit

By this stage you will hopefully have obtained a new name, new I.D. and the
foundation of a new credit history. You may also have obtained utility services, an
entry in the electoral register and a bank account. All achieved without having to lie,
fill in application forms or undergo credit checks.

At this stage you may be tempted to resubscribe to other services or obtain credit in
your new name. But before you do, let us give you a word of warning...

Your new credit history - which you have spent so much time and careful effort
rebuilding - could be destroyed in a moment if you inadvertently link your new
history to your old.

Most credit checks are fairly straightforward and superficial (such as mobile phone
contracts, TV and Broadband, leisure centers and services involving low monthly
subscriptions). But other services require lengthy applications or a broad range of
questions which will almost certainly link your histories if answered truthfully. For
instance if you volunteer any information on different addresses you have lived in
the past 6 years or other credit accounts you have held.

As burdensome as it may seem - and unless you are willing to be creative with the
truth - you may have to avoid opening any account or service that requires
answering awkward questions.

Due to the vast array of different services available it would be impossible for us to
give a breakdown of the application process of each. However, we can give you
some practical advice on how to retain some existing services in your old name,
how to avoid awkward application processes and what the law is regarding
‘misinformation’ when it comes to telling creditors about your past...
 46

Services you may be able to retain in your old name

Although it’s recommended that you get rid of ALL services attached to your old
name, in some cases it may be possible to remain subscribed to those that are
invaluable to you without ever having to re-register under your new name.

These are predominantly services where you can select on-line billing or rely on
limited billing to an actual physical address. For instance, it’s possible to maintain a
mobile phone contract against an old address without ever updating the service
provider with your new address (although this may invalidate the terms of your
contract). As far as most service providers are concerned as long as the payments
are being made on time, then they are unlikely to be aware that you are no longer
living at the name and address you originally subscribed under.

However, if the service provider sends out a letter or statement that is subsequently
returned, they may suspend or even cancel the service until you update your
address.

Either way, it’s common for account holders to move home and delay
communicating this information to the various different services they are subscribed
to, and such an honest delay should not incur any penalty as a result. In some
cases months can elapse before an address is updated, simply because the
account holder has forgotten to provide these new details. And if you are gradually
closing down services on your old history while you rebuild the new, then such a
delay can be advantageous.

To tell or not to tell?

The crucial question though is, how do you subscribe to new services and NOT
reveal certain information?

What if - during the application or credit check stage - you are asked a question or
are required to tick a box, that would reveal that you have changed your name or
could link you to your old history. Are you obligated to surrender such information
when asked?

The simplest answer is that there is no legal obligation upon anyone to be frank and
open. We are all entitled to our privacy and have a right to decide what we will or
will not divulge about ourselves.
 47

That doesn’t mean that by refusing to submit certain information you might not in
some way void the terms and conditions of your contract. Especially if that contract
is for insurance purposes. But rarely is an offence committed by failing to disclose
at the application process, information that you would rather keep to yourself.

Again, this doesn’t mean giving an untrue answer. For instance, when applying for
a job many employers ask if the applicant has a criminal record. This may certainly
be information somebody does not wish to disclose, but to tick the NO box when
the answer is most definitely a YES could constitute an offence.

However, leaving the section blank, or placing a N/A (not applicable) against the
question protects your right to privacy, and cannot constitute an offence. Nor can
you be forced to answer the question, except against the obvious penalty that your
application will be rejected if you don’t.

But what if you deliberately give untrue or misleading information during the
application or credit check process. Is this a criminal offence?

Well as long as you held a genuine belief that the information you gave was correct
then you cannot be accused of having lied. For instance, if you gave a date that you
moved into a property which turned out to be incorrect, then you have done no
wrong if you genuinely provided that information in error.

Furthermore, you cannot be accused of lying if the information you gave was based
on an honestly held opinion rather than a fact. An example would be an estimate of
what you think your income could be in the next six months. Many people have
exaggerated notions of their financial potential and are fully entitled to hold and
share such beliefs. Just because they may not succeed in attaining the goals they
set themselves does not mean they are being dishonest by believing in such goals.

Even if it turns out that a customer has lied to obtain services it’s unlikely that a
prosecution would follow. Unless the organisation can show that they have suffered
loss (or would have been exposed to a potential loss), or that it was a clear attempt
to commit fraud, it’s unlikely that somebody’s attempt to obtain services which they
intended to use for an honest purpose would result in a police investigation and
criminal prosecution.

As anyone who has been the victim of fraud would know, trying to get the police to
investigate routine deception is impossible at the best of times. If the police are
unwilling to investigate an unauthorised credit card transaction for example, what
 48

chance does the bank have of the police investigating a dishonest answer on an
application form? And that’s if the creditors are willing to prosecute and publicize
the offence, which most of them are wary of doing.

But prosecutions do occur and it would be negligent of us to suggest otherwise.

What we are saying however is that when it comes to reapplying for services it pays
to be informed in advance of what questions you are likely to be asked. That way
you can be certain that you will not have to attempt to improvise or provide
information that could have a detrimental effect on your new credit line before you
have even started.
 49

Protecting Your Credit Rating

As we have demonstrated, rebuilding your credit history from scratch is no simple
task. But once you achieve it, you are going to want to keep on improving it. Or at
the very least protect it.

It is beyond the scope of this Ebook to advise you how to successfully subscribe to
the myriad of consumer services available, except to say that keeping your new
credit history distanced from your old is paramount.

Remember, if you are in any doubt as to what you may be asked during a credit
check then research! If you cannot get ahold of a copy of the application form, or
the company won’t disclose in advance what questions you will be asked, then
seek out those who have already obtained those services and ask them.

There are a huge number of review sites and consumer help forums on the internet
that share information and advice about almost every service and product on the
planet. You will often find details of how companies credit score and screen their
potential customers, what they are looking for, what you will be asked and what
information they share with the CRAs. And most of this advice is available for free.

A list of the best consumer help websites can be found at the back of this Ebook.

Meanwhile, before you set out to build upon your new financial identity and begin
reapplying for a new line of credit, here are what we regard as some of the most
essential DOs and DON’Ts of protecting your credit rating. They are written in no
particular order of importance and some of them may reiterate important points
already made in this Ebook:
 50

15 Do’s and don’ts of resubscribing to services

1. DON’T apply for too much too quickly. Snapping up store cards, phone contracts
and services - no matter how tempting - will almost certainly stretch your credit
beyond your means. Also, the more services you apply for, the more likely other
services will reject you. A flurry of credit applications could be regarded as
desperation by lenders.

2. When checking your credit file use the subject access methods described in this
Ebook and apply to the CRAs directly. Never use on-line services that offer you
credit reports for free or for a fixed or monthly fee. Not only are most of these
services a rip-off every detail you provide them with will be fed back to those same
credit reference agencies they draw their data from.

3. When contacting the CRAs for your credit file avoid using their pre-prepared
forms and DON’T list all the addresses you have lived at for the past six years
when requested. If the CRA do not already have these addresses linked, then your
check will automatically have them linked! You only need to provide your current
address to obtain your credit history and you are under no obligation to provide any
further information.

4. Never swap over existing accounts in your old name with your new name. This is
the surest way to destroy your new credit history in an instant. It is only safe to
change existing accounts into your new name with public authorities or
organisations that do not share your information with the CRAs in any way. If in
doubt, ASK them! They are obliged by law to tell you.

5. DON’T take any payday loans of any kind. No matter how relaxed the application
process may appear to be, the interest rates and penalties incurred by these
companies are borderline extortion. Worst of all most lenders take them as a
warning sign of appalling money management skills.

6. DON’T hold joint accounts with anyone, as their credit history will invariably
become part of your credit history too. This includes joint accounts with flat-mates
on utility bills. If you find your credit file remains linked to someone you no longer
share accounts with, then write to the CRAs and ask for a notice of
disassociation.

7. If you cannot get an overdraft agreement with your bank then DON’T let your
bank balance fall too close to zero. Or at least ensure that if an unexpected
 51

payment is deducted from your account, you are always in credit to pay your next
direct debit or standing order. Missed payments will show up as a default and can
damage your credit scoring from 12 months up to 6 years.

8. DO take extra precautions when canceling direct debits. Although a direct debit
can easily be cancelled through your bank, you should also inform the company
whose services you no longer require, that you are canceling it. This will stop them
from reinstating a cancelled direct debit which could take you into the red and
again, create a default against your account.

9. DO ask for help if you encounter any problems, or foresee any problems with
approaching bills or payments. Companies that provide credit services are obliged
by law to assist anyone who experiences trouble with paying them. Ask them for
help BEFORE you default on any payment, or rack up any debt.

10. DO ensure all of your credit accounts, utility bills and subscribed services are
registered to the same address. If different addresses show against different credit
accounts this can seriously impede your ability to obtain further credit.

11. DON’T make needless applications for credit just to see if you will be accepted.
These will leave a footprint on your file that will remain for a year. Use a free
eligibility checker instead such as https://creditcards.moneysavingexpert.com/

12. DON’T be inconsistent with the information you provide when filling in
application forms. These may be compared to application forms you have filled in
with other companies and lenders. This is because some creditors - as well as
performing credit checks - also use the services of fraud prevention agencies
such as CIFAS and National Hunter. Among other things these organisations
retain copies of all applications forms sent to them for verification. Vastly differing
details on application forms supplied by the same creditor are likely to be perceived
as potential fraud. This is almost certain to kill off any future chances you have of
obtaining credit with anyone who uses their services.

13. DO make a subject access request to CIFAS and National Hunter if you suspect
that they are processing information on you. If you are being flatly rejected by
lenders and service providers when your credit file seems to be intact it could be
that a fraud prevention service has information on you that could well be untrue.
Unfortunately, these fraud prevention services will also flag up fraud committed by
previous occupants of a known address. The details of how to contact CIFAS and
NATIONAL HUNTER are at the back of this Ebook.
 52

14. We cannot reiterate this enough but DO pay your bills on time EVERY time. As
obvious as it seems, just paying your bills in full whenever they are due is
fundamental to your overall credit score. Which means, if you pay your bills by
direct debit, make sure you know when EVERY bill is due. That way you can
ensure the money is ready and waiting in your bank account. If such a direct debit
keeps knocking you into an unagreed overdraft with your bank, this will show up as
a default and totally defeats the purpose of paying your bills on time. If you have
such a struggle with direct debits, insist on making card payments on the same day
every month with your service provider in place of your direct debit.

15. DON’T have too much credit! The more you owe, the more bills you are paying,
the less you will be given. Even if you have a perfect repayment history, lenders will
see you as high risk. If you were to lose your job or encounter some major financial
setback, all that debt could suddenly back up and become a major problem. Do you
REALLY need all the contracts and services you are signed up for? Probably not.
 53

Obtaining Free Help and Advice

There are many charities, on-line help forums and government organisations set-up
to help debtors with a broad range of consumer credit issues. Here are a list of
some of the most popular that provide their help for free:-

Consumer Direct is a government funded telephone service offering information

and advice on a variety of consumer issues.
Phone: 08454 04 05 06

National Debt Line offers free, confidential and independent advice on dealing with
debt problems in the UK.
Phone: 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

The Money Advice Service is a government funded service with a variety of

different guides and tools regarding personal finances. They also have a phone and
online support service.
Phone: 0300 500 5000
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

Step Change Debt Charity is a non profit organisation which offers telephone and
online help and advice on debt, bankruptcy, debt relief orders, money management
and other consumer issues.
Phone: 0800 138 1111
http://www.stepchange.org/

The Home Heat Helpline is a free, not for profit phone line set up to help energy
customers who are concerned about paying their energy bills.
Phone: 0800 33 66 99
http://www.homeheathelpline.org.uk/

Ombudsman Services provides help and assistance for consumers who may have
complaints about their energy providers that have not been resolved, or have
reached a deadlock due to either the supplier or customer being unable to agree.
Their job is to investigate complaints by listening to both sides of the story and
looking at the facts. They will then decide what action, if any, should be taken.
Phone: 0330 440 1624
http://www.ombudsman-services.org/energy.html
 54

Other services

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is responsible for the enforcement

of the Data Protection Act 1998, subject access and freedom of information. If you
have a complaint about an organisation who is refusing to submit, amend or delete
data that you believe they are obligated to do so, then you can appeal to the ICO as
a last resort. They will expect you to have appealed to the creditor where the
dispute originated first.

Phone: 0303 123 1113

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/

National Hunter is an fraud detection service - commonly used by banks - which

compares past and present application forms, looking for inconsistencies. Don’t
think that just because there are minor differences between applications you will
automatically be suspected of fraud. The banks use the service as a guide to
determine which aspects of the application need closer scrutiny. They cannot reject
your application on the data received by National Hunter alone.

To find out what, if any, personal data is being processed by National Hunter you
can make a subject access request (using the template letter provided in this
Ebook) for the statutory £10 charge.

In return you will mostly receive copies of all past applications made for credit
services under your name and linked addresses. If you believe that any of the
information is erroneous then you can issue a complaint, as well as insist that the
creditor who placed the information have it removed.

Contact: P.O. Box 2756, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 9AQ

http://www.nhunter.co.uk/

CIFAS is a fraud detection service similar to National Hunter. They are mostly
concerned with known and proven frauds, including identity theft. As with National
Hunter, a lender can't refuse your application based on the CIFAS data alone, but
must investigate any ‘flags’ that appear as a result.

Again, you can make a subject access request for £10 to find out what data, if any,
CIFAS are processing against your name and address.

Contact: 6th Floor Lynton House, 7 - 12 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9LT.
https://www.cifas.org.uk/