How to Improve Your Credit Score After an IVA

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) will be on your credit reports for six years after the date that it starts.

Once the IVA has been removed from your credit report you can start rebuilding your credit score. Here is how to improve your credit score after an IVA.

Before you can start rebuilding your finances, you must ensure that you have successfully completed your IVA. When you first enter the IVA, your Insolvency Practitioner will inform you of how many monthly payments you must make. Towards the end of your IVA you may also be asked to remortgage your home and use the money to pay off some of your debts.

When you come to the end of your IVA, your Insolvency Practitioner will check that all payments have been made on time. If there are any missed payments, the IVA may be extended. But if everything is up to date, you just need to make your final payment.

When your IVA is completed, it should be automatically removed from your credit reports and you will also be removed from the insolvency register. Bear in mind that it can take a few months for records to be updated. Check your credit score after a month or two to make sure that the IVA has been marked as completed. If it has not, get in touch with the credit agency and send them a copy of the IVA completion certificate and they will rectify the mistake.

The first step to rebuilding your credit profile is to make sure that all bill payments are made on time and your credit score should slowly start to improve. When possible, you may want to consider borrowing small amounts of unsecured debt, as long as you can repay it on time. This serves as an indicator that you are a reliable borrower. After being on an IVA you will have grown used to living within a budget. It is recommended that any future debt repayments are manageable and the payment sustainable for you to avoid struggling with your finances.