What Happens When My Trust Deed Term Completes?

My Trust Deed term has complete – What next?

Providing that you have met the obligations of your Trust Deed, you’ll be discharged at the end of the term stated in your proposal when you take out a Trust Deed with Trust Deed Scotland. The completion process shouldn’t take too long, and if you’ve been waiting more than a month then it’s worth calling your insolvency practitioner to find out when you can expect to be discharged. You’ll know for certain that you have been discharged once it’s recorded on the Register of Insolvencies online.

How long will it take for your Credit File to be updated?

Once you have been discharged from your Trust Deed, you are officially free from the debt you had included in the plan, and this should be reflected in your credit score within 3 months of completion. If your debts are not shown as being satisfied within this time, you should contact your creditors and request them to update your credit file. Once this has been done, you can begin rebuilding your credit. How long it will take for your credit file to be updated can vary. If you do something about your credit rating the sooner, the better.

How long will it take to obtain credit, and how will this affect Interest Rates?

Depending on the length of your Scottish Trust Deed term, you may find it difficult to obtain credit for the next year or two after Trust Deed completion. It may also be that you are only offered higher interest rates during this period. Rebuilding your credit takes patience, but a Trust Deed enables you to start again with a blank canvas, and will ultimately make the process easier for you. 6 years after your Trust Deed started, it will no longer show on your credit file.

What steps should you take once your Trust Deed has been completed?

After completing your Trust Deed, you’ll find that your monthly disposable income has increased. It may be tempting to start spending in a more relaxed manner, but it’s particularly important at this stage to start putting away a little money a month for an emergency fund. Unmanageable debt is often caused by unexpected costs, resulting from things such as ill-health, essential home repairs, and redundancy; an emergency fund can often be a great help in circumstances such as these. Find out more about our tips for managing your finances in 2017. It may also be helpful to speak to an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) about your finances in the long term. They can offer advice on financial issues such as mortgage payments and pension options.

How do you rebuild your Credit Score?

There are many things you can do to successfully rebuild your credit score including: ✅ Spread out applications for credit ✅ Get a credit card with the lowest possible interest ✅ Make small monthly purchases on the credit card and clear them in full to avoid building up debt again ✅ Ensure that you are on the electoral roll ✅ Check your credit file for any inaccuracies, and if you find any, ask the relevant company to fix them ✅ Don’t take out joint finances with anyone who has poor credit ✅ If you had a reason for not making payments, such as hospitalisation or redundancy, ask for a notice of correction to be put on your credit file. (These do not have to be taken into consideration but may make a difference to some lenders if you can justify late payments that have affected your credit.) ✅ If you have a Trust Deed which is almost complete, why not leave a review of your experience? If you’re thinking about filing for a Trust Deed and would like more information, try our Trust Deed Wizard tool to see how we can help.  

Is a Protected Trust Deed a good idea?

Only you can decide if a Protected Trust Deed is a good idea, after getting all the facts needed for you to make an informed decision based on your own needs and affordability. We would answer this question firstly by directing you to our Trust Deed Scotland reviews page. Our existing customers will tell more about the experience with us than we can do ourselves. However, our debt advice team aim to give you the information and let you decide if a formal debt solution is right for you. Trust Deeds can, of course, be a valuable way of helping people to achieve a brighter future but they are not suitable for everyone. Other alternative debt management solutions exist in Scotland such as the Debt Arrangement Scheme. Call us today on 01412210999 for confidential, tailored debt advice. Find out more about Is A DAS Worth It?, alongside Are Trust Deeds A Good Idea?

Trust Deed Specialist Forum

Looking for a Trust Deed Specialist Forum in an online world where advice is offered freely can be overwhelming and often contradictory. Similar to whenever we feel under the weather, where it’s easy to consult with Google and self-diagnose ourselves with a critical illness, when in fact all we have is a common cold. The same principle applies to those searching for a Trust Deed Specialist Forum, or any other Debt Advice Forum for that matter. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to find yourself in debt and you’re not alone. Often, it’s tempting to bury your head in the sand and hope your problems will go away – but debt isn’t a problem you can just ignore, with interest charges stacking up, the longer you do, the worse your financial situation will get. For people struggling with debt in Scotland, several debt solutions could allow you to repay what you owe and potentially write off all, or part of your unaffordable debt. But for true specialist Trust Deed advice, the first step Trust Deed Scotland recommends is to talk to an experienced debt adviser who can talk through all available Scottish debt solutions with you. One of the options available to residents of Scotland is a legal agreement called a Trust Deed.
What is a Trust Deed?
Many people find themselves with unaffordable debt and do not necessarily know the types of solutions open to them. Therefore, the question of What is a Trust Deed? is fairly common among those in the research phase of their debt help journey. A Scottish Trust Deed is a voluntary legal agreement between you and the companies you owe money to. When you enter into a Trust Deed, your total debts are all grouped together and a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner takes on the role of a trustee. By grouping all of your debts together your trustee will help you to find an amount you can realistically, afford to pay towards your debts. This will become one monthly payment replacing all of your existing payments. Because this amount is based on what you can reasonably afford it is usually significantly lower than your previous combined payments. You’ll make this payment once a month, for 48-60 months depending on circumstances months. At the end of this time, any remaining, qualifying, unsecured debts will be written off. Legally, your creditors can no longer pursue you for the remaining amount. Almost all unsecured debts are eligible to be included in a Trust Deed, such as credit and store cards, unsecured loans including payday loans, overdrafts, old council tax arrears and old utility bills from a previous address, catalogues and old HMRC debts.  
Advantages of a Trust Deed
  • Your debt becomes manageable – You will only make one monthly payment to your Trust Deed rather than several payments to several companies. This monthly amount will be based on what you can realistically afford and is therefore usually, significantly lower. You can agree on a regular date to repay the money you owe, for a time that suits you best – after payday for example.
  • No further action – If the majority of your creditors don’t object to the Trust Deed terms it will become ‘protected’ meaning as long as you stick to the agreed terms they can’t legally take actions such as arresting your wages, or bank account to recover money. You can protect your house and car.
  • No direct contact from your creditors – The licenced Insolvency Practitioner will take on the role of trustee, who is there to help you to repay your debts.As long as you make the reduced monthly payment, with Protected Trust Deeds your creditors can no longer call you up, email you or contact you directly in any way.
  • Your future interest charges can be frozen – After signing a Trust Deed, you’ll be paying back the debt you already owe but not racking up any more debts as you go.
  • Debt written off – At the end of your Trust Deed period, any remaining qualifying, unsecured debts will be written off. Legally, your creditors can no longer pursue you for the remaining amount.
Are there any disadvantages to Trust Deeds?
Before considering a Trust Deed, there are some things to be aware of:
  • You must be able to make the agreed monthly payments towards your debts unless your circumstances change. If they do you need to inform your trustee immediately.
  • If you gain any new money or assets such as tax rebates or inheritance during your Trust Deed period your trustee can claim them towards your debts.
  • A Trust Deed will negatively impact your credit rating for 6 years from the date you start one, making it more difficult to obtain credit such as a mortgage.
  • Usually, you can’t be a director of a limited company. If you are self-employed you may have to appoint a new director or sell your business.
Are there Trust Deed alternatives?
Yes, you can pursue other forms of debt management in Scotland. The Debt Arrangement Scheme also allows to get your payments down to an affordable level and uses formal legislation, the same way a Trust Deed does. When you request Scottish debt help from a reputable firm, they would go through your details and advise you of the pros and cons of all solutions, but more important to you; how they would affect you based on your own circumstances. Always be careful that a company isn’t trying to force you into a solution. If in doubt, it doesn’t hurt to ask around and get advice from multiple firms who are regulated by UK regulatory bodies. It doesn’t harm you to look at the number of specialist Trust Deed forums online, or MoneyHelper – which an independent service set up to help people manage their money.
Is a Trust Deed right for me?
If you are thinking of setting up a Trust Deed you should seek advice first, remember you should never pay for this advice, we offer confidential, experienced advice. You should also consider whether you have enough disposable income to afford the monthly repayments. If you’re not sure, it’s something we can help you with. A Trust Deed could be a good option if you:
  • Have unsecured debts of £5,000 or more
  • Have enough income left after paying your bills each month to make a contribution towards your debts
You may need to consider a different route if you:
  • Have no disposable income to put towards your debts and no assets
  • Have debts that don’t exceed £5,000
  • Have enough disposable income to pay off your debts before 4 years
For more information see How does a Trust Deed work or have a look at our FAQ question – Is a Trust Deed right for me? Also, as mentioned above, common alternatives to a Trust Deed is known as the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) and Sequestration, Scotland’s equivalent to bankruptcy.
How can we help you?
From our feedback, we know people often feel too embarrassed to take that first step and talk about their debt. There’s no need to feel embarrassed and struggle alone. Watch our videos below and see how we can help you.

Trust Deed Specialist Forum

At Trust Deed Scotland, we’re the leading Scottish debt advice company in the debt relief category of TrustPilot. We offer non-judgemental and 100% confidential advice to people living in Scotland and struggling with debt. For more than a decade, we’ve helped over [volume] people. Don’t just take our word for it ​check out our Trustpilot reviews​ where we currently have a rating of 5/5. Thousands of the people we have helped left us a positive Trust Deed review. If you think you may not qualify for a Trust Deed, we can talk you through the other options available to you. We will always give you advice suited to you, with your best interests at heart. It is our mission to help you get out of debt rather than sell you a solution. If you want to start the journey to a brighter future, or just want a friendly chat and some advice ​give our experienced team of debt advisers a call. Or, you can try our ​Trust Deed Wizard tool to find out if you’re eligible. Whilst not a Trust Deed Forum, our Trust Deed Scotland WhatsApp service can be used to quickly find an answer to your question.

Yorkhill Children’s Charity

Trust Deed Scotland advisor, Lorna Carson, departs on the Sunday 23rd of August 2015 with five others for a mammoth undertaking in aid of Yorkhill Glasgow Children’s Charity. Cycling from London to Barcelona, (665km/1040 miles), in just ten days, they aim to raise £24,000 for the charity. The Trust Deed Scotland team had a bake sale in our office to help her reach her target.

Yorkhill Glasgow Children’s Charity raises money for the Royal Hospital for Children which treat 160,000 children every year.

The funds raised by the Glasgow based-charity, amongst other things, go towards medical equipment, family support and hiring some of the most skilled medical professionals in the industry.

One of our staff members who has first-hand experience of the Royal Hospital for Children said,

“The staff and doctors at Yorkhill Glasgow Children’s Hospital helped me through a tremendously difficult period when both of my children were ill at different points in my life. One of my daughters was diagnosed with an extremely rare bone disease after years of doctor’s visits with no diagnosis.

The other suffered and almost died from pneumonia when she was barely seven months old. I think if it wasn’t for the extreme professionalism of the doctors and nurses at Yorkhill, I may well not have my daughter today. The doctors and nurses sometimes go unrecognised and charities and fundraisers like this bring them to the forefront of everybody’s mind.”

Our bake sale attracted the other companies in the building, who gave generously in return for their fill of the many cakes our enthusiastic home bakers had prepared.

Once we counted the proceeds, we were very pleased to discover we had raised a fantastic £1,066.53!

After all the excitement was over and no one could possibly manage another mouthful, we were left with several boxes of cakes and biscuits. One of the company directors and a staff member took the goodies down to the Glasgow City Mission, a charitable organisation in Glasgow that helps vulnerable, homeless or poverty-stricken people and provides dinner to an average of 160 people each night. They sent us a lovely thank you letter on behalf of the homeless residents who enjoyed the cakes with their dinner.

Trust Deed Scotland receive thank you letter for charity donation to homeless shelter.

The thank you letter the Glasgow City Mission sent Trust Deed Scotland.

 

If you would like to give something to the community, support Lorna’s cycle challenge and the fantastic Yorkhill Children’s Charity, please visit the team’s Just Giving fundraising page.

You can keep up to date with the Trust Deed Scotland foundation and all our fundraising efforts by following us on our official Trust Deed Scotland social media channels:

Twitter, Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook.

Get Your Finances On Track – 9 Tips In 2024

Get Your Finances On Track

  When attempting to get your finances on track in Scotland, there is a range of Scottish debt solutions available to you but the first step is to try budgeting to reduce your debts and sort out your finances. There are simple tricks you can try to get the most from your income and minimise your monthly expenditure. It’s time to wipe the slate clean and regain control of your finances.  

1. Work out a budget

  Everyone has to work on a budget, no matter how high their income or they’ll find they are living outside their means before too long. Write down a list of your monthly income after tax and anything else you receive such as working tax credits or private pension etc. Add up your total monthly income. Next, write down all your outgoings. Start with the priority bills: mortgage or rent and council tax. Then, write down all of your monthly direct debits. Finally, write down the amount you spend monthly on all other monthly expenses that aren’t included within your direct debits e.g. gas and electricity, food and housekeeping, fuel/public transport, parking costs, dentist/optician costs, house maintenance, pocket money and school trips etc. Add the totals up so you now have a final amount for your incomings and outgoings. Your income minus your outgoings is your expendable income. If you find you are spending more than you are earning and relying on overdrafts, credit cards or precious savings, you know you need to act immediately!   Trust Deed Scotland may be able to help you get your finances back on track with a Protected Trust Deed. Try the Trust Deed Wizard to find out what you could expect to pay monthly.  

2. Cancel any unused memberships

  When you went through your direct debits you may have come across something you had forgotten about and don’t use regularly. Did you have a gym membership that you forgot to cancel or are you paying for an online movie and TV watching account even though your partner has one and you can access it on multiple devices? Cancel anything you don’t want and don’t keep too many that you don’t need – it’s okay to have hobbies – you don’t have to limit your life too much.  

3. Switch tariffs/companies

  You could save money by switching your bank, energy, mortgage, credit card, internet, TV package, mobile phone contract etc. to another tariff or company. Shop around to see what’s on offer, then call your current company and see if they can offer you the same. You’ve nothing to lose and it could save you in the long run. See our Trust Deed Scotland reviews page for thousands of testimonials written by people we’ve helped out of debt.  

4. Set up direct debits for recurring payments

Most companies have cheaper tariffs for customers who pay using direct debits, (this is particularly common with energy providers). Why pay more if you don’t have to? This way you also won’t run the risk of missing a payment and being charged a late fee.  

5. Be prepared

  This sounds obvious but it takes some forward planning not to grab a quick coffee on the way to work or splash out in a sale on your lunch break. Take your own coffee and lunch with you. This simple change could be all the difference you need to see a change in your spending and the chances are it will be better for your health too!   See our info hub article for 10 reasons people enter into a Trust Deed.  

6. Use a shopping list

  Before going shopping for groceries, clothes or anything else, look at what you already have and then write a list of what you need to buy. This will prevent impulse shopping that will drain your wallet and leave you short for the month.  

7. Only buy what you can afford

  This may sound like an obvious move too but a lot of people find themselves tempted by a sale in their favourite shop and put the balance on credit because they’ve found a ‘good deal’. Remember, if you end up paying more in the long run on interest, it was not a bargain. Use your expendable income on shopping and you’ll be less likely to build up debts and find yourself struggling with repayments. See our info hub article for 10 common questions about Trust Deeds.  

8. Sell Unwanted Items

  You may be able to sell items you don’t want, need or use very often online or at a car boot sale. You might not get back what you paid for but something is more than the nothing you got from having it sitting in your house gathering dust!  

9. Consider Downsizing

  Downsizing means selling or moving into a smaller, and typically cheaper, property. This could be a temporary measure and you could consider putting your goods into short-term storage.  

Get Your Finances On Track Today With Trust Deed Scotland

  For tailored debt advice, Contact Trust Deed Scotland to see how we could help you get your finances back on track or view our Debt Advice Scotland guidance.

How Trust Deeds Affects Credit Ratings

How Trust Deeds affect Credit Ratings Trust Deeds help thousands of people each year get out of debt but there are pros and cons to every debt solution. The downside of a Trust Deed is the fact it negatively impacts your credit score. Although this sounds off-putting, it is important to consider all relevant factors before making a decision. There is a strong chance your credit may already have been affected if you have found yourself in the financial position where a Trust Deed would greatly improve your circumstances. Have you ever missed a payment to one of your creditors? If so, that missed payment will show on your credit file for six years, the same as a Scottish Trust Deed. It is in your best interest to get out of debt sooner, rather than later. Entering a Trust Deed would affect your credit for the next six years but then your debts would be written off and you would able to rebuild your credit history from scratch. If you stay in debt and continue to default, without entering a debt solution such as a Trust Deed, your credit will got get the chance to improve until six years after your last default. This could prove to be a much longer time than if you’d entered into a Trust Deed. If you’ve found yourself missing payments to your creditors or are reaching the stage where you can’t meet your payments, a Trust Deed may be the solution for you. Try the Trust Deed Wizard to find out how much you could expect to pay each month. What exactly is a credit rating? Your credit rating is determined using a mathematical equation that considers your credit history and determines how much of a risk you pose to lenders. Generally, the higher your credit score, the more likely you are to be considered for credit. What factors are likely to have a negative impact on your credit score?
  • Any late payments or defaults.
  • If you aren’t registered on the electoral role at your address.
  • If you haven’t had much credit in the past, (your score is determined by past behaviour and it’s hard to decide whether or not you are reliable if you’ve not past credit to judge by).
  • If you always pay off credit cards in full each month, (credit card companies make money by you being in debt. If you make the minimum payment each month and never default but do not clear your card, you are running up interest and are a better investment than someone who clears their card every month and doesn’t make the company much money).
  • If you’ve applied for lots of credit in a short period of time.
  • If you have a large amount of debt outstanding and/or are near your credit limits.
  • If a lot of credit checks have been performed on you in a short period of time.
  • If you have ever been Sequestrated or have any decrees, IVAs or any other court debt orders against you.
Trust Deed Scotland has a 5/5 Trustpilot rating. All debt advice reviews are independently verified and written by clients we’ve helped get out of debt. Could I get credit during a Trust Deed? During the term of a Protected Trust Deed, (typically 4 years), you would not be able to apply for any further credit. The reason for this is, the Trust Deed has been granted to allow you to get out of debt and it allows you to write off a percentage of your debts. If you had enough disposable income to take out further credit, your Trust Deed contribution would have been higher, allowing you to pay more of your debts back. What would happen to my credit rating after my Trust Deed term finished? Once you completed the agreed terms of the Trust Deed, any remaining debt would be wiped off, leaving you with a clean financial slate to start again. The Trust Deed, same as any formal debt solution or default/late payment will show on your record for typically 2 years after your Trust Deed term, during which you might find it difficult to obtain credit. Once that time has passed, your credit record will show your debts as satisfied and you will be able to begin applying for credit much as you would have done when you first began getting credit at 18. Find out how a Trust Deed could help you clear council tax arrears. How do you rebuild your credit score?
    • Don’t make too many applications at once. Spread them out and try a credit card with as low interest as possible.
    • Use the card monthly to make small purchases and clear them in full, to avoid your finances getting out of control again.
  • Double-check you are on the electoral role.
  • View your credit report to make sure it is accurate. If there are any inaccuracies, you can ask for these to be rectified, (speak to the company who put the entry on your credit file and if they will not remove it, go to the Information Commissioner’s Office and ask them to investigate on your behalf).
  • Be careful not to take out any joint finances with someone else with poor credit, (such as joint mortgages and loans), as this may affect your credit further.
  • If there’s anything relevant you’d like to say about something on your credit history, (for example, perhaps you missed a payment due to redundancy or hospitalisation), you can ask to add a notice of correction which anyone checking your credit history would see. This does not guarantee the person checking would take this into account but depending on the situation, this could make a difference as the credit history only shows dates and figures, not reasons for missed payments.
  Read our blog to find out the common myths about poor credit and what the facts really are. When trying to rebuild your credit: take it slowly, be responsible and be patient as it won’t happen overnight. The benefits to being in a Trust Deed should far outweigh the negatives, (or you would not have been offered a Trust Deed in the first instance). One of the largest positives is having any remaining debt cleared, once you have complied with the Trust Deed Terms. For more information, please see our Scottish Debt Solutions FAQs or Contact Trust Deed Scotland. *Figures have been taken from a real case but name has been changed to protect our customers’ identity. Sitemap

10 Common Trust Deeds Questions

We often receive calls at Trust Deed Scotland from people asking questions about Trust Deeds. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most commonly asked questions so that you can learn more about the process.

1. How do I set up a Trust Deed?

First common trust deeds questions answered – Enter your details onto the website to arrange a call back, or call the office to arrange an appointment with an experienced debt adviser. The advisor will explain all the options available to you and you can then make an informed decision on whether to proceed with a Trust Deed or another solution. If you decide you would like to proceed with a Trust Deed, we will draft your case as soon as we have received the necessary documentation. Your advisor will give you a checklist of the necessary information. Once your case is drafted, you will receive a call from the insolvency practitioner to confirm the details in your paperwork are correct. After this, your advisor will arrange a final meeting with you to finalise the paperwork and answer any questions you may have. Finally, they will help you set up your first contribution payment and once this is done you can stop paying your creditors directly. Always check with your insolvency practitioner to make sure everything is finalised and you are at the stage where you can cancel payments to your creditors.

2. What if I own my own home?

Second common trust deeds questions answered – You can enter a Trust Deed if you own your own home or if you are a tenant, or living with parents or family. At the beginning of the process, you will be given the opportunity to complete a 1b form which ensures your property is protected, provided you meet the terms of your Trust Deed.

3. Will it cover all my debts?

Third common trust deeds questions answered – It would cover all unsecured finances, excluding student loans or any charges incurred due to fraudulent benefit claims or court fines accrued relating to this. There may be some typical exclusions or grey areas such as a guarantor loan. However, these would be investigated and our debt experts would ensure that any doubt would be immediately resolved, or explained. Remember too that other solutions exist such as Debt Arrangement Scheme.

4. Will I need to have a credit check done?

Fourth common trust deeds questions answered – No, you will not need to have a credit check carried out but a credit check could help verify you creditors and the amounts you owe. This is a good idea if you have additional debts you may have forgotten about or are unsure about who you owe money to.

5. Is a Trust Deed the same as bankruptcy?

Fifth common trust deeds questions answered – No, Trust Deeds and bankruptcy, (called sequestration in Scotland), are not the same. One of the major differences between the two is, if you are a homeowner, you can keep your own home in a Trust Deed but this isn’t always possible with bankruptcy. Click on the following links to find out more about Sequestration and Minimal Asset Process, (MAP). Try the Trust Deed Wizard to see how a Trust Deed could help you. Or, find out how it works.

6. Do I have to tell my family or friends?

Sixth common trust deeds questions answered – As long as you have individual debts, (they aren’t joint with anyone), you do not need to tell anyone at all if you don’t want to. We will never disclose your status to anyone and all correspondence will be discrete.  

7. What if I am self-employed?

Seventh common trust deeds questions answered –  You can apply for a Trust Deed if you are self-employed as long as you can provide evidence of income, accounts and invoices.  

8. What if I stop paying my agreed monthly contribution?

Eighth common trust deeds questions answered – If there is a valid reason you cannot pay your Trust Deed contribution, contact your insolvency practitioner immediately. It is possible to arrange a payment holiday for extenuating circumstances. If you stop paying your agreed contribution without good reason or without contacting your insolvency practitioner, they may discharge themselves from your Trust Deed, meaning your creditors will resume chasing you for the full outstanding balances, they may request a wage arrestment against you or you could be made bankrupt.  

9. Will my credit rating be affected?

Ninth common trust deeds questions answered – Yes, your credit will be affected but if a Trust Deed is the best option for you, it is best to take charge of your finances as soon as you can. If you have not defaulted on any payments but have a high level of unsecured debt, you will find yourself in the position where lenders will not consider giving you any more credit, even if you have a high credit score. This is because the acceptance process is means-tested and even if you have never missed a payment, there will come a time when what you owe exceeds the realistic probability that you can pay it back based on your income and expenditure.  If you have already defaulted on payments to your creditors, your credit will already be negatively affected and each default will show on your credit file for 6 years. Once you have been discharged from your Trust Deed, you can rebuild your credit.  

10. What would a Trust Deed mean for my future?

Tenth common trust deeds questions answered – all debts included in your plan will be written off and you are now able to rebuild your credit score. This would allow you to apply for mortgages, higher purchase loans to buy a car and credit cards. These are things you would never be able to do with poor credit. You will also be free from the stress of having a lot of debt and having multiple creditors chase you. If you have more questions you’d like us to answer, view our Scottish Debt Help page or Contact Trust Deed Scotland today.

Call us on 01412210999 for any other Trust Deeds Questions!

Call 01412210999 for any other Trust Deeds questions you have. The team at Trust Deed Scotland are here to help and honestly, there are no Trust Deed questions that we’ve not answered before.