• Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training Contract
    Now half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
    Join Premium →
  • Ask Withers Anything! (Live Q&A)
    17 Nov 2025 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (UK) Hosted on TCLA Forum
    Chat with Withers' graduate recruitment team and ask about life at the firm, secondment opportunities, and what it's like to be a trainee. Simply return to this page on the day to post your questions.
  • SQE Student Panel with BPP
    19 Nov 2025 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Join us for a live student panel with BPP University Law School. We'll be joined by Jonny Hurst, Senior Lecturer in Law at BPP, and current BPP students who will share their advice on passing the SQE.
    Register on Zoom →

SRA Character and Suitability (Credit Report)

AA699

Standard Member
Sep 26, 2023
8
0
Hi. So I have defaulted on two payments (one on a student overdraft account and one on a phone contract). It has been a couple of years and I am currently in the process of settling these two defaults. They are both on my credit report and I have a low credit score. How will this effect my chances of meeting the SRA's character and suitability?
 

TCLA Community Assistant

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
15,526
21,762
Hi. So I have defaulted on two payments (one on a student overdraft account and one on a phone contract). It has been a couple of years and I am currently in the process of settling these two defaults. They are both on my credit report and I have a low credit score. How will this affect my chances of meeting the SRA's character and suitability?
When you say two defaults, were these recovered through a debt collection system or did you just receive financial charges/fines that you then had to pay off on top of the debt (but you managed that directly with the suppliers rather than a debt collection agency)?
 

AA699

Standard Member
Sep 26, 2023
8
0
Hi. So I have defaulted on two payments (one on a student overdraft account and one on a phone contract). It has been a couple of years and I am currently in the process of settling these two defaults. They are both on my credit report and I have a low credit score. How will this effect my chances of meeting the SRA's character and suitability?
When you say two defaults, were these recovered through a debt collection system or did you just receive financial charges/fines that you then had to pay off on top of the debt (but you managed that directly with the suppliers rather than a debt collection agency)?
These are not being recovered through a debt collection system. I am now directly making payments to the bank and the telecom provider in instalments without any financial charges, interest or fines.
 

TCLA Community Assistant

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
15,526
21,762
These are not being recovered through a debt collection system. I am now directly making payments to the bank and the telecom provider in instalments without any financial charges, interest or fines.
Then you are fine - this is not an issue at all. There probably wouldn’t be any lawyers at all if we went off what are late payments.
 


Write your reply...

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Newsletter

Discover the most relevant business news, access our law firm analysis, and receive our best advice for aspiring lawyers.