Unless you specifically request a date, direct debits can be staggered through the month, and it’s easy to get stung by a direct debit that comes out a few days before payday. Phone bills and utility bills also influence your credit rating, so ensuring that they all come out when there’s money in your account will help prevent missed payments, which can quickly destroy a decent credit rating.

This is a strange point, but landlines and registering for the electoral roll gives your credit file a static and trusted address, which can positively influence your credit score.

Whilst it’d be too much to ask to start saving if you already have a bad credit history, by making steady monthly payments into a savings account you are showing creditors that you are responsible with your earnings, which of course looks good on your record.

There are dedicated charitable companies designed to provide assistance and guidance with regard to bad credit repair. Don’t be shy! Such advisors work with thousands of people a year in the same situation as yourself, and can often prescribe good, common sense advice that you may not have thought of.