Can my debt relief order be rejected?

If you’ve applied for a debt relief order (DRO), there may be certain circumstances in which your application is refused.


This guide explains when a DRO can be refused and what you can do next.

A DRO may be rejected if:

• you didn’t provide further information after being asked to
• you don’t meet the criteria for receiving a DRO
• the official receiver thinks you’ve been dishonest in your DRO application

A DRO may also be refused if you’ve done any of the following in the last 2 years:

• given away assets – this can include but isn’t limited to shares, bank account savings and items of value that you own e.g. mobile phone, jewellery or antiques
• prioritised paying back one debt over others - such as paying back a friend or relative but not paying your monthly credit card bill
• sold an asset or assets for less than their market value – e.g. selling a piece of jewellery to a friend for £50 when it was worth £500

You must tell your DRO adviser straight away if any of these apply to you.

When you receive the refusal for your DRO, it’ll include a written response as to why it’s been refused.

If you think your DRO has been unfairly refused, you should ask the official receiver to reconsider their decision.Your DRO adviser will help with this.

Depending on the reason for the refusal, you’ll have to show proof that you:

• did meet the criteria for the DRO
• did cooperate when asked for further information
• were honest about your circumstances