Credit Reference Agencies - Who Really Uses Who?! UPDATE

never-in-doubt

Innocent_Guy wrote: »

As I was saying earlier I must have been lucky as I have made 3-4 applications and they have all search Equifax.

I think it is safe to say the majority of times they will search Equifax however applicants must be aware that there is a likelihood of them searching Experian

See I actually think it falls in line with most other firms, in that they now shadow all 3 CRA's and select at random which agency they will use as their primary and secondary.

In that, it appears that a lot of lenders now perform a search wit htheir main provider and if your credit file is fine, they can make the offer based on that (so in your case, you got Equifax searched as your Equifax passed their internal marker without the need for further checks).

However, lets say you had a NoD or adverse of any sort on your Equifax, they may then go check out Experian. Similarly, if it shows an adverse marker overall but it doesn't appear on their Equifax search, they would then go seek to find it by searching Experian.

Make sense?

So, in summary my belief is that they will accept based on their main CRA search if you pass. Any doubts will result in additional CRA cheks being performed which may be in the way of an application search or soft search (invisible footprint)

The above also seems to ring true with peoples versions of events, lately.

Innocent_Guy

never-in-doubt wrote: »

See I actually think it falls in line with most other firms, in that they now shadow all 3 CRA's and select at random which agency they will use as their primary and secondary.

In that, it appears that a lot of lenders now perform a search wit htheir main provider and if your credit file is fine, they can make the offer based on that (so in your case, you got Equifax searched as your Equifax passed their internal marker without the need for further checks).

However, lets say you had a NoD or adverse of any sort on your Equifax, they may then go check out Experian. Similarly, if it shows an adverse marker overall and it doesn;t appear on their Equifax search, they would then go seek to find it by searching Experian.

Make sense?

So, in summary my belief is that they will accept based on their main CRA search is you pass. Any doubts will result in additional CRA cheks being performed which may be in the way of an application search or soft search (invisible footprint)

The above also seems to ring true with peoples versions of events, lately.

The above seems likely and also sounds quite logical.

If they search with their main provider and all is well then there is no need for them to waste money search and additional CRA.

never-in-doubt

Innocent_Guy wrote: »

If they search with their main provider and all is well then there is no need for them to waste money search and additional CRA.

That's it mate - in a nutshell.... :T

That is my logic behind it anyway, and it does seem to ring true in a lot of cases.

Cash_Flow

Innocent_Guy wrote: »

As I was saying earlier I must have been lucky as I have made 3-4 applications and they have all search Equifax.

I think it is safe to say the majority of times they will search Equifax however applicants must be aware that there is a likelihood of them searching Experian

Yeah but in your case they new everything about your experian file as you bank with them and Barclaycard is linked to your Barclays Limits.

Innocent_Guy

Cash_Flow wrote: »

Yeah but in your case they new everything about your experian file as you bank with them and Barclaycard is linked to your Barclays Limits.

I have no pre approved limits though.

never-in-doubt

Innocent_Guy wrote: »

I have no pre approved limits though.

Internal check mate - internal HSBC ccustomers get a CC search and if ok, fine. Otherwise it is EQ/EX....

I never thought of that lol - you got an existing customer search so they'd have taken the easy and free Equifax route...

Innocent_Guy

never-in-doubt wrote: »

Internal check mate - internal HSBC ccustomers get a CC search and if ok, fine. Otherwise it is EQ/EX....

I never thought of that lol - you got an existing customer search so they'd have taken the easy and free Equifax route...

On the application they do ask whether you hold a Barclays account. I agree that this must be linked.

Cash_Flow

Innocent_Guy wrote: »

I have no pre approved limits though.

Was you ever pre selected for a Barclays card on the pre approved offers page?

I have found barclays hard work to obtain further lending from.

Moved over to halifax and they have pre approved £2500.00 OD in five months.

Barclays offered £100.00 in 14 months:T

Innocent_Guy

Cash_Flow wrote: »

Was you ever pre selected for a Barclays card on the pre approved offers page?

I have found barclays hard work to obtain further lending from.

Moved over to halifax and they have pre approved £2500.00 OD in five months.

Barclays offered £100.00 in 14 months:T

I have NEVER had any pre-selected offers :eek:

stclair

never-in-doubt wrote: »

See I actually think it falls in line with most other firms, in that they now shadow all 3 CRA's and select at random which agency they will use as their primary and secondary.

In that, it appears that a lot of lenders now perform a search wit htheir main provider and if your credit file is fine, they can make the offer based on that (so in your case, you got Equifax searched as your Equifax passed their internal marker without the need for further checks).

However, lets say you had a NoD or adverse of any sort on your Equifax, they may then go check out Experian. Similarly, if it shows an adverse marker overall but it doesn't appear on their Equifax search, they would then go seek to find it by searching Experian.

Make sense?

So, in summary my belief is that they will accept based on their main CRA search if you pass. Any doubts will result in additional CRA cheks being performed which may be in the way of an application search or soft search (invisible footprint)

The above also seems to ring true with peoples versions of events, lately.

Thats exactley what Natwest/RBS do they will search experian if they dont find what there looking for they will then search equifax