Joint Account help

bc3000

Hi,

I'm looking to open a joint account with my boyfriend, but he's been told a few times he's got a bad credit rating. My mum told me this could just be the house he's in (a council house) which is affecting it, because the only thing he's done to affect the rating is to check it! I think he's been accidentally overdrawn a few pence once but that's about it. Has never missed a DD etc...

I don't want his rating to affect mine.. although I'm not sure what mine IS, but I've never had a problem getting debit cards (never tried credit cards, I'm only 18!).

Does anyone have any advice? I told him to check it online on those free credit check websites that are around, whether he actually does it or not... lol.

Also, can anyone suggest a joint account or what to look for or anything.. Never done this before so any advice would be helpful!

Thanks

~Beanie~

The house he is in will make no difference whatsoever to his credit rating. Who has told him he has a bad one? He really does need to check his credit rating with all three CRAs if possible.

bc3000

He tried to get mobile phone contracts and kept getting rejected.

JohalaReewi

Suggest he gets a copy of his credit records from the credit agencies (Experian and Equifax are the main two). He can try Martin's free report tip or just spend £2 for the statutory report. They can be ordered online.

That will show if there are any negative items on his credit history. In the meantime, I would hold off getting a joint account because that will financially link you two together and if he does have a bad credit history, your creditworthyness will drop.

He may have been refused mobile phone contracts because he doesn't have any credit history (quite often no history = bad history).

When your BFs credit record has been checked and straightened out, you can reconsider the joint account. On the other hand, if your BF doesn't want to do this....