Three won't give me a phone!

farmroad38

I live in a bit of a dead spot. When I moved in September, I discovered my Orange phone had pretty much no signal anywhere in the house. I've managed to survive to nearly the end of my contract, but now I want to change.

Testing a friend's '3' handset, it had full coverage in every room, so I decided I'd get an HTC Hero with them. Having tried online and in one of their High Street stores, though, it turns out that '3' don't want me as a customer, as I failed their credit checks! I've checked my credit report with Equifax and (as expected) it is pretty much spotless - I have one late payment on a credit card in the last three years. The only reason the salesman in the shop could think of was that I have moved twice since 2007.

So, after all of that ramble, my question is: is it worth bothering to appeal against the decision? Is it likely they'll reconsider? I'm a bit stuffed really, as '3' and O2 are the only networks that cover my house!

I'd also be interested if anyone could think of any other reason why they turned me down. I'm an IT consultant, employed, have been with the same company for five years, and I think I could just about manage the 25 quid a month they were asking for...:rolleyes:

Oh, and here's a bit of irony. Whilst I was in the shop, a small chavette came in because she had a problem with her phone - she was a couple of hundred quid in arrears on her bill and didn't want to be cut off. So, they'd give her a phone, but not me? Nice...:mad:

Jon_01

If you moved in Sept, are you on the voter roll? If not that can be a real deal killer.

Sometimes they take a refundable deposit (100, 150 quid), that might be worth a try but I don't know if 3 work like that. . .

farmroad38

According to my Equifax report, yes I am on the electoral roll.

I thought they might ask for a deposit, but they didn't. The salesman was expecting the application to be referred, which I guess means that they can then override it at the shop and accept me (which might be where the deposit comes in), but it was a straight refusal.

dwichmann

get a pay as you go phone with 3?

farmroad38

On pay monthly, I'd get the Hero for free. If I go for pay as you go, I'll have to fork out two or three hundred quid for it - why should I have to do that just because their credit scoring system is totally screwed?

I'll agree that my options are limited, but I can go to O2... providing they don't turn me down as well, I suppose!

LeeSouthEast

It's still not free on contract.. you just pay for it (and then some) over the life of the contract period.

gjchester

farmroad38 wrote: »

On pay monthly, I'd get the Hero for free. If I go for pay as you go, I'll have to fork out two or three hundred quid for it - why should I have to do that just because their credit scoring system is totally screwed?

Like it or not any company can choose not to deal with you, and does not have to give a reason.

Most likely something does not match up but who knows.

Silly question but why did the sales bod expect a referral to happen? Seems odd on a low ish value phone and contract.

farmroad38

Okay, I've looked it up - a SIM free Hero is £360.

'3' do a SIM only pay monthly for £15/month that would get me roughly the same minutes/texts/internet as the £25/month one where I'd get the phone free. So in that case, the phone is going to cost me £120.

If I were to get a PAYG SIM, then I get no free calls, very small free internet allowance, and number of free texts depends on how much I top up... That's going to end up costing me a shedload more than it would on the £25/month contract.

farmroad38

gjchester wrote: »

Like it or not any company can choose not to deal with you, and does not have to give a reason.

Most likely something does not match up but who knows.

Silly question but why did the sales bod expect a referral to happen? Seems odd on a low ish value phone and contract.

I appreciate it's their choice, but it just seems ridiculous...

I think he was expecting a referral because I'd already applied once on the internet and been rejected.

reehsetin

farmroad38 wrote: »

I appreciate it's their choice, but it just seems ridiculous...

I think he was expecting a referral because I'd already applied once on the internet and been rejected.

applied with 3?

If you've already made one attempt and been declined a lot of companies will automatically decline if you try again within say 3 months

farmroad38

reehsetin wrote: »

applied with 3?

If you've already made one attempt and been declined a lot of companies will automatically decline if you try again within say 3 months

Yes, it was with '3', and I can see that might be the case.

However (and getting back to my original question), that still doesn't explain why my original application was rejected when my credit report is clear.

Thinking about it, though, I'm coming round to the idea of possibly getting their £15/month SIM only deal, and sticking it either in a phone I already have, or getting a SIM free Hero.