What can I do to get a debit card?

Bullett_Tooth_Tony

pennylane99 wrote:

Maestro is the old "Switch" debit card....they took over the brand a few years ago....

Maestro website...

http://www.maestrocard.com/uk/

Maestro is the debit card arm of Mastercard. They brought Switch some time ago. Delta is the debit card arm of Visa, but they added the Visa logo to increase the no of outlets you can use it in.

Mics_chick

One thing I know about Visa Electron cards is they are issued to the unemployed by certain lenders regardless of what sort of card they applied for because they are seen as high risk. (Please be assured that I'm not making any judgements about any who's unemployed I'm just stating a fact!)

This happened to me and OH when we opened a new bank account while he was unemployed because we were fed up with bank we were with. Tried to use it at our normal supermarket and they wouldn't accept it! Result: didn't bother with it again because it was worse than the account we already had and I thought it was a complete waste of time! This was about 2/3 years ago so things could have improved since then.

I actually worked for a credit reference agency until recently and was able to test out the unemployed = Electron card scenario with several different lenders and the result was the same for all of them.

Visa Debit is the same as any other debit card - in some cases it's better because it has the same facility as Visa credit cards, which is that you can claim off of them for any purchase over £100 even if you can't get money of the vendor for whatever reason (even if they no longer exist!)

Rather than ring up and ask about an upgrade I would go in and see someone - they might be able to give you an answer without potentially affecting your credit rating. Also if you explain the problem they might be more sympathetic than someone in a call centre who's trained in standard responses ("the computer says No!!!"). Do they know about your history with the switch card being taken from you? If that was a long time ago and you're now older and wiser that could account for something. Don't worry about your debts if you can show them that you're now facing up to and dealing with them that should go in your favour too, I'm sure.

Good luck with whatever you decide
MC

PS Whoops sorry about the rant didn't realise it was this long!

Glass_Half_Empty??

Mics_chick wrote:

One thing I know about Visa Electron cards is they are issued to the unemployed by certain lenders regardless of what sort of card they applied for because they are seen as high risk. (Please be assured that I'm not making any judgements about any who's unemployed I'm just stating a fact!)

This happened to me and OH when we opened a new bank account while he was unemployed because we were fed up with bank we were with. Tried to use it at our normal supermarket and they wouldn't accept it! Result: didn't bother with it again because it was worse than the account we already had and I thought it was a complete waste of time! This was about 2/3 years ago so things could have improved since then.

I actually worked for a credit reference agency until recently and was able to test out the unemployed = Electron card scenario with several different lenders and the result was the same for all of them.

Visa Debit is the same as any other debit card - in some cases it's better because it has the same facility as Visa credit cards, which is that you can claim off of them for any purchase over £100 even if you can't get money of the vendor for whatever reason (even if they no longer exist!)

Rather than ring up and ask about an upgrade I would go in and see someone - they might be able to give you an answer without potentially affecting your credit rating. Also if you explain the problem they might be more sympathetic than someone in a call centre who's trained in standard responses ("the computer says No!!!"). Do they know about your history with the switch card being taken from you? If that was a long time ago and you're now older and wiser that could account for something. Don't worry about your debts if you can show them that you're now facing up to and dealing with them that should go in your favour too, I'm sure.

Good luck with whatever you decide
MC

PS Whoops sorry about the rant didn't realise it was this long!

Thank you for your well thought out reply, as it happens I went into Lloyds today on the off chance the manager may be able to over rule the computers and this happened................They(Lloyds) have a new way for people like me to get a bank account upgraded when their credit score is not very good. It is only since today and she said it was funny as they only had the info through this morning My number by Lloyds standards is 8 from 10 so I am a "high risk" HOWEVER anyone on a band 8 now has a right to an appeal depending on circumstance to upgrade. So I had a good conversation with the manageress and she said she will see what she can do. Within 30 mins she phoned me and said we can go through with it IF you get a new credit file from experian to prove you have paid your defaults in full and then they will upgrade my account and I will get a visa debit card plus cheque book etc. Now to many folk this is nothing but to me, I had my switch took off me over 4 years ago and I am looking forward to getting it back
It just goes to show that not all banks are bad, and I had been accepted by Natwest today for a solo card account but there doesn't see any point in going ahead now I get a porper adult account again. Like I said not much to someone who holds these featues but for me a BIG step to getting where I want to be

CFC

Lloyds is a complete nightmare. Anyone who gets upgraded by them is fortunate. I suspect that they have brought in an appeals procedure to the many many complaints their credit scoring process brings them.

poppycracker

LLoyd's upgraded me from an electron to a visa 'delta' automatically when my electron card expired a couple of months ago. Very relieved, there are still a lot of places that don't take electron.

Mics_chick

Well done on how you've dealt with this so far GlassHalfEmpty and I wish you luck for a positive outcome. I'm sure it will be if you are making headway with paying off defaulted debts (is this a correct assumption?).

While you're contacting Experian about your latest credit history, ask them for any advice on improving your credit score. This will probably involve going back to the companies you have the debt with but Experian should be able to help you with this. Think about contacting Equifax as well because they are the other main credit ref agency (they have a got a website but not sure what it's called).

I don't agree with CFC about Lloyds in my experience they are pretty good - about the same as any other bank! Although I must admit they I have never been in any serious financial trouble (such as CCJs,etc) but I have been in loads of debt - over £40000 at highest.

But my attitude with banks or any other sort of company is don't accept their first reply sometimes you have to fight to get them to do something. I don't mean swearing or shouting at them but being very firm, very calm and very persistent. Alot of companies don't do what you think would be obvious until you ask them to!

Also don't throw in the towel with Natwest until you see how it's gone with Experian/Lloyds. You could open the account and then decide not to use it - that's your perogative.

Anyway good luck again, MC