Apply for a credit card with my bank

xmrbrightside89

hey guys,
I'd really want to apply for a credit card and start to build my credit history properly, I'm in the electoral roll, I had a sim-contract for a year or so, etc! but unfortunately it's not that long and I don't think I have enough points to get a CC yet.
I have a current account with barclays (plus), ISAs, monthly savings and e-rewards plus! I have few couple thousand pounds in my bank and I get quite a good sum of money every month regularly on my main barclays account and can save around 500 up to 900£ a month!
now I'm wondering if I get more chances to get a barclaycard (even the initial, I dont care if I have 250£ limit on it) since they can actually see my financial situation and stuff.. or if it doesn't matter at all?

when I went to open the ISA the advisor actually suggested me to get a credit card from them, I used the barclays tool (didn't want to try with an application) but it didnt offer me any card!

if not, any suggestion on what to do? and build my credit?

PhenoM

Talk to your bank.

Else try Vanquis or Capital One in that order. Just remember to pay it off in full each month.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Welcome to MSE. :hello:

I agree with PhenoM; talk to Barclays. One application isn't going to have much impact on your record. Also, check what the CRAs are reporting on you now.

Are you British? Over here we tend to use £250 rather than 250£ when writing about money. On the other hand, congratulations on knowing that it's Electoral Roll, not Role!

book12

I assume you have been with Barclays for a long time. If so, go into branch and see if you are pre-approved for a credit card. If so, go for it! The branch staff will go through the application, print out paperwork for you to sign, and give you a credit limit straight away.

I went to branch the other day to see if I have a pre-approved credit card, and got a pre-approved Barclaycard Platinum. Waiting for the PIN and card to come now. Never even had a credit card before. I thought I would be pre-approved for an Initial instead!

Trying your bank for a credit card first is a good idea, before going somewhere else.

xmrbrightside89

@fruit and nut case

I went to barclays this morning but I didn't find the girl that usually advises me! she was off so I will probably go back on thursday!
I will see what they say and try anyways! mmm I read that I can check my report on equifax for free, but it's quite difficult to cancel the membership... (read from other reviews)

I'm not british no, I've been over here for quite a while..

@book12

When you log-into your bank account you can actually check the pre-approved offers and stuff! nothing at the moment but I don't know if it's different from their computers!
What I'm thinking is... can they make a human decision? like according to your bank account, what you been doing, etc etc... because obviously a computer will just take into account wether you have a specific score, if you don't, it'll just knock you down!

chanz4

equifax is easier to cancel that experian, just send I have a question requesting to cancel

xmrbrightside89

so I went to my bank again but she said that if the barclays tool doesn't offer you a card at the moment, then probably it won't go thru if I apply anyways! I don't know if it's true but I'd rather wait! she said that barclaycard has quite high requirements.

I've decided to try with Vanquis, I know that the APR is incredibly high and all, but I don't really need a huge amount of credit, I'd be happy with the minimum actually! because I'm just gonna buy things that I'd have bought anyways, so just put it in the card and then pay it off in full every month, do it for a 6-8 months and then hopefully try with a better company or with my same bank

Vanquis called me today and wanted me to confirm few details, and now I have to send them my last 3 months statements! (I don't know why? maybe they wanna check my income) i hope it'll go through otherwise I don't really know what to do to start building my credit history for good

Jack1888

Hi

I started with Vanquis and like you they phoned me but mainly for a chat! It is a positive step that you havn't got a flat out decline so I think you'll get it providing you haven't lied about your income LOL!

I have had a V card for about a year and have now just been approved for a Capital One.

I too bank with Barclays and have a £110 overdraft and applied for the Barclaycard basic Visa twice and got declined.

Sometimes having no credit can be just as frustrating as having bad credit! Let's hope you get your first foot on the credit ladder with Vanquis!

Good luck!

book12

xmrbrightside89 wrote: »

@fruit and nut case

I went to barclays this morning but I didn't find the girl that usually advises me! she was off so I will probably go back on thursday!
I will see what they say and try anyways! mmm I read that I can check my report on equifax for free, but it's quite difficult to cancel the membership... (read from other reviews)

I'm not british no, I've been over here for quite a while..

@book12

When you log-into your bank account you can actually check the pre-approved offers and stuff! nothing at the moment but I don't know if it's different from their computers!
What I'm thinking is... can they make a human decision? like according to your bank account, what you been doing, etc etc... because obviously a computer will just take into account wether you have a specific score, if you don't, it'll just knock you down!

Any Barclays staff would deal with your queries, doesn't have to be that particualr staff.

I know you can look to see if there are pre-apporved offers on online banking. Pre-approved offers appeard in branch, and not on online bnking for me, which I find quite strange. Most people on here can see pre-approved offers online and in branch.

I don't think they can make 'human decisions'. If the application gets declined, I guess you can ask them to do that, but it will be referred to another department, as it can't be done in branch.

How long have you been in the country? If you been here for over 5 years, you are eligible for UK citizenship. Then you will be eligible to be on the electoral roll. Not sure if you are an Commonwealth or EU citizen (if you are, you are eligible to be on the electoral roll).

xmrbrightside89 wrote: »

so I went to my bank again but she said that if the barclays tool doesn't offer you a card at the moment, then probably it won't go thru if I apply anyways! I don't know if it's true but I'd rather wait! she said that barclaycard has quite high requirements.

I've decided to try with Vanquis, I know that the APR is incredibly high and all, but I don't really need a huge amount of credit, I'd be happy with the minimum actually! because I'm just gonna buy things that I'd have bought anyways, so just put it in the card and then pay it off in full every month, do it for a 6-8 months and then hopefully try with a better company or with my same bank

Vanquis called me today and wanted me to confirm few details, and now I have to send them my last 3 months statements! (I don't know why? maybe they wanna check my income) i hope it'll go through otherwise I don't really know what to do to start building my credit history for good

How long have you been banking with Barclays. If you are with them between 6-12 months (or even more), you should start having some sort of pre-approved offers. You will be known as a 'limits customers'. I would until you have a credit card pre-approved by them, as you will get a better chance. You will also know your credit limit immediately. I would suggest you do this in branch in the future, instead of online.

Stick with Vanquis for the time being. After that, try a card with your bank. Hopefully, you will get accepted. Then close Vanquis.

You could have tried for one of the Capital One cards instead of Vanquis, as it has a lower interest rate. It's too late now, since you opened a Vanquis card now.

xmrbrightside89

@book12

I'm a EU citizen and I'm already on the electoral roll I've checked and my name is on it!

I was hoping on a human decision but I might just as well wait a bit and then apply with confidence and if it doesn't go thru I can always try to twist it somehow and see what they can do.

Well I've been with barclays more than a year now but I've started with a cash card account cos obviously I couldn't open a better current account at first. then last november I asked if I could open one, they checked and I could have decided to open any of the barclays current account, even the premier one but I decided to stick with the current account plus (only £5 a month and it gives me all I need really). so It's been 6 months since I got a real current account. In the meanwhile I opened a cash ISA, a e-rewards plus and a monthly saving. I kept the cash card account as my wage go on that account and then I trasfer the money on the current account (can't be bothered with changing the bank details at work)

well I put the application in and I have to send them the bank statements and then see what they say, I really hope they won't reject it! keep my fingers crossed!
do you know more or less for how long should I stick with vanquis card? like 6 months to 1 year would be enough?

@jack

I haven't lied on my income, I get around 1900£ a month, sometimes 2000£ but on my bank statements I usually put around 1600-1900£ a month. it's shown on my statements anyways, oldest statement is around 1600£, 2nd around 1550£ and third, 1890£. It happens that I spend the cash and don't put all of my income in the bank account! is it okay?

I agree, having no credit is so frustrating cos u get rejected almost anywhere (
so sick of it!

xmrbrightside89

sent the statements! hopefully they will ring me with a good news! othewise I'll just kill myself lol