Want to improve credit but Bad Credit credit cards not accepting me!

NatSte

Hi,

About 6/7 years ago I struggled with bad debt, basically got into arrears, had a couple of ccj's and so on...now, I am debt-free (admittedly some of it was just written off) and in a position where I am ready to mend my credit report! My new partner and I are looking into getting a mortgage in the future (few years yet!) so improving our credit score now is important.

I have just joined up to Experian creditexpert and Callcredit. Experian has my score as poor (666 was my actual score), but it said I was basically "good" at making repayments (direct debits and overdraft charges I guess as I have no other credit to repay) but "bad" because I have made fewer than 2 applications for credit and I am not on the electoral roll (I should be, having applied over a month ago to be put on the register!) There are no ccj's, arrears or anything else on the report, all I have is my current account activity marked as satisfactory. And a few searches made due recent credit applications. Still in the process of joining Callcredit so don't know what info they hold just yet.

My question is: how do I go about improving my non-existent/bad credit if poor credit credit card companies keep declining me! I applied to Vanquis and Aqua, recommended by experian. I presume it is because I am supposedly not on the electoral roll? Or perhaps the other credit reference agencies hold more info of my past history? I am a full time mum/housewife so dont have my own income as such...do they take that into account? Mind you, they did say the reason my application was declined was due to me not passing the credit check. I dont want to make any more applications just yet as I guess that could also have a negative impact on my credit rating, so does anyone have any tips for me? Anything at all that could bump up my credit score without me having to apply for credit! Thanks and apologies for the massive post!

PS. I didn't know where to put this so just put it here. Apologies if I should've posted it somewhere else.

InsideInsurance

Unfortunately companies tend to give a stock answer for rejections rather than a personalised one. I had a spell of being rejected for credit after moving address with various comments over credit referencing etc but eventually spoke to someone who advised the issue was my address on the CRA was slightly different from how the post office had it (and I put it on forms) and so they basically werent finding me rather than anything negative in the info that was coming back which some letters had stated.

People looking to give credit will look at a number of factors including past history, existing commitments and based on the previous, affordability. These are then balanced against their target markets, interest rates etc and a decision, limit and interest rate is given. What incomes are you able to offer up to pay off the credit they'd offer you if your a housewife and presumably no significant investments/ savings or rental incomes etc?



If you sent it off a month ago to go onto the electrol register then it is unlikely to appear until December. Councils update it monthly from Dec-September.

NatSte

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Unfortunately companies tend to give a stock answer for rejections rather than a personalised one. I had a spell of being rejected for credit after moving address with various comments over credit referencing etc but eventually spoke to someone who advised the issue was my address on the CRA was slightly different from how the post office had it (and I put it on forms) and so they basically werent finding me rather than anything negative in the info that was coming back which some letters had stated.

People looking to give credit will look at a number of factors including past history, existing commitments and based on the previous, affordability. These are then balanced against their target markets, interest rates etc and a decision, limit and interest rate is given. What incomes are you able to offer up to pay off the credit they'd offer you if your a housewife and presumably no significant investments/ savings or rental incomes etc?



If you sent it off a month ago to go onto the electrol register then it is unlikely to appear until December. Councils update it monthly from Dec-September.

Ahhh, thank you! I was starting to wonder if my application to be put on the electoral register had got lost in the post!

When I was looking into applying for the Aqua credit card I noticed it said they considered all applicants with bad credit, no credit and those not on the electoral roll - baffled as to why I was turned down by them. I suppose they can't accept everybody.

Oh, it might be worth noting that I also applied for a contract mobile phone a while ago too. I didn't fail the credit check outright as such but they said they needed to do a manual credit check and they put my application on hold due to "mutiple addresses" or something...I have lived at 4 different addresses in England and Scotland over just two years. Not been on the electoral roll for any of them apart from one.

Now I have confused myself even more lol!

Edited to say just found out I have been accepted for a mobile phone on contract after 3 did a manual credit check. Doesn't help in getting a credit card but at least I have means of improving my credit rating now! Woohoo!

KILL_BILL

i think that you have to be patient - a fw years back i ran up quite a few credit card bills and loans which defaulted and 18 months ago i was surised that orange gave me a contract mobile phone which i kept up with payments every month. during this time i applied for a capital one and vanquis card but i got rejected. last week orange couldnt give me a good offer to stay with them so i applied for a new phone with cpw for a vodafone and was suprised that they accepted me as well

just now i have applied for an aqua card and have been accepted abeit with a £450 limit... so slowly but surely things are improving and thewy will for you ... just dont do load of applications and budget with the money that you have

Kyresa

Have you tried Capital One?

You'll find Aqua and Barclaycard Initial are the harder ones to get.

The other thing to do is get a cashplus credit builder card and try again in a year.

It's worked for a few people