Partner affects overdraft

rande169

Hi,
I applied for an overdraft from Alliance & Leicester and was refused on because of my credit rating. Knowing that there is nothing wrong withit I contacted the A&L and after a debate about data protection and some bluffing about having my credit report in front of me, it transpires that there is a link between me and my girlfriend on my file and the A&L have checked my girlfriends credit history and hence come up with the decision they did. I know that she has a bad credit rating due to financial difficulties some 4 years ago, and yes we have a joint bank account with Nationwide so we are financially linked there. My question is since the overdraft was in my name only on an account that is in my name only and with a bank that my girlfriend has nothing to do with - are they actually allowed to be searching her credit files without her consent?
Hope someone can shed light?
Ta muchly

Rafter

Because of the financial association created by your joint account with Nationwide they are. It wasn't until fairly recently that if you did a search of your credit rating you got all adults living at the same address too!

I suggest you ask A&L to manually score your application and if they still refuse, escalate the complaint and then escalate further to the ombudsman. At some point they will hopefully back down, although you have no right to be given a product - each bank can decide which customers it wants and on which terms.

I suggest you get an account in your own name with Nationwide. At least then they know your history and should give you an overdraft. Probably likely to be cheaper in the long term too, because Nationwide is a Building Society it doesn't have shareholders taking a cut of your interest.

R.