Can't get a Credit Carrd :-/

Kyle1986

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could help me or give me some advice on what i'm doing.. I'm looking to buy a place with my gf later this year, we've saved the deposit etc etc, and I really want to build up my credit rating before we get a mortgage. I lived with a friend about 4 years ago and stupidly got a joint account with him for bills etc, needless to say things didn't end well and this 'friend' got an overdraft and it was never paid resulting in fees etc. My lawyer friend at work wrote letters back and forth to Santander about the fact that we should have both have had to agree to him having an overdraft etc, in the end Santander admitted the fault was with them and sent me the money to pay them back, around about £600 in the end...

Well since then I just cannot seem to get a credit card anywhere, santander wont even let me open their 123 current account, vanquis wouldnt let me have a credit card. Ive got a credit report from experian which shows the £600 with santander as a default and that its now satisfied. Ive had a credit card with them before when I was like 19, never used it though and cancelled within 3 months, have never owed any money elsewhere either.

Does anyone have any idea what I can do to rebuild my credit rating as i'm at a loss, any help on this will be amazing.

Thanks

Kyle

DCFC79

[STRIKE]A vanquis CC[/STRIKE], run your account very well and just be sensible. How many CC applicatons have you made ?

Just seen vanquis rejected you.

Kyle1986

I've applied with Santander for their CC, they said no, applied for their 123 account as I have a fair bit in savings, they said no. And applied for the Vanquis CC. Thats all been in the last month, before that the last time I applied was probably 6months ago.

DCFC79

Kyle1986 wrote: »

I've applied with Santander for their CC, they said no, applied for their 123 account as I have a fair bit in savings, they said no. And applied for the Vanquis CC. Thats all been in the last month, before that the last time I applied was probably 6months ago.

Only heard of the vanquis card to use for building, might be another so look on the credit card forum.

Tixy

What is the age of your default?

Are you on the electoral roll?

Do you have any other credit agreements showing on your credit file (mobile phone contracts anything)?

Kyle1986

Default is from 2011. Yep been on electoral roll since 16.. 26 now. And I have mobile phone and clothing credit thing. No probs with either..

Tixy

Well you could try for another subprime card - but vanquis is usually the easiest to get.

Have a read of this article http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/bad-credit-credit-cards

With a default that recent on your file then its going to significantly limit your choice of mortgage regardless of whether you get a card between now and then. Have you spoken to a mortgage advisor about your chance of getting a mortgage with that on your file? and whether you will need a larger deposit or only likely to be able to get a mortgage deal with a higher APR.

matttye

Surprised noone has suggested this yet, but if Santander agreed that the fault was with them and that your friend shouldn't have been able to apply for an overdraft without your agreement (and you didn't provide that agreement), then you should be able to get the default removed as well. They should have done that at the same time they sent you the £600, but if you didn't bring it to their attention they probably overlooked it.

iaintw

Hello Kyle
couple of things for you.
Do you check your credit file equifax, callcredit or noddle and experian? You are allowed to write a letter to the lender to say to them "I wish to that you should remove the default on my record". And also fight back against them too by writing a letter to them. wait 6 months time and complain to the FOS.

You can Request a subject to access request your right to see personal information they hold on you.

current price is for Subject to access request is £10.00 and it takes 40 days

Kyle1986

Ok well i've just gone through my last correspondence with them and they clearly admit responsibility, otherwise why else would they as they put it 'enclose a cheque for £603.55 as a gesture of goodwill to clear the outstanding debt'.

I've just wrote to them asking for them to remove the default.

I didn't even know that this could be done, does it usually take long?

If they don't remove the default, should I get in touch with the FOS?

matttye

Kyle1986 wrote: »

Ok well i've just gone through my last correspondence with them and they clearly admit responsibility, otherwise why else would they as they put it 'enclose a cheque for £603.55 as a gesture of goodwill to clear the outstanding debt'.

I've just wrote to them asking for them to remove the default.

I didn't even know that this could be done, does it usually take long?

If they don't remove the default, should I get in touch with the FOS?

They can ask the CRA's to do it as soon as you ask, but the CRA's sometimes take a while to update your credit files.

I recently had some late payment markers removed; Experian removed them the day my bank asked, Equifax took about 3 days and Noddle a few weeks (Noddle updates once a month). A lot of people say Equifax is slowest though.

Yes - go to FOS if they won't remove it. You have a written admission of their fault so they can't really argue the default is valid.