HELP! Non UK citizen needs to improve credit score

charlotteosman

My husband is Iraqi by birth and is in the process of becoming a British Citizen, in the mean time he wants to take out a mobile phone contract out in his own name but I am scared he will be refused as he has a poor credit score, due to not having any history. His bank account has been open for less that a year and he isn't eligible to vote so cannot be put on the electoral roll. He currently has a catalogue / store card in his own name but that's it. Any suggestions on how to improve his credit score? Thanks!

forgotmyname

I thought everyone had to be named on the electoral roll?

CKhalvashi

forgotmyname wrote: »

I thought everyone had to be named on the electoral roll?

Not without a British (EU?) passport.

My OH moved to UK in 2003, and didn't become a British citizen since 2009, at that point registered on ER.

You need to send proof of ID/address/Leave to Remain to the CRA's, and he will have same access to products as anyone else.

CK

InsideInsurance

CKhalvashi wrote: »

Not without a British (EU?) passport.

Its nothing to do with passports but to do with nationality. You need to be a British or european citizen to go onto the electrol roll.

With the exception of the ER everything else is the same for him as it is for a british citizen to improve his rating. Not having ER isnt ideal but ultimately isnt a total deal breaker but does mean he is more likely to need to provide proof of ID/ address than having it done electronically.

My wife was a non-UK/EU citizen and she had a premium account, standard credit card, mobile phone contract etc prior to becoming british.

DCFC79

Why a phone contract ?

He buys a phone and a sim only contract from 1 of the many retailers.

charlotteosman

Thanks guys, ideally we are looking to transfer it from my name to his, meaning a credit check will be done but I think he will fail this as he has only had a bank account for 8 months and no previous history, then its catch 22 as if we apply for a credit card in his name and he is refused this will only make it worse! Could I add him to my credit card as a card holder perhaps?

Tixy

You could add him as an additional cardholder - but it wouldn't appear on his credit file or help him to obtain credit - as he is not liable for any debt incurred on the account you are.

If he makes a credit application and is turned down this won't make things worse - all that will show on his credit file is an application (not whether it was declined or accepted).
Whilst making lots of applications in a short space of time is not recommended (as it shows a desperation for credit) a single application or even 2 is not going to hurt. And after 6 months would have negligible impact on his credit file.

I doubt he would be accepted for a credit card yet though.

Is his bank account a regular account or a basic bank account? does he have any overdraft facility on it? Maybe wait until he has had the account open more than a year and then approach the bank to see if they may consider an card application from him.

charlotteosman

He has been offered credit cards from the bank but only via those letters they like to send to everybody saying they have been selected for a card. He has no overdraft facility though, so maybe it would be worth approaching the bank first? thanks

InsideInsurance

As he has an internal rating with them they or the subprime offerings are the best bets for the chances of being accepted and his own bank is best out of the two for looking good to other lenders