Thought CRAs are only 6 years? Possible Barclaycard blacklist?

Loki1000

Hey everyone,

Newbie on here be kind. I applied for a Barclaycard earlier this week and didn't receive a instant decision. I thought my chances were decent to be accepted. So got a letter through yesterday stating I was not accepted because of "breaking T&Cs from a previously held account due to leaving a outstanding balance" or words to pretty that effect, not got the letter in front of me.

Now, their reason is valid, I did hold a Barclaycard pretty much as soon as I was 18 and ran it well initially but then hit my 20s and got daft and struggled to pay and eventually buried my head in the sand and blah blah blah. It was never paid, even once passed onto a debt collection. So I can't argue with their reason which is fair enough.

However, I'm now in my 30s, have a decent salary and mortgage with mainstream cards RBS, MBNA, Amex etc. My CRAs are all perfect now, all greens for past 6 years, good dent in mortgage, electoral roll and only moved once in 6 years.

So that leaves me to assume, Barclaycard have a little black book. Surely this is against the rules? If they don't want to lend to me, I get it I done them over before and they're entitled to refuse me. But on the grounds of a old account 6+ years out with CRAs? Other lenders have have me a second chance and I'm now being a good customer for them so just very surprised that Barclaycard keep records that long and what I'm not sure about is if they are allowed to refuse you for that reason they stated on the letter? Just seems pointless in the 6 year rule if black books are still used, thought blacklisting was a myth?

MisterBaxter

CRAs can only hold/show information for 6 years but lenders themselves can keep information as long as they want providing then can demonstrate that in doing so they are complying with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, what the DPA wouldn't allow them to do is share that information with other lenders.

Some lenders seem to have shorter memories than others but if they hold the information and want to use I can't see any reason why they can't. I suspect that they could argue that under DPA it was reasonable to hold and use the information to protect their financial interests.

matttye

Global blacklisting is a myth, but companies can blacklist you using the data they hold about you if they want.

Barclaycard is obviously taking a once bitten, twice shy approach.

antrobus

The Data Protection Act does not set out any specific minimum or maximum periods for retaining personal data. It says "Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes." Hence if Barclaycard want to retain data pertaining to individuals who have left an "outstanding balance" on a previous account for the purposes of ensuring that they are not given another opportunity to do so, they can.

chattychappy

Loki1000 wrote: »

eventually buried my head in the sand and blah blah blah. It was never paid,

...

However, I'm now in my 30s, have a decent salary

Well... the money is still owing. You could use your decent salary to pay them now?

It probably wouldn't make any difference to their decision... but had you eventually paid up it might have done.

fawnsinthegarden

Any lender can choose not to lend to you for any reason they so wish, you don't have an automatic right to credit. To be fair, you didn't pay the debt back, and they don't want to lend to you - can you really blame them? American Express also do this, as I'm sure most mainstream lenders do too.

MABLE

Loki1000 wrote: »

Hey everyone,

Newbie on here be kind. I applied for a Barclaycard earlier this week and didn't receive a instant decision. I thought my chances were decent to be accepted. So got a letter through yesterday stating I was not accepted because of "breaking T&Cs from a previously held account due to leaving a outstanding balance" or words to pretty that effect, not got the letter in front of me.

Now, their reason is valid, I did hold a Barclaycard pretty much as soon as I was 18 and ran it well initially but then hit my 20s and got daft and struggled to pay and eventually buried my head in the sand and blah blah blah. It was never paid, even once passed onto a debt collection. So I can't argue with their reason which is fair enough.

However, I'm now in my 30s, have a decent salary and mortgage with mainstream cards RBS, MBNA, Amex etc. My CRAs are all perfect now, all greens for past 6 years, good dent in mortgage, electoral roll and only moved once in 6 years.

So that leaves me to assume, Barclaycard have a little black book. Surely this is against the rules? If they don't want to lend to me, I get it I done them over before and they're entitled to refuse me. But on the grounds of a old account 6+ years out with CRAs? Other lenders have have me a second chance and I'm now being a good customer for them so just very surprised that Barclaycard keep records that long and what I'm not sure about is if they are allowed to refuse you for that reason they stated on the letter? Just seems pointless in the 6 year rule if black books are still used, thought blacklisting was a myth?

About 32 years ago I got into trouble with BC and they took out a county court judgement against me for the debt. I eventually paid it off after 3 years. I then applied for a BC in 1994 and got accepted straight away with a good CL.

If they do have a black list not sure then how far it goes back.

dumpyboy

The more worrying thing is your bank copies down your credit file at it s worse then after all the bad stuff is removed from your credit file they still quote when a default was placed and settled I be worried they share this among there selfs

bengal-stripe

Loki1000 wrote: »

It was never paid....

MABLE wrote: »

I eventually paid it off after 3 years.

That obviously is the difference between the two of you!

gunsandbanjos

bengal-stripe wrote: »

That obviously is the difference between the two of you!

Absolutely, why on earth would barclaycard lend to you when technically you still owe them money? How much do you owe them?

Blacklists do exist.

zerog

If you are really desperate for a Barclaycard change your name and address and close all your accounts, then hope nobody catches you for fraud.