Improve credit rating

restless2100

Hi need some info on how to improve my credit rating. Had a lot of debt 10 years ago. Signed up for the credit report, got a basic bank account and now on the voters role. It says I have a fair rating of 838 but when I tried for a credit card to help it didn't get accepted. So I don't want to apply for anything else.
Any advice would be good. I'm looking to buy a house in a couple of years.

jamesd

Lots of debt isn't a problem. It's defaulted or partially settled debts that are. Do you have any of those showing on your report? They normally stick around for six years. What credit accounts show up on your report and what's the worst information shown for each?

If you haven't had a card for a while that may be sufficient reason for you to be declined. Use one of the tools like the one on this site that checks your record and tells you what the credit card provider thinks your chance of being accepted is and pick one of the higher chance ones to start. I accepted, perhaps go for another seven months later once there's some record of how you use the first one.

Thrugelmir

Start saving with a mortgage lender. Both Nationwide and Halifax offer FTB schemes. Alternatively open an account with a local building society. As this will earn you brownie points.