Great credit score but no credit

scottyb84

I know this probably gets mentioned a lot but I really don't know what more I can do.

I checked my credit score on experian and it's 999!!! Can't get any higher than that, but I have one default from just over 3 years ago. I was travelling and couldn't pay my mobile phone bill one month. The debt is settled, as it was almost straight away, but I have trouble getting any credit.
I have a mortgage, I don't owe any other loans and I have a credit card that I have used in the past few years, occasionally, but that is all clear.
I applied for an Argos store card as i wanted to take advantage of their 12 months interest free deal, but got denied their original one, but was granted one similar.
In the past few years, I have been turned down for credit on sofa and other items and it's embarrassing.
Just wondering if anyone can explain and throw some advice my way.
Thanks

john1002

First advice is you do not have a great credit score, your score at experian means nothing to the credit providers you apply too as can be seen when you got declined. Your default will almost certainly be putting most main stream creditors off providing credit. Carry on with what your doing and your credit profile(no score mentioned) will improve, all lenders have different requirements so one may decline you another wont.

You also do not mention electoral role, how long in job, your earnings, how long you have lived at your address, your single, married etc, I dont expect you to on a public forum but look at the last application you applied for credit, all the questions etc help decide if that provider wants to lend to you.

HTH

john

The_Boss

scottyb84 wrote: »

I know this probably gets mentioned a lot but I really don't know what more I can do.

I checked my credit score on experian and it's 999!!! Can't get any higher than that, but I have one default from just over 3 years ago. I was travelling and couldn't pay my mobile phone bill one month. The debt is settled, as it was almost straight away, but I have trouble getting any credit.

If you know it gets mentioned a lot, then you should have had a quick look at even only the threads on the front page, as there are several where people are told that credit scores do not exist.

You do not have a "credit score" despite what Experian and Equifax say and the numbers they provided are random made up numbers that are based on incomplete data and bear no resemblance to how lenders would assess applications you make. You have proved this by having their best possible "score" despite a default, which most lenders will be very concerned about and not likely make a decision in your favour. Does that sound like someone with the highest possible "score" to you?

GingerBob_3

scottyb84 wrote: »

I know this probably gets mentioned a lot but I really don't know what more I can do.

I checked my credit score on experian and it's 999!!! Can't get any higher than that, but I have one default from just over 3 years ago. I was travelling and couldn't pay my mobile phone bill one month. The debt is settled, as it was almost straight away, but I have trouble getting any credit.
I have a mortgage, I don't owe any other loans and I have a credit card that I have used in the past few years, occasionally, but that is all clear.
I applied for an Argos store card as i wanted to take advantage of their 12 months interest free deal, but got denied their original one, but was granted one similar.
In the past few years, I have been turned down for credit on sofa and other items and it's embarrassing.
Just wondering if anyone can explain and throw some advice my way.
Thanks

Maybe there's more to it than that, but if not, all I can say is this is yet another example of the dysfunctional credit reference industry, where trivia such as this can screw up your chances of credit for years to come.

The_Boss

Problem is that defaults are not about the amount of money but about the not sticking to the terms of an agreement. Agree that there should be avenues open for people to be able to independently challenge defaults like this though.

Other than that I think 6 years on a credit file is the right amount of time and gives people a chance to show they have learned from their mistakes.

Tixy

With a default still visible on your credit file you will struggle to get the best credit deals around - such as 0% credit deals.

With it now being 3 years old you may find you can now get some credit products, but it won't be the best deals/cheapest APRs etc.

scottyb84

Thanks for all your help and advice.
It's just hard to get head round as everything I pay is on time now inc mortgage and yet I can't get something as simple as a tv on credit because of one default.
I will continue doing what in doing and hopefully all will be good

I know it probably gets asked a lot but it was 6:30 in the morning and just wanted to express my situation across and get a direct replay instead of looking at loads of people's forums and piecing it all together.

RichL74

I'm confused a little by your Argos comment in that you applied for a store card, were turned down for that but offered something similar.

Did you apply for the Argos credit card by mistake but were accepted for their store card or the 'something similar' was another store altogether?