Applications cancelled - will it affect my credit rating?

SugarSpun

I've just moved back to the UK from Germany, and since we had some quite large purchases to make I started an application for a John Lewis partnership card (I wanted to buy our electronics from there because of the five-year guarantee etc).

Anyway, I put in an application in September and because we were in very short term housing we didn't have the paperwork they requested. So I went back in yesterday now we have our home, and the CSR was different. She cancelled the old application and clicked different answers to the same questions on their questionnaire (although the information I gave her was the same). She called the underwriters, who commented that the answers on the cancelled application were different, and then said that without 12 months continuous UK residence I'm not eligible for the partnership card.

I'm furious because I've wasted well over two hours in total applying for this card when a simple, Sorry, you're not eligible, right at the very beginning would have saved us all the trouble. The question is, though, will it affect my credit rating to have had two applications cancelled/rejected? And how can I fix it if so?

Tixy

Lots of applications close together can have a short term negative impact on your ability to get new credit accepted.

However if the 2 applications were both made then it is correct for them to show on your file.

In your situation they are unlikely to make much difference, as the situation with you not having been resident is likely to cause you far more of a problem for at least the next few months (and after that the old searches will be as good as irrelevant).

InsideInsurance

If its with the same lender then it will only be considered as a single application, there are various reasons why lenders may do multiple searches for a single customer within a few days of each other and you dont get penalised for that.

The CRAs do not record the outcome of an application on that an application for credit has been made. Most lenders are comfortable with a low number of applications within a 6 month period but when these become frequent they may be concerned that you are desperate

SugarSpun

Thank you both

Thrugelmir

She called the underwriters, who commented that the answers on the cancelled application were different

Application data is processed by NHunter on behalf of all the major lenders to detect discrepancies.

http://www.nhunter.co.uk/