Foreign Resident Credit Check

Stobart

Hello

My wife is originally from Mexico and moved to the UK on a Spouse visa (2 year visa - entitled to work) in October 2010. Since then she has successfully received her Indefinite Leave to Remain and is looking to soon apply for citizenship. Due to her current immigration status she is not allowed to be added to the electoral register (you must be a citizen for this).

So what does this have to do with credit records? Well since she arrived in the UK we have never been successful in getting hold of any credit records regardless of what company/service we use. She has held a bank account since 2010 (a very basic Halifax account that required no credit check) she has direct debits coming out of this account. She has had different jobs all paying salary directly into her account (she's been in her most recent job for 17 months). Later this year we will want to apply for a joint mortgage and I am worried about the consequences of my inability to find any credit record for her.

I think the problem may lie in her name. Note that after marriage she opted to keep her last name and not take mine. In Mexico it is normal to have two last names (father's surname followed by mother's maiden name). This appears on her passport under "surname". If I remember correctly, when she opened her Halifax account, they insisted on using her full name as it had to match her passport (she would have been happy to shorten her surname to match only her father's name (De Rodriguez) in order to keep things easier in the UK and match UK norms). However her debit card (visa electron) shows this name in an unexpected way. To understand this an example is required (I won't use her actual name but will use the same format so you get the gist):

First Names (as shown in passport): Maria Roberta
Last Name (as shown on passport): De Rodriguez Jimenez
Name shown on debit card: MS M R R S Jimenez
Name shown when logged in to on-line banking: Ms Maria Jimenez

This seems to me that they are only using "Jiminez" as her last name and "De Rodriguez" as other first names. Maybe I'm wrong but either way, any inconsistency with her name can't be helping her credit record and/or enable credit check agencies to authenticate her identity. It may even mean that information held about my wife is not being connected together as being related to one person.

Apart from her income/bank account/direct debits I doubt she has much information on her credit record (if indeed one exists). Note she has never been overdrawn (there is no such facility on her account anyway).

So where do we go from here to (a) try to identify if she has a credit record? and (b) improve the credit record? [note: 1. I know it will help once she has gained full citizenship as she will be able to get on the electoral register and 2. I'm wary about her applying for credit cards which I know could improve her score, as they will surely run a credit check as part of the application and I believe a failed credit check could further damage any existing score!] and (c) do you think without resolving this, our application for a mortgage could be negatively affected?

Any advice gratefully received!:beer:

forgotmyname

Wait until she can get onto the electoral roll. Dont bother applying for anything until thats sorted.

Names can be linked so that wont be as much of an issue. But several names and not registered will have them wondering how they can find her to chase for any non payments.

Answer will be they will struggle so they wont bother giving credit. Can you apply in your name only?