3 years proof of address (Lloyds/BoS/Halifax)

Krzysztof_EDI

Good evening,

I would like to ask if it makes any sense to apply for a credit card with either Lloyds/BoS/Halifax (with a 70% chance to be accepted from MSE tool) even though I did not live in UK for 3 years so far? I already have a Barclaycard Initial Credit Card with a balance that has been recently raised from £400 to £800 and would not like to ruin my credit score I built so far.

I would really appreciate your help guys.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

forgotmyname

What credit score? Is that the one they make up and sell to you?

Use my free credit scoring system, You have scored 2 Rich tea biscuits.

Use the card each month and pay it all off each month, how long have you had the initial card?

Candyapple

Krzysztof_EDI wrote: »

Good evening,

I would like to ask if it makes any sense to apply for a credit card with either Lloyds/BoS/Halifax (with a 70% chance to be accepted from MSE tool) even though I did not live in UK for 3 years so far? I already have a Barclaycard Initial Credit Card with a balance that has been recently raised from £400 to £800 and would not like to ruin my credit score I built so far.

I would really appreciate your help guys.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

To complete your application you’ll need to tell us about the following:

Your UK address details for the last 3 years

If you haven't lived in the UK for the last 3 years then you aren't eligible to apply for a card from Lloyds/BoS/Halifax.

How exactly would you plan on getting around that part of the application form? If you entered an overseas address, all that would happen is the form would not let you proceed and/or say postcode/address is incorrect.

Barclaycard is different as the Initial card is aimed at the sub prime market and it also states in their eligibility criteria that you only need to have lived at your address in the UK for 3 months.

ST-User

Hi Chris,

We've been living in the UK for 5 and a half years. Experian expects 6 years of address history, and both my wife and me have been rejected at applying for Santander / Halifax credit cards, although MSE eligibility check gave a good chance to get them. But our bank (Lloyds) gave a nice credit card without any problems and told us that we've got a very good credit rating in their internal system. So try it first at your bank, they are having a business with you for a long time and are more likely to give you any credit.

Other thing is that Halifax can do a soft credit search at the branch, so you can walk in and check what card could be given to you without leaving a mark on your credit files. But your chances are much better if you're already their client, having a current account with them. I have opened a lot of bank accounts in the last 3 months, and do hope that some of these banks will offer me a nice credit card when they see tre regular income, the fact that I'm always in credit, etc.

I hope this helps.

Krzysztof_EDI

Thank you very much for all your replies, they've been very helpfull and solved the issue for me.

@forgotmyname

By credit score, I meant the one I checked/got from Equifax and Experian - not any internal or whatever score from Barclays
I have had the Barclaycard from February 2015 and was planning a bigger purchase, that's why I was considering another credit card (maybe with a bigger credit limit?)

I always tried to pay off either in full or nearly full balance from the card - not just minimum.

@Candyapple

Thank you for pointing this out - that was my main concern - I didn't plan to put my overseas address, as that wouldn't make any sense to the bank I assume. 3 years in UK will be May next year, so maybe after that time I will try to check the eligibility for credit card - and maybe by that time open an account with one of those banks instead of mine (TSB) - which doesn't even offer me an overdraft (which I don't need actually), not to mention a credit card.

@ST-User
Thank you for your advice. I will probably need to switch banks as mine is not very keen to give any extra products apart from offering me an upgrade to a SIlver account (9.95 a month) with an insurance.

I am just wondering if having several bank accounts helps with getting a credit card, but... I think that time will show

Thank you all one more time for replies

Much obliged :beer:

Chris

zerog

Not all card applications ask for 3 years of address history. Just make sure you read the application form carefully for whether they actually state you need to be resident for 3 years, or whether they just want an address (which may not have to be UK, which isn't very useful for the bank but there you go).

The "credit score" you get from Experian and Equifax is completely meaningless, which is not the case in other countries like the USA where it means everything.