How long did your Aqua card take to come?

wideboy09

How long did you Aqua card take to come and what was your first credit limit?

Jlawson118

I'm not 100% sure now but I think it was just over a week. I applied Monday evening and it arrived the following Tuesday. I was given a credit limit of £300.

I'm a 19 year old student and I wanted another credit card but due to my lack of credit, I couldn't get it, so I got the Aqua card but I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with it actually. I used it a few times and paid it off but it just didn't really seem worth it. Around a month later though I just added my details a little differently and was accepted for the card that I wanted

wideboy09

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I'm curious what you mean when you say you were disappointed? What were the benefits that made your new card better?

Apr doesn't bother me as it's just to make a few purchases with and pay in full to improve my credit file

Jlawson118

wideboy09 wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I'm curious what you mean when you say you were disappointed? What were the benefits that made your new card better?

Apr doesn't bother me as it's just to make a few purchases with and pay in full to improve my credit file

No worries! And well I was in Dublin last year and they use Euros over there, and I used my card for a few purchases and got charged a fair bit in foreign transaction charges. And I saw my grandad earlier this year getting a Halifax Clarity card and he was telling me that it allowed him to use it abroad for no extra charge.

So I was looking up cards myself as I'm going away this Summer for a few months, and discovered the Lloyds Avios credit card stood out to me out of all cards out there, allowing for points on your everyday spending and then spending the points on hotels and\or flights, I liked the idea of it, and it didn't charge extra for foreign transactions. So I applied for it but I got rejected. I'm 19 so my credit score won't be at the highest. But MSE or Money Supermarket recommended the Aqua card that you could use abroad for no extra charge. So I thought I might as well get it to help build up my credit score and re-apply for the Lloyds one later. See I've applied for credit cards before like First Direct (As I bank with them) and Barclaycard because they do reward cards.

Anyway, Aqua accepted me, I got my card and everything but that was it. They didn't really have a mobile app, I do most bank transactions and things via apps, and then if I paid my bill off by card, there was limits on it online. I had a bill due for payment that it wouldn't let me pay because I'd paid it off a few times that month in parts already. I ended up phoning this number to pay by card and it took me about half an hour to complete it. I also like using contactless cards for little payments, I didn't get one.

The £300 limit was fine by me. But I kind of sat there thinking "What am I really getting out of this card?" And even now I'll look at my credit score and actually having the Aqua card is bringing it down slightly because it's a low credit limit. I use a review website often, Trustpilot, and Aqua has really bad reviews on there by people. I just left a mixed one really. I'll quote what I said at the end of this.

Anyway, around a month later, I re-applied for the Lloyds Avios one, changing a few details about my income and things and they accepted me. I received my cards around a week later and straight away started earning points. I've got a £750 credit limit with them that's come in handy really. I have an account with Lloyds as well which makes it more beneficial because I can use internet banking. I have to pay a yearly fee of £24 but I don't really feel like that's much considering with just my everyday spending, I could be earning points for hotels and flights. I'm also opening a reward current account with Halifax and when I get back from my trip, I'm considering seeing if I'm eligible for the clarity card myself. That doesn't really have rewards, but it offers free cash withdrawals as well as transactions abroad too.

I'm sorry for the long story though hahaha, but just to clarify, personally I prefer reward cards, and I think the reason Aqua didn't really appeal to me all that much is because I didn't really get much out of it, but they did lack communication I guess. I still keep meaning to shut it down.

Anyway, what I added to Trustpilot:
I have mixed reviews about this company really. They do what they say on the tin, but they lack personal touch and communication.

I signed up just over a month ago. I was looking for a credit card that I could use abroad for no extra cost, and I was declined for one with another provider. I thought this was due to my age and lack of credit history, but the Aqua one was recommended to me and I was accepted. I received my pin, card and contract through the post and then that was it. Most companies are like "welcome..thank you for joining" whereas Aqua seems to be more like "here's your contract and credit limit. Bye."

Obviously not in so many words but that's the impression I get from them. It feels like they are prying on people with bad credit, more than likely to make a profit. I would pay my credit card off every few days just to keep up to payments, but these past few days when I have gone to make a payment, it would not let me use my card online anymore. It said I reached my limit, despite my bill being due tomorrow! I had to pay over the telephone which proved quite difficult, but there was no other way.

Last week, I was accepted by the other provider, and so I was looking on my contract with Aqua to see if I was able to withdraw from the contract, yet it never gave me any details what I wanted to know. I then went online to see if I could send an email, but the box to type in would not let me type the full situation, and I sent something saying how can I contact fully. I received nothing back at all. I plan to pay all of my remaining balance and then just abandon the card.

I wouldn't not recommend this company, but I wouldn't recommend it either. If it is your last resort to build up your credit, then by all means you may have to. It is entirely up for you. Reading the reviews here doesn't make it sound good either..

yoshiyella

I applied on a Thursday evening - week later exactly got the pin number, 2 days later got the card. £600 limit. Not bad for me as I am repairing my credit file

wideboy09

J Lawson - a very interesting post and I'm glad you were happy with your avois card. Good luck with the clarity card

Yoshi - did you also receive a contract to sign around the same day you got the card or pin?

yoshiyella

wideboy09 wrote: »

J Lawson - a very interesting post and I'm glad you were happy with your avois card. Good luck with the clarity card

Yoshi - did you also receive a contract to sign around the same day you got the card or pin?

You don't get a contract - just activate it. I assume you agree to t&c's when you apply!

There is a statement of t and c's but only one copy.

Jlawson118

yoshiyella wrote: »

You don't get a contract - just activate it. I assume you agree to t&c's when you apply!

There is a statement of t and c's but only one copy.

Yeah I don't think you do get a contract to sign as such, but generally applying online is your way of signing

wideboy09

Thanks guys, so as soon as I have recieved both my pin and card it's good to use, that's good and less hassle

Brightonfan

Apllied for an aqua card last year about this time. Got accepted and i think my limit was £250. Might be £300. I got selected for the Advance card with the highest APR going.

I was in my last year before a couple of CCJ's came off.

Took about 2 weeks for pin and card to coome through.

Since then i have had three increases in less than a year. My limit is set to increase to £3200 from £1950.

I've had no problems with Aqua. Good website and now they send you text reminders. I have no problems recommending them as long as you pay the debt off.

Had a vanquis card but got rid of that fairly quickly. I don't like to be cold called which they did, trying to flog me stuff.

As for Trustpilot. I never use it or believe what is being written. Never known a site to be utterly negative. Take it's comments as a pinch of salt. or simply don't go there like i do.

Sign up for Noddle aswell. Very handy free credit agency