Credit card application denied, surprised by low score

itchyfeet123

I've been in the UK less than two years and initially I couldn't do anything, even get a non-prepaid phone because of my lack of credit history. I thought that wouldn't be a problem by now though. I got an AMEX card as soon as I arrived by taking advantage of AMEX's international transfer, and so the account history shows the age of my UK account as when I first opened it in the US. I do most of my regular spending on this card and pay it off in full every month. I have a small bank overdraft facility which I never use, and I have mobile phone, internet, council tax, and electricity accounts in my name.

I applied for the Lloyds Avios credit card, mostly because it offers fee-free international transactions, and I was denied. Note that I am a Lloyds customer.

I looked up my credit score and report on Experian. My rating is "fair" and they list two negative factors.
1) Not being on the electoral roll. I am on the roll, but on the version that people can't buy for marketing purposes.
2) No settled credit accounts. I guess this means HPs and the like? My flat is furnished; there's nothing I buy that I could conceivably put on HP.

Apart from putting myself on the spammable side of the electoral roll, is there anything I can do here? And, is being denied for the Lloyds card a signal that I'll find it hard to get credit cards in general, or might I have better luck with a different card?

YorkshireBoy

itchyfeet123 wrote: »

1) Not being on the electoral roll. I am on the roll, but on the version that people can't buy for marketing purposes.

That's the one that's reported to the CRAs. When did you go on it?

itchyfeet123

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

That's the one that's reported to the CRAs. When did you go on it?

Not sure exactly, but I was enrolled in time to vote in the London Mayoral election.

Paul_01

The credit reference agencies should all be showing you as on the electoral roll if you were able to vote. You don't need to be on the open register.

The issue could be a simple address mismatch. I would recommend checking with all three CRAs (Experian, Equifax and Call credit), and advising them that you are in fact on the voters roll. They can cross reference and amend accordingly.

If there is an address accuracy issue, you may have to contact your local authority. Either way, the CRAs will each tell you what they need.

It 'should' be straightforward, but all three agencies can be hit and miss when it comes to amending inaccuracies.

Good luck.

PixelPound

The settled accounts thing is closed a/c, and as your history is short, would any be expected? Did you check any eligibility calculators, it could well be the avios card is harder to get than others.

Dobbibill

itchyfeet123 wrote: »

I looked up my credit score and report on Experian. My rating is "fair" and they list two negative factors.
1) Not being on the electoral roll. I am on the roll, but on the version that people can't buy for marketing purposes.
2) No settled credit accounts. I guess this means HPs and the like? My flat is furnished; there's nothing I buy that I could conceivably put on HP.

Apart from putting myself on the spammable side of the electoral roll, is there anything I can do here? And, is being denied for the Lloyds card a signal that I'll find it hard to get credit cards in general, or might I have better luck with a different card?

Check the formatting of the address, it could be as simple as the local council format it in a different way and so the CRAs are not recognising it as being one in the same and you registered on the ER. (eg Flat 1, 1 Building Street or 1a Building Street etc....you get the idea)

itchyfeet123

Paul_01 wrote: »

The issue could be a simple address mismatch. I would recommend checking with all three CRAs (Experian, Equifax and Call credit), and advising them that you are in fact on the voters roll. They can cross reference and amend accordingly.

Dobbibill wrote: »

Check the formatting of the address, it could be as simple as the local council format it in a different way and so the CRAs are not recognising it as being one in the same and you registered on the ER. (eg Flat 1, 1 Building Street or 1a Building Street etc....you get the idea)

OK, thanks. I'll call the agencies and my council to make sure everything is recorded as it should be.

nic_c wrote: »

Did you check any eligibility calculators, it could well be the avios card is harder to get than others.

Not before I applied for the Avios card. After I was denied I checked the eligibility calculator for the Halifax Clarity and the results was 50/50, so I didn't apply for that one. I ended up being approved for an MBNA American Airlines card, which doesn't have fee-free international transactions but does have a couple of other features which will be useful to me.