Mobile contract with poor credit

TiddlyPom

I have poor credit history from some years ago. All paid up now and have savings in place.
I haven't had a mobile phone for a while but do really need one and would like to get a contract phone so I can utilise smart phone capabilities.
Are there any providers who take a more lenient view? I would be prepared to pay 12 months upfront for a decent deal.

I would really like an iPhone but realise that may not be a possibility.

Can anyone advise please?

mije1983

If you have savings in place, why the need for a contract phone? A lot of the time it can work out cheaper to buy the phone sim free and then go on a sim only deal or PAYG depending on your usage.

Atasas

Walking on to a rake willingly.... Best of luck and shame , that playing games with credit didn't teach nothing, sorry to be blunt.

preecey

Remember, the iPhone isn't the best phone out there.

You can get a very decent smartphone off contract for the money you have saved up (I assume £350+). The Honor 8 is an excellent phone available around that price bracket and you'll get the satisfaction that it's your property from day one.

A cheap SIM only contract to go alongside it from the likes of Virgin, Three, Tesco, EE etc and you'll save a fortune compared to a 24 month tariff.

TiddlyPom

Atasas wrote: »

Walking on to a rake willingly.... Best of luck and shame , that playing games with credit didn't teach nothing, sorry to be blunt.

Entitled to your opinion, but you couldn't be more wrong.

TiddlyPom

preecey wrote: »

Remember, the iPhone isn't the best phone out there.

You can get a very decent smartphone off contract for the money you have saved up (I assume £350+). The Honor 8 is an excellent phone available around that price bracket and you'll get the satisfaction that it's your property from day one.

A cheap SIM only contract to go alongside it from the likes of Virgin, Three, Tesco, EE etc and you'll save a fortune compared to a 24 month tariff.

I was once told that SIM only deals as well as PAYG worked out phenomenally expensive compared to contract rates. I haven't done my homework on them so shall follow your advice and have a look. Although it would barely make a dent in my savings, I have somehow been reluctant to purchase a phone outright before so will have a rethink. Thanks

cookie365

Atasas wrote: »

Walking on to a rake willingly.... Best of luck and shame , that playing games with credit didn't teach nothing, sorry to be blunt.

What an idiotic thing to say.

I, just like you, have no idea if the OP was 'playing games' with credit. Or just a victim of circumstances and bad luck.

And if the OP made mistakes in the past, that doesn't mean they can never handle credit in the future. The fact that they now have savings suggests they've turned things around.

If someone has a poor credit history but have turned things around, one way to improve their rating is to demonstrate that they can take out and manage a credit account responsibly.

OP, maybe in the past it was usually the case that getting a phone as part of a contract was the better deal, but these days it isn't neccessarily the case.

eDicky

I've heard it said somewhere (maybe here) that with a weak credit history there is more chance of getting a monthly SIM-only contract than a longer contract with handset, because there is less debt risk to the network. Also this is supposedly a way of establishing a better credit history, if you succeed in setting up the rolling monthly plan with the likes of O2.

Perhaps others can confirm if there's any truth in this or not - I am also interested because my daughter needs to establish some credit history, and this might help.

d123

TiddlyPom wrote: »

I was once told that SIM only deals as well as PAYG worked out phenomenally expensive compared to contract rates. I haven't done my homework on them so shall follow your advice and have a look. Although it would barely make a dent in my savings, I have somehow been reluctant to purchase a phone outright before so will have a rethink. Thanks

I'd correct one supposition there, sim only is a great deal cheaper than handset contract. Do some sums, a handset contract versus a sim free phone + comparable sim only contract.

Atasas

cookie365 wrote: »

What an idiotic thing to say.

I, just like you, have no idea if the OP was 'playing games' with credit. Or just a victim of circumstances and bad luck.

And if the OP made mistakes in the past, that doesn't mean they can never handle credit in the future. The fact that they now have savings suggests they've turned things around.

If someone has a poor credit history but have turned things around, one way to improve their rating is to demonstrate that they can take out and manage a credit account responsibly.

OP, maybe in the past it was usually the case that getting a phone as part of a contract was the better deal, but these days it isn't neccessarily the case.

Mobile contracts with or without handset makes no difference to bankruptcy or default or CCJ's records. Wasting money in getting overpriced (1) and paying for the pleasure of contract- "finance" (2) absolute nonsense!

Plenty of good, reasonably priced handsets, plenty of monthly (30 day) rolling contracts of better value deals provided by MVNO's, getting ownself in to contracts (IE VodaShmu**S) is asking for trouble.

dazzaofdagenham

If you have the money you are far better buying a phone outright and the going either sim only...or pay as you go.

Some of the pay as you go offers are really good as well.

Try looking around