Apple Store: 'Soft check' appears on my credit file

mattymoo2014

I was in the Apple Store a few months ago and was looking into getting an iPhone on monthly payments fixed up by the store. The guy said 'this is a soft check' so won't affect your credit' –!lo and behold it's there in MSE/Experian under 'Searches that may impact your Credit Score'.

Can anyone tell me whether this will genuinely impact my score / chances of credit? I spoke to the Apple Store and they said it's not the kind of search that will impact –!but that contradicts what Experian is saying.

I'm now raising a complaint via Apple but all views appreciated.

Should I look for compensation if this has impacted?

Can I get it removed?

[Deleted User]

A soft check isn't seen by lenders.

Whether Experian think it will impact your made up score is neither here nor there.

Even hard searches have little impact on how lenders view you, in isolation.

No compensation to be claimed on this occasion, unfortunately.

Oakdene

mattymoo2014 wrote: »

I was in the Apple Store a few months ago and was looking into getting an iPhone on monthly payments fixed up by the store. The guy said 'this is a soft check' so won't affect your credit' –!lo and behold it's there in MSE/Experian under 'Searches that may impact your Credit Score'.

Can anyone tell me whether this will genuinely impact my score / chances of credit? I spoke to the Apple Store and they said it's not the kind of search that will impact –!but that contradicts what Experian is saying.

I'm now raising a complaint via Apple but all views appreciated.

Should I look for compensation if this has impacted?

Can I get it removed?

What compensation do you think you deserve?

mattymoo2014

Compensation depends entirely on the impact. If the impact is zero then zero is warranted. Point is - what effect does a search have on a credit file? And surely companies should not be saying searches are 'soft' when they are 'hard'? Is there a difference?

Pixie5740

What kind of search is it showing as on your credit file? For example, if I get some car insurances quotes the searches appear on my credit file(s) but are listed as "quotation" searches meaning I can see them but lenders cannot.

AndyPix

Were you planning on applying for more credit in the near future ??


If not then this is irrelevent.


Even if you are, then one search on your record wont make a jot of difference..


Go and have a cup of tea and forget this ever happened.
(And stop paying experian to view your credit report every day)

pvt

mattymoo2014 wrote: »

And surely companies should not be saying searches are 'soft' when they are 'hard'? Is there a difference?

Yes there is a difference.

A 'soft' search is one that allows the company accessing your data to see the data. The fact that they have done the search is recorded, but that record of the search can only be seen by you. It is so that you know who has been poking around looking at your affairs, as it should only be done by a company you have given permission to (though that permission may be hidden in the small print of a website).

A 'hard' search is one that is recorded on your CRA for other lenders/viewers to see, and generally only happens if you apply for credit. It is made viewable so that if you suddenly applied for lots of credit all at once the latter searches will show up the multiple credit searches and thus alert the company doing the search of the multiple credit applications.

mattymoo2014

AndyPix wrote: »

Were you planning on applying for more credit in the near future ??


If not then this is irrelevent.


Even if you are, then one search on your record wont make a jot of difference..


Go and have a cup of tea and forget this ever happened.
(And stop paying experian to view your credit report every day)

I am in the process of doing a mortgage application.

I don't pay Experian –!this was through MSE Credit Club. That said, I have ordered my £2 statutory check. Is that allowed by you?

mattymoo2014

Pixie5740 wrote: »

What kind of search is it showing as on your credit file? For example, if I get some car insurances quotes the searches appear on my credit file(s) but are listed as "quotation" searches meaning I can see them but lenders cannot.

Under 'Application Type' it says 'Credit Sale'.

DCFC79

Finance for a phone, just dont.

Buy a reconditioned iPhone or go for android.

If you must have a blingy phone get a credit card with 0% on purchases.

mattymoo2014

DCFC79 wrote: »

Finance for a phone, just dont.

Buy a reconditioned iPhone or go for android.

Thanks. I got a new contract with O2 in the end, which I see is also a loan. They did not refuse me, I guess because I have history with them?

The one in the Apple Store was through Barclays, which refused me.

What I don't understand is why the Store would say it's a soft search and it turns out to be a hard search (I think).