How much bank data is visible?

RG2015

An online credit card application asks for my main bank account number and sort code. This raises some issues as I have 8 current accounts at 5 different banks.

My pension is paid into NatWest and I generally regard this as my main account. However, this account is too old to appear on any of the three CRAs. The other 7 current accounts are recorded.

In the past I have used this account on applications and have got the response that I could not be identified. I have then resubmitted with one of the newer accounts and everything went through fine.

If I am not overdrawn and have never defaulted, can the bank to which I am applying see any more than the date I opened the bank account and that I have never been overdrawn or defaulted? Is there a problem in giving them a bank account that is barely used as they would have no way of knowing this?

[Deleted User]

The bank details are required to confirm identity and also maybe to setup a DD with

RG2015

!!! wrote: »

The bank details are required to confirm identity and also maybe to setup a DD with

Thanks for your reply.

What if the CRAs don't have sight of my main account because it is so old? This means that the bank to which I am applying will not be able to confirm my identity.

System

The age of your account doesn't matter. I doubt it was taken out before credit reference agencies existed.

RG2015

Tarambor wrote: »

The age of your account doesn't matter. I doubt it was taken out before credit reference agencies existed.

Thanks, can you put a date on that?

forgotmyname

Experian registered in 1960. But banks must have been able to check you out before that.

RG2015

Tarambor wrote: »

The age of your account doesn't matter. I doubt it was taken out before credit reference agencies existed.

It is not that my account pre-dates the CRAs it is a question of data privacy.

Accounts opened before about 1999 that don't have any defaults cannot be reported to any credit agencies without the permission of the account holder. More recently opened accounts can be reported as the banks' T&C's were amended to include this permission.