Nationwide Flex Account Opened in 1990 causing issues with credit

Salrivers

We’ve had a Nationwide Flex Account since 1990 and have always had a really good experience with it. However in the last 6 months we applied for a loan through another bank (that we have held a credit card with for many years) and we had to provide evidence that our Nationwide Account was legitimate. I queried this with the lending bank and they advised that as the account was so old, the details were not contained on the database they used to check validity of accounts. We provided the evidence (statements) and they were happy and everything progressed without issue.

Today, we tried to take out a new mobile phone contract for our daughter and the credit checking processed declined us. We’ve both got credit scores of 999 on Experian and have never ever defaulted on anything in our lives. I can only think that the mobile phone companies use the same database for reference?

I contacted Nationwide who advised it may be due to the fact that our flex account is that old that it doesn’t have a credit score attached to it..? They suggested we open a new account and move everything...!

I’m furious, this is what you get for being a loyal customer for 28years and surely we can’t be the only people this is affecting and this is most definitely a relatively new issue, as we’ve not had problems before.

Anyone else had similar problems and more importantly has anyone managed to resolve it without changing accounts?

[Deleted User]

Older accounts don't report to CRAs, as the permissions were not in place. You could ask if they are willing to start reporting, but they may not have the process. In place to update your agreement.

As you've seen, the pretend credit scores don't give any indication of your likelihood to be accepted. What you now need to do is to check your three credit files to see what appears on each. Find out what history is showing on each.

Remember not only are scores not seen, but not everyone uses Experian.

noh

My Nationwide Flex Account was opened in 1988 and is not reported to the credit reference agencies.
It has never caused me any problems.

You were probably refused the mobile phone contract for some other reason.

If you want an account that is reported to the CRAs then just open another at Nationwide or elsewhere. There is no need to switch your existing account.

MABLE

And yet one of my Lloyds accounts was opened in 1984 and that is reported monthly.

Salrivers

Thanks... but this is the first time we have ever experienced an issue and nothing has changed with us.. I will wait to see what Nationwide have to say, but it is alarming.

Salrivers

Hi, I’ve just checked Equifax and Callcredit too and both are completely fine and scores of 921? I can see the search today was via equifax, so absolutely mystified why it was declined? Is there a way I can contact them to find out? Sorry for all the questions, but this has never happened before and it’s really unsettled me and my husband...

noh

Salrivers wrote: »

Thanks... but this is the first time we have ever experienced an issue and nothing has changed with us.. I will wait to see what Nationwide have to say, but it is alarming.

Nationwide will have nothing further to add.
As ZX81 said in his post older accounts (pre 2000 i think) did not have T+Cs allowing reporting to CRAs.
Simply open another account if you want one that reports to CRAs.

[Deleted User]

Salrivers wrote: »

Hi, I’ve just checked Equifax and Callcredit too and both are completely fine and scores of 921?

You need 922 or higher for a phone contract.

Are you checking the actual data or just the made up numbers?

D_M_E

Took out a mobile contract yesterday using a Halifax account opened about 45 years ago without any problems, but they did ask how long account had been open.

Must be something else on your report which has failed their checks.

Also, my ficticious credit score is only 107 so it's not your ficticious score which only you see.

Salrivers

I’ve downloaded the full reports for all the CRA’s not just the score. It is 100% green, as I expected, no defaults or any of the other areas they check. The only obvious thing is there’s no current account on there. There’s loans and credit cards, my EE mobile phone contract and my Talktalk broadband contract, but no bank account... which is what I think is causing the issue.

[Deleted User]

Or maybe the phone provider didn’t want you as a customer for whatever reason.

If the phone contract was for your daughter why are you opening it in your name? You do realise you’ll be fully responsible for any debt she runs up.