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Average history length before mainstream CC

I'm curious to know how long it took for you to be given a mainstream credit card since when you started building your credit history.
Thanks!
Your cholesterol levels are not seen, or used, by your heart and arteries, so ignore it.
:eek:.

Comments

  • Willing2Learn
    Willing2Learn Posts: 6,294 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    It took me eight years from having defaulted a ton of accounts (a DMP), before I was successful in getting a mainstream card.
    I work within the voluntary sector, supporting vulnerable people to rebuild their lives.

    I love my job

    :smiley:
  • It will vary person to person based on their personal circumstances.

    Me personally, I never bothered with subprime and went straight to mainstream.
  • MovingForwards
    MovingForwards Posts: 17,116 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    5 or 6 years ago I entered a DMP.
    4.5 years ago I got a CCJ.
    3 years ago I started my life over and moved.
    9 months ago I applied for a sub-prime CC, had two limit increases now.
    2 month's ago my own bank offered me a CC with under 10% apr.

    Both my CC together amount to half my current annual income.

    My CCJ is not yet satisfied, I've still got two other historic debts (not on my CRA reports), several historic defaults (paid) but still on my files, historic PDL'S (paid) but slowly dropping off my files each month.
    Mortgage started 2020, aiming to clear it in 2026.
  • MisterBaxter
    MisterBaxter Posts: 666 Forumite
    I went a long time without credit cards or loans so I had nothing on my credit file other than a joint mortgage (in good standing) and a joint current account (no overdraft but in good standing). I am in full-time employment with a reasonable income.

    Eligibility checkers gave a low chance of most cards so I got a Vanquis card with £500 limit, within about 3 months it was at £1000 limit and after 9 months it was at £1500. At that point I opened a new current account (no overdraft) with Nationwide and was offered one of their credit cards. After that I was able to get pretty much any card I applied for. I don't use my credits cards that much as my wife has a card with decent cashback rates so we use that most of the time. I tend to spend a little on each card every month just to keep them active, I always pay in full every month. I have a couple of cards closed due to inactivity. I don't know if there is any secret or trick to it but obviously keeping accounts in good order is important.

    If you have a decent income with sensible outgoings and no negative markers on your credit report it could be worth just trying for a mainstream card and see how it goes, if you get rejected you could probably still apply for a sub-prime and get accepted.
  • gionnetto
    gionnetto Posts: 234 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Posts I've been Money Tipped!
    I went a long time without credit cards or loans so I had nothing on my credit file other than a joint mortgage (in good standing) and a joint current account (no overdraft but in good standing). I am in full-time employment with a reasonable income.

    I relocated to the UK in May 2017. Got a couple of credit building "loans" in 2017, I also started reporting my rent payments that same year. No utilities in my name aside from the broadband. Got on the ER, same address since July 2017. Got a Vanquis in June 2018 (500£ - APR 39.9%), switched employer in Nov 2018. No late payment, no defaults, etc. CC used up to 20% of its limit and paid in full every month via DD.

    Vanquis never gave me any increase, so I didn't know what to make of it. I saw I was pre-approved for a Virgin Money 0% card and applied, thinking I might use it to pay a conference fee and do some stoozing. It took one month for them to take a decision because it needed an underwriter. However, I got a 1800£ limit approximately 1 month later.

    Still can't understand why Vanquis never even offered an increase!

    Next move will be a cashback CC.
    Your cholesterol levels are not seen, or used, by your heart and arteries, so ignore it.
    :eek:.
  • Probably because you’re still following the CRA’s useless 20% utilisation advice.
  • BakingC
    BakingC Posts: 119 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 100 Posts
    I think around 9 months. I applied for a capital one card and got given a magnificent limit of £400 then was moving house the following spring and applied for barclaycard 0% purchases to put the van hire and some furniture on and got given a limit of £4k. After moving got rid of the cap one card as was accepted for the natwest rewards cc (held a reward account so one of their targeted emails said I could get the card rather than me actively looking)
  • Mine was 10 months, but I suspect that if I hadn’t moved house it would of been sooner.

    I started with a Cap 1 - £200 limit and Aqua £250 limit. Cap 1 is now £1200 and Aqua is £4000. Mainstream is with first direct.

    Can be achieved quite quickly
  • JohnMl88
    JohnMl88 Posts: 72 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts
    June 2018 capital one
    December 2018 aqua reward
    May 2019 BA amex and virgin 0% for 20 months
  • JES_F1
    JES_F1 Posts: 758 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 13 July 2019 at 6:22PM
    After completing a DMP in June 2013:

    • October 2014: Barclaycard Initial with £400 limit and now with £1,200 limit.
    • September 2016: Barclaycard Hilton Honors with £2,000 limit.
    • August 2017: Santander All in One with £3,900 limit
    • June 2019: American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday with £5,000 limit
    The Santander card has a £3 month fee and 0.5% cashback so it's been my main card to make sure the cashback exceeded the fee.

    Now that I've got the Amex, that's become my main card as it's 5% cashback for three months, 0.5% after that (and 1% when more than £5,000 on the card) - and no fee! I'm going to contact Santander to convert the card into their Everyday card.

    The Barclaycard Hilton Honors is my "second card", primarily for several subscriptions and stays at Hilton hotels.

    I've stopped using the Barclaycard Initial (now Forward) card but will hold on to it.

    All cards get paid off in full every month. I just wish it hadn't taken £50,000 of credit card debt (mainly frittered away on "stuff") to learn how to use credit cards properly!
    Debt Jan 2008: £45,566. *** June 2013: DEBT FREE! ***
    Paid back just under £50,000 due to some interest added.

    Dealt with my debt through a Step Change
    (CCCS) DMP.
    DMP Mutual Support Thread Member #240.
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