Won't be on electoral roll until December: can I apply for a credit card?

[Deleted User]

moneywow1 wrote: »

Is this really true though?

Let's say a lender does a credit search and it's rejected, but it just shows as a search.

Then the borrower applies for credit elsewhere. The new lender sees that credit search, and then sees that no new credit accounts were open. Won't they assume the borrower in question was denied credit?

No.

It could be that the account hasn’t been added to the CRA’s yet.

It could be that the person decides to cancel themselves after applying.

Etc.

boo_star

moneywow1 wrote: »

Is this really true though?

Let's say a lender does a credit search and it's rejected, but it just shows as a search.

Then the borrower applies for credit elsewhere. The new lender sees that credit search, and then sees that no new credit accounts were open. Won't they assume the borrower in question was denied credit?

Lenders are free to interpret an applicants credit file however they wish and they could, in theory, take a very pessimistic view and assume no credit account being opened up after a search means a decline.

But as !!! says there are a number of other perfectly reasonable (and not negative) reasons for this scenario so I'm not sure many, if any, lenders would take such a harsh view.

RuuElisa

!!! wrote: »

Are you sure that's why?

Did you list your address information correctly on your application?

Yes - at least that is what Fluid told me the reason was. She was quite specific that they would not arrange a balance transfer due to my electoral roll address being less than 12 months old.

Jim0203

Thanks again to everyone who provided advice on this thread. Halifax gave me a credit card! I had to go into a branch with proof of identity and address, which I guess was necessary because they couldn't find me on the electoral roll.

I was concerned about this because the last time I moved house I wasn't able to get a contract with T-Mobile. The problem then was them not being able to see me on the electoral roll. I guess that T-Mobile didn't have the infrastructure or processes to have me confirm my identity and address in a different way?