RBS credit check (unauthorised)

johnwash

Hello

I'd be interested to know if people have any experience with the following. Last week I started a current account application with RBS, to switch and make the most of the £150 bonus. However, I didn't have my old account's debit card to hand, so abandoned the application.

A couple of days later, I get a notification that a hard search has been added to my credit file. At no point during the process did I authorise RBS to undertake a full credit check - and didn't even complete the application anyway.

I have already contacted RBS on this and am waiting for a response, but wanted to know if I am correct in thinking that they shouldn't do a credit check without my permission - especially given that the applications were never completed.

eskbanker

Don't know which account you were applying for and how, but, taking an online application for their Select account as an example, to start the application you have to click past:

How your information might be used

It's important for you to understand how we use and share your information. Please read this short summary before you continue with your application.

and by proceeding past this point you're accepting those terms (and the other documents involved), which include the ID and credit check processes. Normally a credit check would be pretty late on in the application process though so, depending on exactly when you abandoned it, your complaint might hold water....

Ben8282

I am not familiar with the application form but would imagine that the point at which you need the debt card details for the old account would be quite late in the application process and presumably after your application for a new account with RBS has been approved. I am saying this on the basis that it would be a waste of everybody's time to be gathering information to start the switch process if they were not gong to give you an account. It would therefore seem reasonable to me that the credit search would have been carried out prior to reaching this stage of the switch process.