Balance Transfer Eligibility Calculator

Velolong

Hi All,
I am hoping someone can tell me how the MSE and Bank eligibility calculator algorithms work for checking credit card eligibility?
I have used Equifax for years, never missed a payment and have no alerts on my credit file. My score is 459 and my rent and card payments combined are 41% of my personal income........I should be a good candidate for credit. However, while trying to find a 0% transfer card, the calculator on here and on a couple of sites (Santander & M&S) say I am not eligible for cards. I only have 'pre-approval'  for cards with very unfavorable terms, aimed at those with poor credit history. 
Given the conflicting information between my credit reference agency and these calculator/soft checks, I am hoping to work out what the 'hang-up' is so I can sort it before I start to get hammered with interest. Does anybody know how to find out?
Thanks

D3xt3r5L4b

No one knows.
Not sure what you mean by “you’ve used Equifax for years”?
You don’t use a CRA - all 3 hold and “use”
your credit history and data. 

[Deleted User]

What do your three main credit files show? 

Lenders look at your indebtedness, income, affordability, previous history in making decisions, so you need to review that, not the score.

Velolong

D3xt3r5L4b said:

No one knows.
Not sure what you mean by “you’ve used Equifax for years”?
You don’t use a CRA - all 3 hold and “use”
your credit history and data. 

I've always carefully monitored it I mean. 

Velolong

Never missed a payment. Until recently, never had any issues. 

[Deleted User]

If there are no negatives on any of your three files, then the answer is likely to be simple affordability, based on your existing debts and income and the currently tightened lending criteria.

Velolong

Deleted_User said:

If there are no negatives on any of your three files, then the answer is likely to be simple affordability, based on your existing debts and income and the currently tightened lending criteria.

People have mentioned 3 files. I know of Experian and Equifax. What is the third? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[Deleted User]

The tree you need to bark up is the TransUnion tree (via Credit Karma).

Emily_Joy

If you need a BT card, I would suggest you turn to your own bank, if I may, as they may offer you something based on your account management rather than CRA data. It worked for me: the MSE calculator results were really unimpressive, Lloyds came back with a nice offer: long interest-free period, 1% fee - this is less than the interest I get on savings!

cymruchris

How many credit cards do you have at the moment - if you total up the credit limits- what's it in the region of? What then are your balances that you run from month to month? Do you have a large percentage of your limit in use at any one time? (Even if it's on a promotion)