Can my wife be rejected a credit card from my debt

dannygn123

My wife has never had a credit card before and she had just applied for a Tesco one that is designed for someone who has no/bad credit. She has fairly good earning around 40k but she has been rejected. I have credit card debt of around 10k but I always pay on time. Could she have been rejected because of me or is it because she has no credit history. I'm worried my debt will affect her but it is all in my name we have nothing joint so could that be the case?

cymruchris

It depends what's on her credit history files. If you have a mortgage for example in a joint name, that would make you a financial associate - and on checking her history, they may also check yours as a matter of course. If you're absolutely certain that there's no link (checking the files will confirm it) - then it may be that although the card is for building credit - if she has never had any form of credit in her life - her file may be too thin for them at the present time. Start by examining both of your credit files to see what's on them (and look at the financial associates bit) and from there we can advise further. 

dannygn123

We don't have a mortgage. She is Spanish and has been in this country for 10 years but has British nationality. The only thing I can think of is that she applied for credit a couple of years ago for a mattress but was rejected. She doesn't know about my debt (it is under control now). How likely is it she was rejected because of me?

[Deleted User]

You need to start with what her three credit files show.

dannygn123

We have a basic joint current account could this make a difference?

cymruchris

dannygn123 said:

We don't have a mortgage. She is Spanish and has been in this country for 10 years but has British nationality. The only thing I can think of is that she applied for credit a couple of years ago for a mattress but was rejected. She doesn't know about my debt (it is under control now). How likely is it she was rejected because of me?

If you have absolutely no financial links - your debt will not be a factor. However - you don't know what's recorded on her credit files - so that's the place to start. See what's listed - check every section (including financial associates). If there's nothing adverse listed - ensure she's on the electoral roll - and then try the eligibility checkers for the likes of Vanquis or Aqua - or with the bank she holds her current account with. 

DCFC79

dannygn123 said:

We have a basic joint current account could this make a difference?

Could be because your wife's profile didn't fit in with the providers.
The joint account could well be the issue but as suggested you need to check her credit files.

D3xt3r5L4b

If you have a joint account then you’re financially linked.
Also why does she not know about your debt? £10k is no small amount to be hiding...

cymruchris

dannygn123 said:

We have a basic joint current account could this make a difference?

In your opening post you said you had nothing joint - a joint current account could make a difference. Once you have a financial association - some card companies will run a check on the associated partner as well. If it flags up anything negative - it could cause them to decline the application. But as stated - you need to start by seeing what's on the credit files and work from there.

dannygn123

So how do I see what's on her credit file? Could my debt show up on her credit file?

cymruchris

dannygn123 said:

So how do I see what's on her credit file? Could my debt show up on her credit file?

It’s usually for her to see what’s on her file and for you to see what’s on your file. Your debt won’t show up - but your financial association might.