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Avoiding hard credit checks when opening a bank account?

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Is it possible to avoid a hard credit check when opening a bank account? Is a credit check done because you've included an overdraft (and therefore credit) and so not requesting an overdraft would avoid a hard check? Or are hard credit checks done regardless of overdraft?

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  • sourcrates
    sourcrates Posts: 31,405 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped! Name Dropper
    A credit check is normally done as part of the application process for most current accounts.

    Different banks will have different policies on this, Monzo for example, will give an account to virtually anyone able to prove their identity, however if you want an OD, then a full credit check is done.

    It can also depend on the account your applying for, most basic accounts are available to everyone without a credit check, as no OD or borrowing is allowed.

    If you dig deep enough into individual banks T`s & C`s, it will tell you there policy on this.
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  • A credit check is normally done as part of the application process for most current accounts.

    Different banks will have different policies on this, Monzo for example, will give an account to virtually anyone able to prove their identity, however if you want an OD, then a full credit check is done.

    It can also depend on the account your applying for, most basic accounts are available to everyone without a credit check, as no OD or borrowing is allowed.

    If you dig deep enough into individual banks T`s & C`s, it will tell you there policy on this.
    The problem with this is very few banks will now allow you to apply for a basic bank account outright, you need to apply for a standard current account and get knocked back so even if a basic bank account application doesn't do a check, you'll end up going through one anyway.
  • If you don't mind online only, Starling Bank don't perform a hard search for their account (just a soft search).

    They will, however, hard search if you ask for an overdraft.
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