Just turned 18 and failing credit checks!?

miketaylor

Hi I have just turned 18, and am wanting a cashback mobile contract.
I was using my parents' coolnewmobile one (Which luckily finished in June!) and am now a bit more careful about where to go.

So, tried e2saves 6month virgin sim-only deal (mit quidco) however was refused the deal as I failed virgins credit check!

Now I was wondering if anyone knows why this might be, how I can change it (as quick as pos.) and if its anything to be worried about?

Some background on me: I have had a paypal and ebay account for several years, but never any kind of credit card or loan...

Should I phone Virgin, just try again with different Bank details, get my credit report or be worried that somehow I am blacklisted already?!

Thanks,
Mike

PS Not sure if this is the right thread, feel free to move mods)

Zebedee69

The reason why your failing is that you have no obvious history. Ebay and Paypal although they are financial institutions wont show on an Experian or Equifax (the two main credit file companies) so as far as they are concerned you probably dont exist.

Right, first things first. Its great your showing interest in credit files. Too many people have no idea what info is contained about them and it hampers them their entire lives because they just dont know how this credit file thing works....

Second thing!

You have only just turned 18 so you have only just been able to enter into credit arrangements and mobile contracts under your name. You will also be a new showing on the credit files. To get upto speed quickly and start showing up you need to do the follwing.

Just incase your wondering mobile phones are credit of sorts and as such your handling of the account will show up. Lots of people tend to believe phones dont show up but believe me they do.

- Get on electoral role (Sounds daft but its the method used to determine where you live and where you have lived in the past, not on role = dont exist and creidit is a no no)

- Get your files by visiting here https://www.creditexpert.co.uk and https://www.equifax.co.uk. If you dont have a debit card then dont fret. Send off £2 and you can get a printed copy sent to you.

Once you have this you will have an idea of whats going to be involved in repairing or in your case building a decent credit file.

Hope this helps and post to this forum when you get your details. We can help you sort it out:D

PBA

Disagree with the previous post, in there's no point you wasting money on getting your credit info when you know there's going to be nothing about you on there. Definitely make sure you're on the voters roll though, your parents should have registered you when you were 16, so ask them.

To build up a credit history, the best way to start is to ask your bank for a credit card. You only need to buy 1 thing each month, as long as you then pay that off each month it will start building up a positive credit history for you.

jonesMUFCforever

Why would parents register kids on electoral roll at 16 when they can't vote until they are 18?

YorkshireBoy

ejones999 wrote: »

Why would parents register kids on electoral roll at 16 when they can't vote until they are 18?

The ER form they send the household annually (in August/September) has a space for 16/17 year olds names and their DOB's.

They are then added automatically a couple of years later in the annual update in December (provided their 18th birthday was prior to that of course).

dzug

ejones999 wrote: »

Why would parents register kids on electoral roll at 16 when they can't vote until they are 18?

Coz that's what the electoral registration form asks for.

The point is that they can then vote the day they are 18 rather than having to wait until someone remembers to register them.

It's less important now there is a rolling register but in the past when the register was updated once a year it was a way of ensuring young voters didn't have to wait a year (or longer if the timing was wrong) to vote if their parents were too dopey to realise they were going to be 18

miketaylor

PBA wrote: »

Disagree with the previous post, in there's no point you wasting money on getting your credit info when you know there's going to be nothing about you on there. Definitely make sure you're on the voters roll though, your parents should have registered you when you were 16, so ask them.

To build up a credit history, the best way to start is to ask your bank for a credit card. You only need to buy 1 thing each month, as long as you then pay that off each month it will start building up a positive credit history for you.

I wrote my name on the form thing when it last came through my houses letterbox, so I should be on the roll.

But a credit card it something I just don't need - I'm still suprised that for a short contract they would decline me, its such a small thing!

I did try to sign up for the contract on my 18th so maybe stuff hadn't updated? I wouldn't trust myself with a credit card...

I'm not all that fussed about being able to get a huge load, all I want is a cheerful mobile contract and its ridiculous they wont give it to me! Should I give virgin a call?

Seems to me this is a catch-22 ; To get credit you need a credit history, and to get a credit history you need credit!

YorkshireBoy

Mike, I suspect this is purely an ID issue. They have been unable to verify you are who you say you are!

Ask the provider which credit reference agency they searched. Then order your £2 report from this agency to see if they have you shown on the Electoral Roll.

From memory, the Roll is updated around this time each year so you may well find your credit report now contains the information. If so, then try again.

Good luck.

miketaylor

Cheers, e2save sait it was equifax... Will reluctantly spend my £2....

M_Thomson

miketaylor wrote: »

But a credit card it something I just don't need - I'm still suprised that for a short contract they would decline me, its such a small thing!

Hi,
In your eyes it may be a small thing, but if you look at it from Virgin Mobile's point of view, you could easily run up a phone bill of hundreds of pounds, so they need to see some sort of history.

jamalfatty

If you really are after a contract mobile rather than a PAYG, ask the sales rep if they would take a security deposit from you, I have a couple of friends who got turned down in similar circumstances - when they offered a deposit of about £100 they had no problem getting a contract. Gets refunded after 6 months as well if account run well