0% Chance on all cards in eligibility check?

gh148

I was recommended recently that I get a credit card, as I will be doing a lot of travelling alone and I've been told many hotels require to have a credit card on file, and not a debit card. I've began looking for a card then and found one with fairly good cashback, but got rejected. I wanted to then apply to for one from the bank I'm already with, but I didn't meet the requirements they set out beforehand.

So I used the eligibility checker on this site to see what cards are available to me, only to get a whopping 0% chance on every card in the system. Is it just a bug, or there actually no chance of me getting a credit card from anyone?

cymruchris

If you don''t have a credit card at the moment, then it's possible you have a very thin credit file with little history. Card providers like to see a long positive history to get the best deals - so jumping straight in trying to get the best possible card may be a no-go for the moment. Do you have other credit accounts on your files? Mobile phones? Utilities? Mortgage? Are you on the electoral roll?

Initially you may need to look at credit-building cards that offer higher APR's and limited 0% deals to get your foot in the door as it were. Then use the cards, pay them in full, and after 6 months, look again at the eligibility checks. Usual suspects for credit-building cards include Vanquis, Aqua and Capital One.

Barclaycard have a 'credit building' option with their 'Forward' card - once you've held that for a period of time, you can swap to the 'Rewards' card in-app (subject to managing the card well) and that's one of the better travel cards.

For the eligibility checkers - don't rely on the comparison sites - go directly to the card providers own website and use their checker. (Most have them - a few don't). That will give you the clearest picture as to whether you're eligible for a particular card.

gh148

cymruchris said:

If you don''t have a credit card at the moment, then it's possible you have a very thin credit file with little history. Card providers like to see a long positive history to get the best deals - so jumping straight in trying to get the best possible card may be a no-go for the moment. Do you have other credit accounts on your files? Mobile phones? Utilities? Mortgage? Are you on the electoral roll?

Initially you may need to look at credit-building cards that offer higher APR's and limited 0% deals to get your foot in the door as it were. Then use the cards, pay them in full, and after 6 months, look again at the eligibility checks.

Barclaycard have a 'credit building' option with their 'Forward' card - once you've held that for a period of time, you can swap to the 'Rewards' card in-app (subject to managing the card well) and that's one of the better travel cards.

For the eligibility checkers - don't rely on the comparison sites - go directly to the card providers own website and use their checker. (Most have them - a few don't). That will give you the clearest picture as to whether you're eligible for a particular card.

Thing is, even for credit-building cards it gave me a 0%. I also checked on individual sites. On Barclaycard I also had no chances, Amex gave me a 3.5 out of 10 chance, and a solid No from CapitalOne.

cymruchris

So back to my questions - do you have a mortgage? overdraft? electoral roll? mobile phone contract? utilities? on your credit reference agency reports. Have you checked all three of them to ensure that the details they hold about you are correct? Have you looked in case there's a sneaky CCJ you weren't aware of? Have you lived at your current address for some time?

gh148

cymruchris said:

So back to my questions - do you have a mortgage? overdraft? electoral roll? mobile phone contract? utilities? on your credit reference agency reports. Have you checked all three of them to ensure that the details they hold about you are correct? Have you looked in case there's a sneaky CCJ you weren't aware of? Have you lived at your current address for some time?

No mortgage or any other credit obligation of any kind ever, and yes I'm on the electoral roll. I lived at my current address since 2018.

MattMattMattUK

gh148 said:

cymruchris said:

So back to my questions - do you have a mortgage? overdraft? electoral roll? mobile phone contract? utilities? on your credit reference agency reports. Have you checked all three of them to ensure that the details they hold about you are correct? Have you looked in case there's a sneaky CCJ you weren't aware of? Have you lived at your current address for some time?

No mortgage or any other credit obligation of any kind ever, and yes I'm on the electoral roll. I lived at my current address since 2018.

Bank account? Income from employment/self-employment?

cymruchris

gh148 said:

cymruchris said:

So back to my questions - do you have a mortgage? overdraft? electoral roll? mobile phone contract? utilities? on your credit reference agency reports. Have you checked all three of them to ensure that the details they hold about you are correct? Have you looked in case there's a sneaky CCJ you weren't aware of? Have you lived at your current address for some time?

No mortgage or any other credit obligation of any kind ever, and yes I'm on the electoral roll. I lived at my current address since 2018.

So this is likely part of the problem - it sounds like you have next to nothing on your credit file. As a result, the credit card providers can't see any 'positive history' in order to make a decision as to whether to grant you a card. You might have £10 million pounds in the bank for example, but they can't see that. As you've said, you're looking for one for the travel perks and safety nets rather than wanting credit - but without much history, it can be difficult (but not impossible) to get started.

So would I be right that your credit files show that you're on the electoral roll? and with maybe a current account there?

I'll say it again Have you checked your three credit reference agency files for accuracy? To ensure there's nothing hidden on there that you're not aware of (eg a parking ticket CCJ). Check each of the sections carefully to ensure everything is right.

As I also said - did you check these directly on their website? (Not the comparison sites)

Aqua

Vanquis

118118

Tesco foundation

(You do have an income I presume?)

Which is your main bank? You said you didn't qualify for their card based on their 'conditions' - which condition didn't you meet?

gh148

cymruchris said:

gh148 said:

cymruchris said:

So back to my questions - do you have a mortgage? overdraft? electoral roll? mobile phone contract? utilities? on your credit reference agency reports. Have you checked all three of them to ensure that the details they hold about you are correct? Have you looked in case there's a sneaky CCJ you weren't aware of? Have you lived at your current address for some time?

No mortgage or any other credit obligation of any kind ever, and yes I'm on the electoral roll. I lived at my current address since 2018.

So this is likely part of the problem - it sounds like you have next to nothing on your credit file. As a result, the credit card providers can't see any 'positive history' in order to make a decision as to whether to grant you a card. You might have £10 million pounds in the bank for example, but they can't see that. As you've said, you're looking for one for the travel perks and safety nets rather than wanting credit - but without much history, it can be difficult (but not impossible) to get started.

So would I be right that your credit files show that you're on the electoral roll? and with maybe a current account there?

I'll say it again Have you checked your three credit reference agency files for accuracy? To ensure there's nothing hidden on there that you're not aware of (eg a parking ticket CCJ). Check each of the sections carefully to ensure everything is right.

As I also said - did you check these directly on their website? (Not the comparison sites)

Aqua

Vanquis

118118

Tesco foundation

(You do have an income I presume?)

Which is your main bank? You said you didn't qualify for their card based on their 'conditions' - which condition didn't you meet?

Yes it shows me on the electoral roll and with my primary current account I use for everything, and there's nothing on them that's untrue or should have a negative impact on my chances.

cymruchris

cymruchris said:

As I also said - did you check these directly on their website? (Not the comparison sites)

Aqua

Vanquis

118118

Tesco foundation

(You do have an income I presume?)

Which is your main bank? You said you didn't qualify for their card based on their 'conditions' - which condition didn't you meet?

As above...

gh148

cymruchris said:

cymruchris said:

As I also said - did you check these directly on their website? (Not the comparison sites)

Aqua

Vanquis

118118

Tesco foundation

(You do have an income I presume?)

Which is your main bank? You said you didn't qualify for their card based on their 'conditions' - which condition didn't you meet?

As above...

Checked with all of those, same story. My main bank is Nationwide and their minimum income requirement was too high.

MattMattMattUK

gh148 said:

cymruchris said:

cymruchris said:

As I also said - did you check these directly on their website? (Not the comparison sites)

Aqua

Vanquis

118118

Tesco foundation

(You do have an income I presume?)

Which is your main bank? You said you didn't qualify for their card based on their 'conditions' - which condition didn't you meet?

As above...

Checked with all of those, same story. My main bank is Nationwide and their minimum income requirement was too high.

Nationwide's minimum income requirement is £5,000 pa, I suspect that may be the issue with getting any form of credit card is that your income is below £5,000.