Hard checks when applying for credit card

Chris_N35

Firstly i have really good credit score and have never been delined for credit in my life.
I have also never had a credit card and today i decided to apply for a virgin atlantic credit card to use to earn points for flights as i use virgin atlantic all the time.
Anyways i went onto their website and chedked to see if i would be acepted (i always do this ) and sure enough i got a pre approved and guranteed i would be accepted if i applied on the same day.  This is what i fully expected to see,

So i applied and to my shock i was declined??? this threw me as like i said i have really good score on all checks (experian, clear score etc) and even more so as they had said i would not be declined.  So i thought i must have done something wrong on the form and re-aplied, same thing! .....i ended up doing it 4 times before eventually i got another answer saying they will check and get back to me in 5 days.

To be honest im not even botehred if i get the card now as it was just an idea, however i am now more concerned about "hard checks" affecting my credit score. 

My question is, will this be classed as 4 hard seaches? or will it be only 1 with it being the same lender ?

If it is 4 will this massively affect my credit score now and stop me getting any credit in the future??

Brie

Credit scores are meaningless.  Your credit history is what counts.  I suspect all searches will appear on your history now so suggest you wait some time before applying for anything else.  And while you wait check that you are registered to vote, don't have any CCJs or massive overdrafts (even if not used). 

Do you have credit with anyone?  Even a mobile phone contract might help prove your credit worthiness.  (but go for sim only as it's cheaper....)  You say you've never been declined for credit so perhaps you have a loan/mortgage/HP for a car?  If this makes you look like you are at the upper limit of your credit ability then you will get declined.

So tidy things up and then apply for one of the credit builder cards and you can work your way up to something more helpful at some point.

(wondering how you have paid for flights if you don't have a card.....)

grumbler

Chris_N35 said:

If it is 4 will this massively affect my credit score now and stop me getting any credit in the future??

IIRC searches remain visible only for 6 months and are usually ignored by lenders after 3.
Also, pay more attention to your credit history than to some imaginable credit score.

DullGreyGuy

Scores are a marketing ploy from certain companies, no one lender sees the ones you buy (hence Experian was able to offer an "instant boost" for a price a couple of years ago). Lenders apply their own methodology to your credit history.

Only someone with knowledge of Virgin Money's systems will know if they've done one or four checks based on four applications in quick succession however typically speaking another lender will typically count multiple applications from the same other lender in a short period of time as if it was one check as normally it'd be additional checks on one application being done rather than someone thinking they may have mistyped their name 4 times. 

Chris_N35

Brie said:

Credit scores are meaningless.  Your credit history is what counts.  I suspect all searches will appear on your history now so suggest you wait some time before applying for anything else.  And while you wait check that you are registered to vote, don't have any CCJs or massive overdrafts (even if not used). 

Do you have credit with anyone?  Even a mobile phone contract might help prove your credit worthiness.  (but go for sim only as it's cheaper....)  You say you've never been declined for credit so perhaps you have a loan/mortgage/HP for a car?  If this makes you look like you are at the upper limit of your credit ability then you will get declined.

So tidy things up and then apply for one of the credit builder cards and you can work your way up to something more helpful at some point.

(wondering how you have paid for flights if you don't have a card.....)

Hi yes i have credit, i have a mortgae for 20 years, never missed a payment, phone never missed a payment, loan also never missed a payment. etc etc etc, i have never had any CCJ's or even close!

I always pay for my holidays in cash, just use debit card and pay them off as i have the funds in the bank

So this has baffled me

MorningcoffeeIV

Chris_N35 said:

Brie said:

Credit scores are meaningless.  Your credit history is what counts.  I suspect all searches will appear on your history now so suggest you wait some time before applying for anything else.  And while you wait check that you are registered to vote, don't have any CCJs or massive overdrafts (even if not used). 

Do you have credit with anyone?  Even a mobile phone contract might help prove your credit worthiness.  (but go for sim only as it's cheaper....)  You say you've never been declined for credit so perhaps you have a loan/mortgage/HP for a car?  If this makes you look like you are at the upper limit of your credit ability then you will get declined.

So tidy things up and then apply for one of the credit builder cards and you can work your way up to something more helpful at some point.

(wondering how you have paid for flights if you don't have a card.....)

Hi yes i have credit, i have a mortgae for 20 years, never missed a payment, phone never missed a payment, loan also never missed a payment. etc etc etc, i have never had any CCJ's or even close!

I always pay for my holidays in cash, just use debit card and pay them off as i have the funds in the bank

So this has baffled me

If you've not had a credit card before, start lower down the ladder.  You'll probably need a bit more history of handling a credit card before going for something premium like Virgin.

Also check your files to see if there is anything erroneous on them.

Chris_N35

im thinking of getting in touch with them and asking them to remove any searches. 
Their own website told me i was 100% guranteed to be sucesful after doing the soft check but then they refuse with the same information put in.

th081

I would check your files to see if anything erroneous on them. 

If you have done without credit cards until now then maybe it would be best to continue that way - I for one wish I had not started on my credit card journey 

Nebulous2

It may seem odd for someone with quite a financial history, but generally people have to start with a credit builder card.

Prime cards with perks are often fussy. 

Chris_N35

Nebulous2 said:

It may seem odd for someone with quite a financial history, but generally people have to start with a credit builder card.

Prime cards with perks are often fussy. 

I get that, its the fact i was 100% approved and gurateeed to get one !

born_again

Chris_N35 said:

Brie said:

Credit scores are meaningless.  Your credit history is what counts.  I suspect all searches will appear on your history now so suggest you wait some time before applying for anything else.  And while you wait check that you are registered to vote, don't have any CCJs or massive overdrafts (even if not used). 

Do you have credit with anyone?  Even a mobile phone contract might help prove your credit worthiness.  (but go for sim only as it's cheaper....)  You say you've never been declined for credit so perhaps you have a loan/mortgage/HP for a car?  If this makes you look like you are at the upper limit of your credit ability then you will get declined.

So tidy things up and then apply for one of the credit builder cards and you can work your way up to something more helpful at some point.

(wondering how you have paid for flights if you don't have a card.....)

Hi yes i have credit, i have a mortgae for 20 years, never missed a payment, phone never missed a payment, loan also never missed a payment. etc etc etc, i have never had any CCJ's or even close!

I always pay for my holidays in cash, just use debit card and pay them off as i have the funds in the bank

So this has baffled me

Do you bank with Virgin?
If not then that mat affect their decision. As they have very limited information on you.