Advise with employer credit check?

nathan229505 · 28 November 2017 at 7:51PM

Ive been offered a job for a customer service roll at tesco mobile in the retentions department, ive been offered the job pending the results of background and credit check. I have no criminal history so im not worried about that but with my credit im a little concerned.
My credit rating is 518, which i understand is poor. I have 2 defaults on my account, but multiple other accounts all showing as upto date with no missed payments, from virgin media, to shop direct whom ive paid around 2 thousand too, and now have about 900 on credit which again is being paid on time every month. The first default was origional 400+, from when i was 18 and made the silly decision to get a phone contract with vodaphone, its now at 259, as ive recently started paying on a payment plan. the other is for 50 pounds to lloyds bank from a few years ago id forgotten about, id have no problem paying it but i cant get contact with the company handling it. Other than that i have no CCJ's, never been bankrupt etc, nothing against me whatsoever besides those two defaults. What is it they will be looking for, and will this prevent me getting the job? Theyve worded it as a 'financial check'.

forgotmyname · 28 November 2017 at 8:06PM

Certain jobs will depend on you having zero bad credit, If its a roll where you could be enticed to offer goods or services with a bit if bribery or blackmail to help settle your debts.

Is that position such a job?

tenchy · 28 November 2017 at 9:08PM

But surely, credit checks are for people applying to borrow money? And criminal record checks are for people who might be, or will be, working with so-called vulnerable people. A job at Tesco doesn't fit either of those categories. What's it all about?

Hmm... There's a company called Experian who sidestep the rules on who (in England and Wales) can be subject to a criminal record check by going to Disclosure Scotland, or whatever it's proper name is. And then, Experian, who run something called the Closed Group, which only allows credit checks to be carried out by companies who contribute the data on credit accounts, sidestep that little rule as well, and throw their files open to anyone they have a relationship with.

Do the ICO have a view on any of this?

nathan229505 · 28 November 2017 at 9:16PM

forgotmyname wrote: »

Certain jobs will depend on you having zero bad credit, If its a roll where you could be enticed to offer goods or services with a bit if bribery or blackmail to help settle your debts.

Is that position such a job?

its basically either helping customers that want to reduce their monthly bill, or assisting them with what new deals are on offer etc, and if anyone wants to leave, finding out reasons and trying to 'save' the customer. however its only small amounts as i said thats actually on default, 300ish in total, so its not a massive amount where im going to be accepting bribes from desperation, let alone would it be posible to do so considering i cant create the deals

Arleen · 28 November 2017 at 9:44PM

Just proceed with the application. If you will get refused then you will, not really anything you can do with it at this point so why worry about it?

[Deleted User] · 28 November 2017 at 10:19PM

Your credit rating isn't 518.
Your mythical credit score on one of the CRA'S is 518.

What matters is the data not the score.

A lot of banks etc require yoy to have a good credit history as it's a bit two-faced to be chasing people for debt when you're in it yourself

nic_c · 28 November 2017 at 10:45PM

What status are the defaults at, settled, being paid off, or unpaid?

boliston · 28 November 2017 at 11:00PM

!!! wrote: »

Your credit rating isn't 518.
Your mythical credit score on one of the CRA'S is 518.

What matters is the data not the score.

A lot of banks etc require yoy to have a good credit history as it's a bit two-faced to be chasing people for debt when you're in it yourself

"chasing people for debt" would be a credit control role rather than anything specific to banks - banks are mainly there to sell financial products and tend to farm out credit control functions to specialist companies.

nathan229505 · 28 November 2017 at 11:12PM

nic_c wrote: »

What status are the defaults at, settled, being paid off, or unpaid?

one being paid, one unpaid

System · 29 November 2017 at 11:59AM

tenchy wrote: »

But surely, credit checks are for people applying to borrow money? And criminal record checks are for people who might be, or will be, working with so-called vulnerable people. A job at Tesco doesn't fit either of those categories. What's it all about?

Someone with bad credit records and a string of recent CCJs and arrears is likely to be not very good with money so is more likely to be someone to take advantage of a situation if they can see it can help them out whether that be giving wrong change to a customer and pocketing the difference if they're on the till to putting the odd item in their bag because they can't afford to buy it.

Do the ICO have a view on any of this?

Perfectly legal.

tenchy · 29 November 2017 at 12:10PM

Tarambor wrote: »

Someone with bad credit records and a string of recent CCJs and arrears is likely to be not very good with money so is more likely to be someone to take advantage of a situation if they can see it can help them out whether that be giving wrong change to a customer and pocketing the difference if they're on the till to putting the odd item in their bag because they can't afford to buy it.

Perfectly legal.

You're probably right, but that was not the issue I was addressing. I was merely pointing out how companies like Experian sidestep rules - a bit like some of the people they are checking up on and ruling out of jobs. I doubt the ICO has given much consideration to it. They are not the brightest bulb in the box.

Advise with employer credit check?

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free