You may already have 2 or more credit cards in your purse or wallet and you have just applied for a third and been declined. This can be very frustrating considering you pay off your other credit cards regularly and you are continually having your credit limit raised.
This is a common problem and the only way to find out more is by getting a copy of your Credit Report. Equifax and Experian are the two main credit reference companies in the UK and hold credit details of over 40 million people. Your file includes information about all your credit cards, loans, mortgages, bank account details, as well as any adverse bill payments or County Court Judgements against you.
When a Credit Provider asses your credit risk they will look at your Credit Report and make a decision based on your scoring. Your score is based on several factors. You may get more points for living in your address for more than 3 years or for having a home telephone, be married or for having children. Your age and profession can also help your score. The more points you have on your file the more chance you have of being approved for credit. The credit provider will use all this information coupled with your credit history to come to a decision. A Credit Providers scoring system is sensitive information so it’s not easy to understand why you were refused credit.
By having access to your Credit Report you will be able to get a sense of why you possibly have not been granted Credit. Another important point is to check and see that everything on your report is correct. You are allowed to make corrections to your file. As most people don’t get their Credit Report they never know what’s on it or why they are being refused credit. If you fell behind in some of your bill payments you are also allowed to add a note explaining why you did. This may also improve your score.
With all the 0% credit cards on offer its worth mentioning that if you are continuously applying for these cards you could be damaging your credit score. The number of times you apply within a 6 to 12 month period can have an adverse effect on your score. If you have been refused credit, don’t just move on to the next lender, find out as much as possible as to why it was declined before applying somewhere else.
You can find out more about your Credit Report at Experian and Equifax. It costs £2 for a basic report.
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