Turned down for Tesco CC. Any other options.

jjnaas

So here's the story.

I'm 27, no debt, never had a bank loan, I have had the same bank account since 2005, had a student credit card and never missed a payment. I live in my grandparents house that my father inherited so no rent or mortgage.

I'm going on a J1 in May and wanted to get a credit card so I can rent a car. Because I'm a mature student AIB wouldn't give me a student account again. They told me you only get one in your lifetime and I had 'used up' my benefit to one back in 2005 when I did my BA.

I applied to Tesco attracted by the interest free few months and clubcard points because I spent about 100 every week in there. Got a letter yesterday that I was rejected and to order a credit report from the Irish Credit Bureau before applying for credit again. As I say never had any loans in my life so I can't imagine I'd have a bad credit report.

Now I'm stuck. I read that if I apply anywhere else the Tesco credit check will show up on a report and they won't entertain me.

Any ideas? I have no idea what to do now. My last resort might me getting my mother to get me a credit card in my name on her account. Is this possible and how would I pay does anyone know?

Seriously regretting that Tesco application now.lol!

Kalimah

Funnily enough much the same happened to my son aged 26. He was in a well paid graduate job with a multinational past probation etc. He applied to his own bank AIB where he'd had a student account since 2006. Rejected also. Never had any loans - ever! We just got him a card on my husbands CC account no bother at all.

NIMAN

I think your lack of credit history is probably the issue.

Believe it or not, sometimes it is better to have had plenty of debt in your life and paid it back well, than have never had any debt at all.

jjnaas

NIMAN wrote: »

I think your lack of credit history is probably the issue.

Believe it or not, sometimes it is better to have had plenty of debt in your life and paid it back well, than have never had any debt at all.

That leaves me a bit cornered then. I need to accrue debt and pay it back to get a good credit score but I can't get access to credit cards or loans until I have good credit. Hmm.
In the short term I'll ask my mother if she'd be willing to get me a card on her account. She doesn't have much of a credit limit though so there might be a problem with two of us trying to keep track of spending. In the long term I'm a bit freaked about my lack of credit history :-(

NIMAN

Could you not get a Visa Debit card from your own bank account here and use it abroad?

Surely if it has the VISA logo it will be accepted?

Gmaximum

Could a family member with a card give you a card in your own name on their account?

jjnaas

NIMAN wrote: »

Could you not get a Visa Debit card from your own bank account here and use it abroad?

Surely if it has the VISA logo it will be accepted?

US car rental companies only take credit cards. I have a debit card already.

galwayjohn89

Tesco would be one of the stricter companies when it comes to credit cards/credit limits. Would AIB not give you a click card?

piperh

jjnaas wrote: »

US car rental companies only take credit cards. I have a debit card already.

Not strictly true, some USA car rentals do take a Visa debit card. Do a search on car rentals in the area you are going and remember that the USA view any card with a Visa logo as a credit card.

We've travelled there a good few times and always used a debit card, just remember it has to be in the same name as the hirer. Good luck.

Mrs OBumble

So order a credit report from the Irish Credit Bureau, and see what it says.

We've seen reports of people with the same name and DOB being confused with someone else. Or maybe someone's borrowed your identity. The only way to know is to get the report.

Any chance you can get a CC on your parents account? (I know that some parents won't go for that!)

Oh - and check that you're on the electoral roll, that can be an issue too.

NIMAN

Is their anyone at the same address who may have a poor record?

I heard that sometimes an address can be blacklisted, and it can affect everyone there.

connaugg

According to section 142 of the Consumer Credit Act 1995 "Where a creditor or an owner refuses to enter into an agreement with a consumer, he shall disclose to the consumer the name and address of any person from whom he sought information concerning the financial standing of the consumer who gave information which influenced the refusal, within 14 days after receiving a request in writing to that effect from the consumer." As a first step, you should write to Tesco quoting this and request the name and address of any person who gave information which influenced the refusal. I would also indicate your intention to pursue the matter with the financial ombudsman if it is not explained to you why you are being refused. AFAIK not issuing you with a credit card is refusing "to enter into an agreement with a consumer"? I went down this road many years ago when I was refused in similar circumstances to yours. The institution in question (not Tesco by the way) came to their senses, rang me, apologised profusely over the phone and sent out my credit card by special delivery with a courier later on that same day! Best of luck with it!