Although it’s important to research the loan market thoroughly make sure you don’t make multiple full scale applications at this time. Each loan you apply for will cause a record to be placed on your credit report and this can seem to a new lender that other lenders have been turning you down. This can very easily influence the decision of the prospective lender and you could find yourself turned down for no other reason than those multiple applications on your file.
Look for loan agreements in principle without consenting to a full credit search and then you can make the decision about which is the best loan for you and then make your proper application. If you are refused credit it’s always important to find out why. Go to Experian and find out what is on your report that caused this. Although not legally required to most lenders will tell you why you have been refused a loan so don’t hesitate to ask in this eventuality. Don’t apply for another loan until you know why you were refused.
What lenders look out for. Lenders need to know you can handle credit therefore if you have never borrowed money before you may not be offered the best rate. You may believe you are a worthy customer deserving of the best loan but you can’t seem to get it simply because you have no track record.
It’s a good idea to get a credit card and run it for a while responsibly for a while and also a mobile phone. Once you establish some track record the best rate loans may come within reach.
Make sure you are not overstretched. Lenders always look at your credit file to see how much you have outstanding on credit cards, mortgages and loans. They can easily see how you are handling payments. They will also look at your credit limits. Even if you are not currently borrowing on all your credit cards a lender could possibly get nervous about lending you more if he fears you might go on a spending spree. It’s probably better therefore to close credit card accounts that you don’t need.
It’s always best to try to explain why if you have any negative entries in your credit file. A good piece of advice if you are having some financial difficulties is to take advice from a financial adviser before just taking out more borrowing. IVAs, Court Judgements and bankruptcies will stay on your file for at least 6 years and even simple missed repayments will be there for 4 years or more.
If your problems were due to special circumstances then explain why – for example, if you suffered an illness that affected your income you can simply add a note to your credit report. Most Lenders may take this into account when considering you.
ALWAYS steer clear of any organisation that claims it will repair your credit record – this is simply NOT possible unless a serious mistake has been made, in which case you can easily fix it yourself. Certainly never pay any company for so called “credit repair”, any type of debt advice or rescheduling of debts.
There is usually a good reason for credit being refused to you. If you are having difficulties then the wisest step is first of all to review your spending. A good mover could be to consult with a debt councilling service.
Lenders use the electoral roll to check on applicants so if you’re not on the electoral role then do so at once. This give you more credibility with lenders and they have more faith in the fact that you are who you say you are. If you are not registered on the electoral roll or possibly registered as living elsewhere you will have extra questions to answer and could face the risk of being summarily refused the loan.