Credit Issues?
A Poor Credit Rating can be a Real Headache
Every Situation is Different So Talk to Us First
You may have simply had an issue with a mobile phone provider, missed a few credit card payments, had a County Court Judgement or you may be a discharged Bankrupt. These may have been caused by a divorce or separation or a business problem.
Whatever the cause of these problems, a poor credit rating can be a real headache when trying to get a mortgage.
The good news is, we have Lenders that may be able to help!
Get your Credit Report
A great place to start is to apply for your Credit Report.
Most Lenders perform a credit search on Experian, so it would be helpful if you could obtain a copy of your full Experian Report.
This will show your credit commitments and payment history for the last 6 years. It will also show any County Court Judgements and information on your financial associations with other people.
In the meantime, here are a few tips which may help you improve your credit score:
- Avoid making lots of applications for credit – this will reduce your credit score
- Electoral Roll – make sure that your information is correct and up to date
- Consider your partner’s debt – buying with a partner will mean their credit history gets taken into account, as well as yours
- Repair your credit history – establish a pattern of consistent payments and responsible credit usage
- Reduce your credit card debt – this will help improve your score
- Present as a lower risk – apply when you have a stable income and try to offer a high deposit, which may mean looking at cheaper properties
- Be honest – mortgage lenders will conduct thorough searches, and trying to hide adverse credit will look bad
- Have an explanation – lenders will be interested in why you got into financial trouble and what has happened since then
- Timing – blemishes on your record could be seen as less serious over time, especially if your financial situation has improved
If you are experiencing financial difficulty and struggling to make repayments, then you can contact your lender who may be able to help taking account of your individual circumstances.
You may want to contact one of the free impartial money guidance and debt advice services such as StepChange, Citizens Advice, or Turn2Us.