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Original poster

Why would a credit card application be refused?

38 replies

Whydothey · 03/10/2025 14:47

Hi

I hope I'm just worrying over nothing...

Dh recently applied for a new credit card. We don't need credit to live on, he just wants it for rewards and protection.

He filled in a quick form online for the credit card provider, income, outgoings etc and it said he'd be approved so he applied.

I asked him the other day if his new card had come yet and he said he'd got an email saying they couldn't continue his application because he doesn't meet their lending rules.

Apparently it didn't say why.

He has a well paid job and he has credit history, mortgage, previous credit cards, so I can't think of any reason why he wouldn't meet their rules.

I'm worried there's something he's not telling me. Debts I don't know about? He says he doesn't know any reason why he'd be refused a credit card but while he's not exactly dishonest he has a tendency not to tell me things he thinks I don't want to hear which is making me worry.

Could there be other reasons he'd be refused or is it most likely he's somehow got into debt?

OP posts:
ChrisMartinsKisskam · 03/10/2025 20:32

Whydothey · 03/10/2025 15:48

Not American express, it's a high street bank but not one he's had an account with before, don't know if that would make a difference?

I'll tell him to check his credit score but he's got this theory that checking it makes the score go down because the banks think only people who have reasons to worry about their credit score would check it. So he probably won't and even if he does unless I see it I'd be worrying he's saying it's all fine when it's not.

Show quote history

Tell him to try clear score it’s free and it will give him his credit score

Original poster
Whydothey · 03/10/2025 20:47

We've looked at his credit report on his banking app now.

It's all fine, credit score is excellent and there's no accounts that shouldn't be and no debt apart from mortgage.

So it looks like being refused that credit card was just one of those things.

Very relieved!

OP posts:
Bjorkdidit · 04/10/2025 04:34

If he still wants a card, he can do the eligibility calculator on Moneysavingexpert.com and it will do a soft search (so doesn't affect his ability to get credit) to see which cards he should get accepted for.

A card for the reasons you say is an excellent one, everyone should have one.

Also many others that have nothing to do with spending money you don't have or getting into debt. Eg I've just seen on another thread someone who is cancelling booked flights because the time has changed to a late night arrival but they can't book replacements until they get a refund presumably because they don't have the money, which wouldn't apply if they had a credit card.

Hairycherry · 04/10/2025 04:57

Soft checking it via Experian or ClearScore does not make the score go down at all. I do it most months.

musicalfrog · 04/10/2025 05:02

Being on the electoral roll helps.

daisychain01 · 04/10/2025 05:10

I'll tell him to check his credit score but he's got this theory that checking it makes the score go down because the banks think only people who have reasons to worry about their credit score would check it.

Id question his theory. Sounds like he's got something to hide.

People have a right to know their credit score and nowadays it's easier than ever before to know that information, through apps such as Experian and clearscore (which I use). - some credit cards offer to process an initial application with a guarantee that it will let you know either way, without it affecting your credit rating, so it doesn't put people off from applying.

daisychain01 · 04/10/2025 05:12

Whydothey · 03/10/2025 20:47

We've looked at his credit report on his banking app now.

It's all fine, credit score is excellent and there's no accounts that shouldn't be and no debt apart from mortgage.

So it looks like being refused that credit card was just one of those things.

Very relieved!

Can he try a different credit card now he knows his credit score is OK?

Hairycherry · 04/10/2025 05:13

Id recommend capital one 0% for 6 months. Accepted me and I’d never had a credit card

daisychain01 · 04/10/2025 05:24

daisychain01 · 04/10/2025 05:10

I'll tell him to check his credit score but he's got this theory that checking it makes the score go down because the banks think only people who have reasons to worry about their credit score would check it.

Id question his theory. Sounds like he's got something to hide.

People have a right to know their credit score and nowadays it's easier than ever before to know that information, through apps such as Experian and clearscore (which I use). - some credit cards offer to process an initial application with a guarantee that it will let you know either way, without it affecting your credit rating, so it doesn't put people off from applying.

Just to correct myself on this, there are two types of searches - a soft search which doesn't affect credit scores (which is the type I mentioned where a cc company can process an application without it impacting a credit score as it's a prequalification check only) and hard searches which do leave a mark on credit scoring. I've just checked in my Clearscore and it talked about no hard searches done,

so your DHs theory was a bit off kilter because him doing his own credit check wouldn't have any impact on his score, it would be a lender doing a hard searches and declining an application for say a mortgage or loan, that would cause the problem he described. Clearly a rejection of credit is something to avoid, whereas a soft search "we're just having a look " isn't the same,

Sesma · 04/10/2025 05:46

Has he always paid off his credit cards in full, some providers don't like this as they don't make money. There was a bit of a furore when John Lewis changed their credit card provider and many customers who had large credit limits on the old one and paid them off in full and had good incomes were refused the new card.

Crikeyalmighty · 04/10/2025 19:38

It’s totally random - I’ve got 4 cards, never pay them off in full but always pay on time and they constantly up my limits unless I refuse a higher limit -whereas my H couldn’t get a BA card ( which he wanted for aviosetc) for love nor money despite owing way less than I do and paying on time - there is no logic in many cases at all

Hoppinggreen · 04/10/2025 19:45

These things can be a bit odd
I opened a Sterling bank account and DH wanted to as well so we could then have a joint account but he was turned down. He checked his credit report and there was absolutely nothing on there to explain it, his core was higher than mine
He opened a Monzo account with no issues next day and a credit card for points a few weeks later

Rozendantz · 04/10/2025 19:51

CandidLurker · 03/10/2025 17:31

I’ve got a perfect credit score and got turned down for a high street bank credit card. I only wanted it for fee free use abroad. I had no other debts etc. sometimes you just don’t fit the lender’s criteria for whatever reason. No point asking the staff as they will not know the reason.

he should just check his credit record to see if there is anything detrimental.

if not he just needs to forget about it.

I had similar, my credit score is excellent and I was rejected - but I knew it's because I didn't have debt (mortgage paid off, no car loan/lease etc). So I wrote to the credit card company and asked them to please get someone to manually process my application (they're normally automated), and gave them the reasons why. They did so, and I was accepted straight away.

I suggest he does this if he wants that card and his credit rating is good.

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