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[UK] If you fail the O2 credit check....
- Thread starter Devil's Refugee
- Start date
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As a guy who's never had anything on credit (I believe in paying for everything with either cash or on debit.) what's the likelyhood I will get knocked back for activating the iPhone?
hopefully you'll be fine, but the guy i talked to in CPW was very explicit that if you miss the 14 day window to bring it back. Tough!
I highly doubt you will any problems with O2 and their credit checking mate. You'll be fine.
Jarcrew
macrumors 6502
I've never had a credit card either. As long as you haven't piled up any debts or CCJs or whatever then I don't see why it'll be an issue.
Meh, if they knock you back, they knock you back and you either return the phone or wait for a hack. But I don't see why they would if you haven't had anything on credit (and therefore haven't had a credit history to screw up with debts).
But surely if you do fail you get another shot and just put it in your wife/mum/dad/gran/grandad/dog/mate's name????
Does the iPhone credit card account need to be registered the same as your iTunes account?
I'm not sure what you mean here, but the card that you buy the iPhone with can be any credit/debit card - it doesn't have to be the same as your iTunes account.
Then your o2 account will be totally different, as these are done via bank details for direct debit.
Plus, thinking about it, you're not really getting credit are you? You pay for the handset and then pay monthly. So at best you're taking out £35 worth of credit, cos if you don't pay your bill, they'll just cut you off. So I can't see it being the most stringent check ever, more just a see if your details tally kind of check.
I meant that when you activate the iPhone via iTunes you need to input card/bank details for the 18-month contract - will those card/bank details need to be same as details on your iTunes account?
Technically you are, because you could run up call charges, especially if you call abroad, I've seen bills from customers within the first couple of weeks going into the hundreds from calling international numbers, and getting premium SMS'
You should be fine to use different details, as although the activation is 'through iTunes' you are registering an o2 billing account.
You could use a credit card for iTMS purchases, but a debit card (bank details) for your o2 billing.
hth
It depends on what the criteria is for the credit check, if it's simply CCJs etc then there shouldn't be a problem, but if it's based on other factors like time at address then I could be affected since I've moved house twice in the last 2 years (most recently in the last 6 months) purely for schools for the kids.
sneeks
macrumors 65816
That's true but you are not getting a free/subsidised handset from them so basically at most they lose out on service charges which makes me think the credit check will not be as crucial to them.
Kardashian
macrumors 68020
They refused me. As did Voda.
Only Orange, T-Mobile and 3 will have me.
I was very stupid when I was about 16, and took out 4 contracts in my name. Sent them all back and had them cancelled - but can't get credit on anything now. Not even a £100-store card.
Weird thing is, my credit report it blank. So I think our address is black listed.
It didn't help that my parents had a mucky divorce and Dads name was dragged through the mud when it was her fault.
Rodimus Prime
macrumors G4
well do you pay any bills because if you are paying bills it means you have some credit. It means a company had to open an account on you and give you credit to cover the bills. (power companies for example you pay for the power you used last month or internet you payed the previous month ect)
Sum it up as a long as you have been paying bills of any type you are building credit.
Rodimus Prime
macrumors G4
oh I going to guess you name/address could be blacklisted also depending on how things are set up for you part of you credit is based on your parents credit and a divorce is a hug black mark on both your all credit.
In the US if you are under the age of 18 you can not sign a legal contract but your parents can.
It take some time but when you are no longer link with you parents credit history and do not need to used your parents credit you will be fine.
Did I read somewhere on here that there will be an option to give a £100 deposit if you fail the check, or did I imagine that?
This is only for certain customers - this option won't be available to everyone who fails.
i work for a Debt Collection agency and I can safely say that there is no such thing (anymore) as address black listing... it's just not manageable anymore.
reasons to fail a credit check:
CCJ's
Numerous Defaults
Company descretion
the credit check is a guide to whether you should have credit, ultimately it is down to the person / systems criteria if it approves you.
if you had seen some of the **** that has been given as credit : 6 months in this country, no job, no perm address, no visa, BOOM 12K credit card issued; it would make you realise that this countries debt problem is the fault of the banks by issuing so much credit and the fact that the borrower didn;t have to sign / feels no responsibility to pay.
i have lived in my current property for 18 months. in this time i have taken out and cleared 3 lots of credit with 2 companies. in the past i have had defaults on loans, phones etc, and even now only 4 years later (at the least) i am still able to get a 15K (after repayments, 12K borrowed) loan, no problem. AND.... i don't show up on electoral rolls, BT listings, Experian / Equifax credit checking (which is used by most financers).
IMO, to fail the credit check for this phone, you would probably need at least 2 of the following..
current CCJ
Bankruptcy order
Associated bad debts (partner, joint loans)
loans currently in Debt Collection
being under 18
being a part time habitant (students, expat etc, sorry)
if anyone has any credit / debt questions feel free to ask. I have to take tests ever 6 months to brush up on the facts... and i work in IT... i'm not even on the phones.