pintofbitter

I'm hoping to return to the UK after almost 10 years out of the country. I'm aware that I'll have to build up a new credit rating again. How long can I expect to be there before I'll get accepted for a mobile phone contract?

FlyergirlUK

I got offered a contract with 3 after only a month back in the UK.

Your mileage may vary though.

Fleaflyfloflum

I am beginning to scratch my head about all this credit rating stuff. When I came back for the first time 2yrs ago after being out of the country for 7yrs, I was given a Lloyds bank account within 2 weeks of getting here, but was refused a contract mobile phone.
Due to circumstances, I had to return to Australia a couple of months later. I came back again a year later. This time i was offered a Next credit account, and 3 dongle broadband account, but STILL not allowed a mobile phone contract. My daughter got me one on her 3 account.
I dont understand it all. If i was good enough for a broadband account, why not a phone!!

cricket1again

Do you need a mobile or broadband contract? We've been using recharge vouchers for months and they are much cheaper and more flexible than getting signed into a contract especially if you're renting and may not be able to take the service with you. Then they charge you a penalty fee for ending the contract early plus disconnection fees.
We're not renting but we got fed up with the high charges of being tied into a contract so we went mobile broadband and recharge with Vodafone.

Instead of our bills being $300 a month for broadband, they are now $35. And with the mobile, for a $29 recharge card, you get a $100 free. Capped of course but the money we save is staggering. This is in Oz. We're returning to the UK next month but I'll be doing the same over there until we decide where we're going to base ourselves.

Bermudashorts

I have been back nine months now and we got turned down for a small loan last week and also a Monsoon store card that they ask you about every flipping time you buy there. I only said yes to avoid being asked again and again and again...

We did manage to get an O2 mobile phone contract the day we moved back though and also no problems with broadband.

It does seem very random, particularly as we were away only two years and maintained Uk bank accounts and credit cards during that time.

Nu-Shooz

Sounds like there are different rules for everyone. We were out of the country 3 years and got refused mobile phone contract, but if we paid 300 pounds up front they would let us have one. So we had to cough up.
Got refused finance loads of times, but went to Harvey Nichols and was accepted for a store card with 2 grand credit limit

Bloody stupid!

Fleaflyfloflum

Yes, weird! I cant see what the difference is between having 3 mobile broadband and a contract mobile phone with them. Both need an actual mobile number to use it, and you have to dial up to the broadband, so why was i allowed that but not the phone

Last week i tentatively applied for just a basic Abbey account to put savings in etc. I already have the Llloyds one for day to day banking. Surprise surprise, my credit check came back saying i was approved for their top bank account!! go figure

cricket1again

You do need to be careful. If you know you don't have a credit rating, don't test your luck applying for credit. This is because each time you get turned down, it goes on your file as 'declined'. This then works in the opposite of your favour in that each time in the future you apply for credit, you are building up a bad credit rating instead of good one.

If you do apply and it is declined, explain so that at least you aren't just listed as 'declined' without the reason that you have not been in the country.

spain

a way around getting a mobile contract is to pay a deposit to the supplier...perhaps only some companies offer this, not sure

go to carphone warehouse or similar and they will be able to advise

we did this for our sons contract phone, the deposit is reurned after you have paid 3 monthly bills

.Ariel.

DH got a mobile phone contract on Saturday. They did a credit check on him (O2) and it came back saying he needed to leave an additional 150 pounds deposit. This will be given back after 3 months or we can use it towards his monthly payments and so leave it with O2. He has been in the UK for 6 weeks - and he is European, not Brit.

Dave_Was

Is there a way to check your own credit rating, as you can do in the US?

Fleaflyfloflum

Yes there is Martin Lewis from moneysavingexpert.com was recently on GMTV talking about this. Go here

http://www.experian.co.uk/creditrepo...earchlpb101108

Sign up for it and just cancel the account once you have seen it

d_woo

could you survive on a pay as you go phone until you build a better credit rating? as mentioned before, too many declined starts to work against you