dell, buy now pay later

[dustnbones]

Hmmmmmm….I had a problem with Dell recently. They advertised ‘pay nothing till 2005’. Yeah right. I phoned up to place my order, gave them my credit card and bank details. They then phoned back to say I couldn’t have the pay later option because they couldn’t get a credit rating for me. It turns out that because I’ve never had ‘buy now, pay later’, they can’t assess whether I’ll be a good customer and pay up when payment is due. Two points here. Firstly they have my credit card details and secondly, how the hell are you meant to get a credit rating if you can’t get it in the first place
____________________
moderator

dustnbones, please note 17

your post has been split

 

[Sparky Jim]

It's the same old story of Credit Scores in the UK. When I moved here from Galway years ago I brought over the prceeds of the sale of my house, about £35,000. I was a family man, with a job and a good income, about £700 a week at that time. Yet I could not get a mortgage. It took three weeks to open a bank account. I was told for almost 18 months that as I did not owe anyone any money I was a credit risk How can I be a risk if I pay my bills on time, sheer lunacy. However that is the way it would appear to work in the UK, the more you owe, the more thay will lend you until the weight of the debt destroys your homelife and they take your home from you.

 

[masona]

Firstly they have my credit card details and secondly, how the hell are you meant to get a credit rating if you can’t get it in the first place

I know what you mean and it's one of the most stupid set up. How about if you get in touch with your credit card company and ask them if they can give you a reference letter to Dell for your payment history.

 

[Diyisfun]

Its called credit history. If you have not had credit, you cant have any history.

 

[AdamW]

It's true, so much so that as a student I would use my credit card and pay it off that month, thus getting myself a good credit history (well, until the other debts got so great that I couldn't afford to pay it back, cheers govt.)

Anyway, when I got a job I had no trouble arranging car loans, mortgages, better credit cards as I showed up as having a good history.

I know someone who until a year or two back had done everything cash. Never had debts of any kind. She decided that seeing as it was the 21st century she should really have a Switch card, and had trouble convincing her bank of many years! When they did give her a card, they only gave her one valid for 6 months!

This from the bank that had seen her money go in and out for the last 10+ years!

 

[breezer]

i confess to haveing a cc, pay it everymonth (only use it to pay bb connection (just so they dont cancel it through lack of use)

i got one because i went to see uncle sam, so thought it a good idea (as it turned out it was) but i got one becuse i filled in the next form that came through the letter box. (not my bank)

and no it wasnt from the bank of some place you never heard of

 

[AdamW]

i got one because i went to see uncle sam,

Yes, you need a Visa to get into the US...

Watch yourselves, don't cut yourself on my sharp wit!

 

[dustnbones]

Errr....point I'm making is that you have to buy something on credit and make regular payments in order to get a credit history. The point being is that companys like Dell can see your good at repayments. I'm so good I don't make regular payments - I pay credit bills off in one go as to avoid interest.

 

[masona]

I know it sound stupid,

Get yourself a catalogue like Littlewood's or whatever, buy something and pay weekly for it, then the database will pick up your credit history. I've been told it's the only way