In today's harsh financial climate, getting access to credit can be
difficult. If you previously experienced some financial difficulties you
may now be turned down by lenders because of a default that was noted
on your account – even if it was two or three years ago. Records of
defaults and CCJs stay on the holder's account for six years, so even if
your finances are stable now, companies will be wary of lending to you
if you missed payments in the past.
You don't have to have
defaulted on a loan or credit card to have your application for credit
turned down. The list of criteria for lending is so tough now that even a
late mobile phone payment could lower your score. There have even been
reports of lenders quizzing loan applicants who are employed by
companies that have a disclosed financially unstable status.
This
backdrop explains why credit building credit cards have become so
popular. Their arrival provides welcome support for people excluded by
high street lenders and who want to repair their credit record. This
group of people used to be a minority but are now a much larger
proportion of the population.
The best known credit provider for
supplying people with credit building credit cards in the UK is aqua.
They assess applications on a case by case basis, so even if you have
had problems in the past, aqua will base their decision on how
financially secure you are today. When you go to apply for a credit card,
they will listen carefully to the information you provide and base their
decision on your current ability to make repayments.
One of
aqua's credit cards, the Advance credit card, even gives you the
opportunity to lower the amount of interest over time. Starting with an
interest rate of 34.9% APR, this can be lowered by up to 5% a year down
to 19.9% if you manage your account responsibly – simply by paying your
bill by at least the minimum amount on time.
Think about how
useful a credit card would be this Christmas and in the New Year sales.
We all know that the best bargains go to those who can afford to buy,
but it can tricky finding the money to pay for pricey necessities after
an expensive Christmas. By purchasing these goods on a credit card, you
can spread the cost over a few months. Particular types, like the aqua
Classic credit card, even reward you for paying off your balance each
month by removing any charges you may ordinarily receive when using your
credit card to make payments.




