Can't get a loan?

If you need credit and you’ve been turned down by your bank, then it’s likely your credit file didn’t meet their lending criteria. Your credit file is a breakdown of your financial history (focussed on borrowing rather than saving) which is used by lenders and other businesses to get a quick overview of your financial health. For instance, a credit file which shows you have not paid in full and on time for previous debts may put off certain lenders and could result in you being turned down for credit in the future. Here we look at no credit check guarantor loans and how they can help you if you have a less-then-perfect credit history. 

Credit Checks Explained 

A lender or similar company (say, a mobile phone contract provider) will look at your credit file as part of the approval process in order to get an idea of how you handle debts. Where there’s a poor history of paying back debts, the lender will be able to turn down an application for credit. All lenders will have a list of criteria which should be met by each applicant, and if your credit file is not up to scratch, then you simply can’t argue your case – what’s in your file is what the application approval is based on and nothing more. 
For those who have a poor or less-than-perfect credit history, finding a loan can be difficult. You don’t have to have handled credit poorly in the past to have what’s deemed to be a ‘poor’ credit file either – even those who have never borrowed in the past may be turned down as they have no prior evidence of borrowing money and paying it back in full and on time. Of course, this creates a catch-22 situation; if you can’t borrow because your credit file is lacking information about how you handle debts, then how can you build up your financial reputation by paying off credit properly? 

This is where lending solutions like guarantor loans come in – with a guarantor loan you are checked as normal, except more lenience is given for incomplete or less-than-perfect files. Your guarantor also makes up part of the application process, so their good credit can help to ‘boost’ your own, giving you a better chance of being approved for credit. Guarantor loans are for larger amounts than short term loan solutions for those with poor credit – typically between £1,000 and £5,000 and are payable over a longer period of time. This gives the borrower the opportunity to demonstrate how well they can deal with debts and may well improve their credit history enough so that they can borrow at a lower rate without a guarantor next time.   

Guarantor Loans and Credit Checks 

When applying for a guarantor loan, you’ll have to give them the same information as with any other credit application. Your credit file will be checked to find out whether you have major issues such as bankruptcy, which would severely limit your ability to pay back the loan easily. Your guarantor’s credit history is also checked to make sure they’re in a safe position to be able to support your loan. Their role is to vouch for your ability to pay back the loan and agree to make any payments which are incomplete or are missed. Of course, both the borrower and the guarantor will be contacted prior to this being taken and the lender will attempt to find a solution before demanding payment from the guarantor. This is done as part of the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) guidelines on Treating Customers Fairly, which is upheld by all legally operating guarantor loan lenders. 

Improving Your Credit History 

Improving your credit history is easy in principle – you simply have to demonstrate that you are ‘safe’ for loan companies to lend to. In practice, however, this is easier said than done, especially if a particularly poor credit history is preventing you from obtaining credit easily. Where this is the case, it’s advisable that you avoid taking on credit where your credit file is unaffected by either proper or improper payment of said credit. This means that some pawn shops, log book loans and loans from friends or family will not count towards improving your credit file. It’s important that you research which lines of credit will and will not report to the credit reference agencies. 
It’s also important that all of the information in your credit file is correct. You can view yours for a small fee at Experian, Equifax or Callcredit, or you can view a basic credit file for free on Noddle (run by Callcredit). Check that your name, registered address and previous/current borrowing details are correct and contact the agencies to rectify any mistakes. If you have glaring problems on your file which the agencies will not remove, then you are permitted to write a statement explaining why the problems exist. These should only be done in extreme circumstances however, as it can reduce your chances of being approved for credit with some lenders. 

Applying Wisely – How To Get More For Less 

In order to maximise your chances of being approved for credit, it’s advisable that you avoid applying for a lot of loans/credit cards all at once. This is because every time you apply for something and every time you are turned down, a mark is left on your file. A number of applications and turn-downs made in a short period of time can put off potential lenders, as it looks like you are desperate to find credit. While this may be true, it can indicate that you do not have a firm control of your monthly finances. This is also the reason why payday loans are viewed poorly by other lenders, as it looks like you have run out of money before the month is up, and therefore may not be able to afford loan repayments. 

Guarantor lenders, like Guarantor My Loan, will consider all applications and can lend to those who have been turned down by banks or building societies, meaning that no credit check guarantor loans can be a practical solution for those with a less-than-perfect credit history. 

REPRESENTATIVE APR 48.9% (FIXED)

For more information, speak to us live!

WHAT DOES MY GUARANTOR NEED TO DO?

Click here for details

APPLY NOW IN 5 MINUTES

We’ll aim to call you back at an hour when we are open