topic Re: Credit Declined in Pay Monthly

Credit Declined

AHirst44 — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:01:10 GMT

I have recently been trying to join a sim only plan on O2, but when I get to the final page I get this message

"Your order can't be completed.

When you apply for an O2 contract we use business policies to check your application. This time, you didn’t meet our minimum level. To find out why, email CreditFileReferrals@O2.com.

If you prefer, you can write to:

Credit File Referrals
Suite XY
Arlington Business Centre
Millshaw Park Lane
Leeds

LS11 0NE"

I contacted the O2 live chat, who told me to contact Equifax. I have been on the phone to Equifax who have looked at my credit report, and they tell me there is nothing there to suggest I would fail the credit check. They told me to ring back O2, and insist a manual check of my report takes place. So I have rung O2 and told them this, but O2 tell me it's up to Equifax whether I pass or fail the check, not O2.

I have emailed the credit file referalls, on 22/10/21, and 04/11/21 and have had no response to either email. When I try to get through to the credit file referalls via telephone, it stays on hold for a few minutes then cuts off.

What can I do about this? I'm being passed between O2 and Equifax, both saying the other is to blame, meanwhile I'm in the middle with an excellent credit report, confused as to why I cannot get accepted.

Thank you

Re: Credit Declined

MI5 — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:46:35 GMT

@AHirst44

There are no guarantees regardless of your credit report.

You've been rejected due to O2 policy so it's unlikely to get overturned, but CFR should get back to you within 10 working days.

Meanwhile, I'd look at other networks too.

Re: Credit Declined

Bambino — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:59:53 GMT

@AHirst44 If O2 have rejected you for whatever reason they've come up with it's likely to reflect in your credit report that any other network would also see if you applied to them. Best to get this cleared up with O2 so that your file is clean before you apply elsewhere. Otherwise you may wind up going in circles.

Re: Credit Declined

AHirst44 — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 06:21:19 GMT

Thanks for your response.

It’s been about 18 working days since my first email, and have had no response. Is their any other way of contacting them? Thanks

Re: Credit Declined

MI5 — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 08:01:04 GMT

@AHirst44

There isn't any other way I'm afraid.

It won't have a negative impact on your credit "score" as it will just show as a search which will drop off after 30 days anyway.

Re: Credit Declined

mrjackster — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 11:38:53 GMT

I'm currently stuck in a similar cycle. Never been declined credit, have been with O2 for 15 years, my entire business was with them and me as the decision maker and my son has a SIM on my account. My second son got a christmas phone and i'm being refused by O2 for an £8 a month SIM only!? I mean...

Spoken to credit control who have passed it up the chain and they say usually 3 day response should offer some insight into what is happening. I have 100% credit score so it's something in O2's 'policy' for approvals - but no idea how to unravel why the system is declining. Some unbelievably rude an unhelpful 'new connections' sales agents too - bullish and completely unwilling to listen.

Good luck. I'll let you know if i get anywhere.

0800 9777793 is the credit control number. They were super helpful though can't offer direct support and needed to fill in a form to go to the 'overlords' 😉

Re: Credit Declined

Ibblybibbly — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 16:11:46 GMT

Yep, just had exactly the same and I am in the same position. I applied for 1 SIM for my wife, which went through, tried for another SIM for my daughter but was rejected as per above. Rang the 'new sales' number and got straight through, but he was just rude and unhelpful. Rang customer services but gave up after 30 mins on hold. What a joke.

Re: Credit Declined

madasaf1sh — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 20:05:12 GMT

@Ibblybibbly

You are not guaranteed to be allowed more than 1 connections on your account, and o2 won't tell you why you have been declined, but my guess is too many credit checks in a short space of time.

@mrjackster

Credit Scores are a made up number created to sell people services. Just because you have a 100% score doesn't mean you will get approved as o2 look at your credit file and make a decision based on risk, outstanding credit and other factors ..

You are not entitled to an £8 sim only, and o2 can decline and accept who they want at the end of the day, and limit your number of connections

Re: Credit Declined

benlye — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:07:41 GMT

@Ibblybibbly and @mrjackster did you get anywhere?

I'm now stuck in the same loop after doing more or less the same thing - I'm a new customer who just opened two accounts for 24m SIM contracts from the January sale (actually cancelled the first one as I signed up for the wrong tariff) and now cannot open another due to 'credit declined'. Sales and customer server reps cannot help. I've emailed the credit referral email address but not had a human being reply yet.

I also tried phoning the 0800 9777793 who (as above) were nice but couldn't actually help.

I don't mind if the solution is just to wait (well, I do as I won't be able to get the January sale tariff), but I'm really hoping that this *can* be solved by a speaking to a reasonable/rational human being who knows what the 'business policy' which has prevented me signing up actually is as I want to move my family of 5 over to O2, but if it goes like this every time I may give up.

Re: Credit Declined

Hanif786 — Sat, 12 Feb 2022 00:23:43 GMT

I am also in the same situation with the "Unable to continue. Your order can't be completed" message, when applying for a £6/month SIM only 12 month contract (via Uswitch). I've never had issues before in applying for credit.

Can anyone please help? @Ibblybibbly and @mrjackster has there been any progress with your issues?

Re: Credit Declined

madasaf1sh — Sat, 12 Feb 2022 08:05:56 GMT

@Hanif786

O2 can choose who they want to do business with, and you have failed the checks o2 use for credit and affordability, and remember Credit is never guaranteed.

o2 wont tell you the reasons you failed.

My advice find another network, such as Tesco Mobile which use o2's network.

Re: Credit Declined

Hanif786 — Sat, 12 Feb 2022 11:01:30 GMT

Thank you for your reply @madasaf1sh, they must be using some obscure criteria in their credit checks, which as you say is within their rights. When I spoke to the a colleague on the 0800 credit control number, they seemed to say they had had a flood of these referrals/declines since the new year.

I require a mobile contract which supports eSIMs, so I have signed up with EE, where I had no issues with the credit referencing.

The only problem is I have THREE failed credit checks from O2 (thought the first time round, there must have been a mistake, so tried again, then tried again with my legal name in line with the suggestion from the colleague on 0800 number). I'm hoping that O2 can rectify the situation sooner than later and get them removed.

Re: Credit Declined

OliElli — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 15:34:19 GMT

Same problem here. It's infuriating to be told it is declined for "business reasons". If you dont tell me what that reason is, how can I possibly address whatever it is? I checked my Experian record and can find nothing wrong whatsoever.

Re: Credit Declined

madasaf1sh — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 15:42:37 GMT

@OliElli

No business will tell you what internal business criteria you have not met.

o2 wont remove the checks as they are obliged to report all credit applications.

Re: Credit Declined

Derek27 — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 22:38:12 GMT

No it is not right when o2 does a credit check they check the credit file so if the score is good it should not be declined it is o2 not eqfax eqfax say I have the highest score you can have same with exprian I have put a complaint to o2 so I will wait to see what they say. I can appeal and send my credit file in offcom said they have to look at my complaint

Re: Credit Declined

Derek27 — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 22:45:10 GMT

If they have not got back to you complain to offcom if there is nothing wrong on your credit file they can not decline you they have to have a reason to declined you. My score is 740 with eqfax and 999 with exprian the highest you can have when you phone up they can not tell you anything at o2

Re: Credit Declined

Derek27 — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 22:53:56 GMT

O2 will tell you. You can appeal if you send credit file in and say you should not had been declined they have to look in to it after eight weeks you can go to offcom. If you have bad credit they can decline you but if your credit score is high they can not decline you

Re: Credit Declined

Derek27 — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 23:01:02 GMT

I have done the same but you need to check eqfax credit file. And if that is ok you need to appleal to o2 my score is 740 with eqfax and 999 with exprian I have been told the only reason they can decline is if they see some thing on credit file they don’t like if file is ok they can not decline you

Re: Credit Declined

midlandboss — Thu, 25 May 2023 08:52:15 GMT

This happened to me recently and I have a score of almost 900 on Equifax with no missed payments, no debts and no bankruptcies on my file. I have recently moved house, so I think it was something to do with not being on the electoral roll for long enough at my current address. I decided to go with Lebara mobile to save myself the stress and hassle!

Re: Credit Declined

WOTSPO — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:17:28 GMT

O2/Telefonica seem to have the most impenetrable credit department. I've just been declined by them despite a 100% clear credit file. I guess they may have blacklisted me due to a succesful claim against them through Ofcom when they wrongly put a mark on my file for refusing to pay them after my contract had been legally closed!

I recommend avoiding this shower. I thought they may have improved after Virgin took over but 24 months on, they're still poor.