Why Have I Been Turned Down for Credit?

Only the lender can tell you why — but your credit report shows you what they saw. Here’s what to review before you apply again.

TransUnion does not receive information on credit application outcomes. Each lender has their own lending criteria based on their own policies and rules — which we do not have access to or influence over. If you’ve been turned down for credit and would like to know why, please ask the lender directly for the reasons behind its decision.

While we can’t help with why, we can provide you with a copy of your statutory credit report so you can review the information lenders can see when they perform a credit search on you with TransUnion. This allows you to  check the information and raise a dispute to correct any inaccuracies if necessary.

There are multiple ways you can request to see a free copy of your statutory credit report:

• Access and download your statutory credit report online to see your latest credit information.
• Email us at [email protected]  
• Call us on 0330 024 7574, lines are open Monday – Friday 8 a.m.–6 p.m. 
• Write to us at (for postal statutory credit report applications): TransUnion Consumer Services Team, PO Box 647, Unit 4, Hull HU9 9QZ you can download and print the application form here.

Here are some general things to consider when reviewing the information within your statutory credit report:

Consider how well you’ve managed your financial accounts over time and how this may look to a potential lender:

• Are you making your repayments on time and meeting the minimum repayment requirements?
• How much of your available credit limits are you regularly using and might it look like you’re relying on credit too much?
• How long have you held a well-managed financial account for?
• Have you missed any payments on one or more of your financial accounts and is it now in arrears?

Being on the electoral register is an easy way to show you have a stable address history and you can be contacted for any money owed. If you’re not already on the electoral register, you can apply here. If you’re not eligible to register, you may want to add a statement to your credit report to explain why — see our guidance on Notices of Correction.

People you’re financially connected to (like a partner you share a credit card with) can influence your chances of getting credit if they miss repayments or fail to meet their credit commitments. 

Make sure you regularly check your credit report to ensure your financial connections are still relevant. If you no longer have any financial connection with another person, you can remove them by raising a dispute on your credit report. This process is known as a disassociation and will stop them from having an influence on any credit applications you make in the future.

You can be confident that just living with someone does not create a financial connection. You need to have a joint loan, mortgage or bank account to create a financial link.

Read more in our guide to financial connections.

This information on your credit report can signal you’ve not been able to repay your previous debts and so you could be seen as a higher risk to lend to in the future. If you do receive a judgment, you can get it removed from your credit report if you repay the full amount owed within one month of the date of Judgment.

Read more in our guide to Court Judgements, bankruptcies and insolvencies. 

Being turned down isn’t permanent. Review your report, correct any inaccurate information and see our guide on how to help improve your credit rating or score before you apply again.