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Bad Credit Explained
Moneybarn is a specialist lender, working with customers who have a poor credit history to help them finance the vehicle they need. But what does ‘Bad Credit’ mean? How can it affect you? And what can you do to improve your credit score? We’ll try to explain…
How does bad credit affect me when I need to borrow money?
Whenever you want to borrow money from a lender, they will run checks on your credit score to see if they will lend to you. They’ll base their decision on your credit score and their own lending rules on who they can lend to.
A ‘standard’ lender, such as a high-street bank, will often not lend to customers who they view as having bad credit.
We recognise that even if you have bad credit, you may still need to borrow money to afford a car, van or motorbike for your everyday needs, and particularly if you’re self-employed or you commute to work.
Why do I have bad credit?
Your credit score is influenced by a variety of factors. You can improve it by sticking to the terms of a credit agreement, but it can be negatively impacted if you don’t stick to the agreement. This can be due to:
What else affects my credit score?
Lenders may look at additional factors to help them decide whether to lend or not. These include:
- Multiple instances of full credit checks in a short time period
- Moving home a lot over a short period of time
- Not being registered on the electoral role
What doesn’t impact my credit score?
There is a lot of misinformation and myths surrounding what affects your credit score. The following factors will not impact your credit score:
- Previous occupants of your home address
- Friends and family you live with (as long as you are not financially linked e.g. sharing a mortgage)
- Soft search credit checks
- Checking your own credit score
How do I check my credit score?
You can check your credit score with the main credit referencing agencies, Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.
You can check a basic version of your credit report once a month using free services provided by these agencies, or you can sign up for a more in-depth monitoring service for a monthly subscription..
How can I improve my credit score?
You can improve your credit score by paying off your outstanding finance and/or by continuing to borrow money and making repayments on time, but this can take a while.
There are also other ways you can improve your credit score, for example by making sure you are registered on the electoral roll or by living at the same address for a long time.
What is a good credit score?
Exactly what constitutes a “good” credit score depends on which agency you use to look up your score, as each one has its own criteria.
Having a good credit score won’t guarantee you finance, because lenders look at different factors. However, as a general guide the main credit referencing agencies class the following scores as “good”.
- Experian – 881+
- Equifax – 420+
- TransUnion (Callcredit) – 4/5
Can I get a loan with bad credit?
Having a poor credit record doesn’t mean you can’t get car finance (or a loan for a vehicle such as a van or motorcycle). But it may make it harder to find a lender that will accept your application.
As a specialist lender for people with bad credit, we’ve provided car loans and finance for thousands of people across the country to help them get the vehicles they need. Use our vehicle finance calculator to get an idea of which vehicle you might be able to afford.
We may even be able to lend to you if you have an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) or a County Court Judgement (CCJ) in place. Apply today to see if we can help you.
