Is this legal

A work colleague point this out to me this afternoon and I couldn't
answer, so I am hoping there is someone who knows ....

Go to the Next (they that sell clothes and things) web site and just
select anything to purchase. Now click on checkout and select that you
are a new customer. On the form you have to fill there are two boxes
that are mandatory; the first for a Next credit card and the second for
a £3.50 catalogue. Are they allowed to force you to sign-up for a credit
card like this? In their FAQ they state that they take any credit/debit
card as payment so it's not as if they are restricting it to their own
card.

What does the FOAK say?

 

Shop somewhere else.

 

Tim emerged from their own little world to say

Yes it is legal. It is no different[1][2] to any other catalogue such as
Grattan or Littlewoods. You are sent the goods on 14 days approval and
therefore you need to set up a credit account i.e. they want to run credit
checks on you before they send any goods.

[1] except the cheeky cunts want to charge you for the catalogue
[2] all explained in the "Flexible Account" pop up.

 

Why should it not be legal? To shop on their online store you agree to
their conditions. You don't *have* to shop there, so if you don't like
the look of it don't shop there.

If you'd like to stop them then tell them you're not shopping there
because you have to sign up for a storecard.

 

Indeed, that was my response.

 

Hmm ok, just seemed a bit ott as other shops take whatever plastic you
may already have.

 

I had some vague memory of M&S getting into hot water over a card a few
years ago. I wondered whether this was covered by some regulation as I
seem to remember M&S being forced to back-out.

I am not shopping there anyway as I was asking on behalf of a colleague.

 

The M&S situation was a bit different. They scrapped their own store card
and went for a M&S "affiliated" Mastercard instead. Where they cocked up was
sending the card out to existing chargecard holders as a replacement. A card
that can only be used in one store is markedly different to a Mastercard
which can be used anywhere, and the OFT and Banking code specifically
prohibits sending out unsolicited credit cards.

How we laughed at the queues at the Financial Services desks... then I quit

 

Beware of NEXT, I completed a form for a catalogue (offerred for free) and a
the bottom I noticed
they will do a credit check on you as soon as you request the catalogue
using this form, NOT when you order something.
I checked with the manager and he said this would'nt happen, but it did !
I like to keep my credit searches down to under 4 a year if poss, so when
this happenned
I complained to Next HO and they had the search removed.
Got the catalogue though.

 

Why? What difference does it make?

--
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..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
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The more searches you have against you on your credit history, the more
negatively it's perceived.

Logicaly it makes no sense as it's not credit, but the theory is that it
appears like you're desperate for credit, therefore not a good risk.

The world of credit appears amazingly daft.

 

By whom?

So you're suggesting that one's credit rating would go down simply
because a lot of searches were done on it?

Indeed, but I do find the above hard to beleive.

--
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..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

It is true.

A credit search counts as a attempt at credit, and the credit world
(banks included, which is where my knowledge comes from) just use the
total searches as an indicator of your status.

This is also the way the banks are trying to tighten up on people moving
credit card debts around between 0% interest accounts - you become a
worse risk every time you switch according to the computer.

 

Who do you think? Geez and *i'm* accused of being a bit thick sometimes.

Yes, I am. Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant as I know I'm right
on this one.
I needed to understand how all this worked when I went to get a mortgage two
years ago.

From my online credit report (a perk from work) :

"A search is the process Lenders undertake when they receive a credit
application. A search enables Lenders to view information at your address/es
in order to decide whether or not to grant credit.
Searches show Credit Lenders that you have made applications for Credit or
Services. Credit Searches would not normally be viewed as adverse
information. If however there were an
unusually large number of Credit Searches, this may be interpreted by a
Credit Lender as being indicative of over-commitment or maybe even fraud.
Not all searches are for lending purposes, the second table below may show
some of these types of search. "

 

Spot on. The people doing the searching do have the option of 'hiding'
the search so it won't go against you, which can be quite handy if you
want to check your rating.

 

Yebbut then it goes in the secret hidden search list and you can't get
credit when you want to buy a black helicopter detector.

 

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 09:54:47 +0100, "dwb"

In order to obtain credit you must first prove you don't need it.

 

A lot of credit searches against your name makes it look like you are
in need of credit and reduces your credit worthiness
It's daft isn't it? If you don't want credit then you're a good risk
but a bad customer and if you do want credit, you're a good customer
but a bad risk.

 

Yup, wot e sed

 

No it aint
recent mortgage application was held up because my partners history had 6
searches in past 12 mnths whereas mine was just 1