Apologies if these are things that have already been solved here, I am a new poster! Any advice very gratefully received.

I currently have an HSBC advance current account with a £1,500 overdraft limit, which is NOT free. I earn about £27,000 a year on a very variable commission-based salary and have quite a few outgoings, so am often overdrawn, and have been heavily for the past 3 months (although I go into credit for a week or so when I'm paid).

I applied for an Alliance & Leicester Premier Direct current account because of the switching bonus and cheap overdraft, thinking this would suit my current situation better. I've been given an overdraft limit of £600, which isn't really enough, and have been turned down for the Santander Zero credit card that comes bundled with it.

I shouldn't have any bad credit history, I've only got a £2,000 loan with HSBC which I repay in full each month. I've really gone off the idea of A&L. I thought being accepted into the account would mean I was ok with all the benefits.

Should I... stick with HSBC? Go ahead with A&L and try to get them to match my overdraft? Look elsewhere?

Cheers,

Ash

I would suggest that before you do anything you enquire about your credit "rating" rather than speculating that "I shouldn't have any bad credit history".

On a personal basis, I have a Premier Direct account, which I opened in 2006. They gave me an overdraft and the credit card both of which were ample for my needs. Having kept an eye on comments on the account over the years it is my understanding that you would be unlikely to improve the terms they have offered/imposed on you as at square one.