Hi Pumpkin 221280
 
I have a few comments regarding your original post as I currently work for an IVA Company.
 
Firstly the reason you are finding it so difficult to get credit is because the IVA is still on your record, it is on for approximately 6 years whether you successfully complete the IVA or not. Also once you defaulted on your arrangement all of your creditors will have put a black mark by your name again affecting your credit score. I am not sure if this is something you were aware of or were informed of but whilst you were in the IVA you could have arranged a ‘variation’ which is a new meeting of creditors where all creditors are informed that your circumstances have changed and asking them to agree to continue with the IVA under your new circumstances – in your case, a reduced payment.
 
I am also troubled by the fact you are now searching for further credit, I believe you have 2 viable options in your particular situation.
 
1)       Contact an IVA company inform them you have tried an IVA before which has failed due to your circumstances changing and see if you are eligible to propose an IVA. Although 5 years may seem like a long time; over that time you will learn to deal with your finances for when you are clear of debt.
2)       Alternatively there is the option of bankruptcy, this may seem daunting but it may be your only option before your situation gets worse.
 



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Community Editor

Looks like an American $ site only, not UK,

I recently came across a site at http://www.bad-credit-credit-card-for-people-with-bad-credit.info/ that has a list of companies that approve people with bad credit for a credit card.

Pumpkin, try the Capital One Classic card at 35% APR. or the Aqua card at a slightly higher than Capitals One's rate. These negative things will stay on your credit file for 6 years; i am in the same situation as you. Trust me weather you pay these companies back or not, you will not be able to get a main stream 0% credit card until after 6 years. I got 3 defaults on my credit file, all of them are marked as "satisfied" and a CCJ that is marked as "satisfied" and i still cannot get the 0% cards. My experian credit score is 856 out of 1,000 that is classed as "fair". My debts are from 2001; that means in 8 and a half months from now all of these defaults would have vanished from my credit file. You can goto Experian or Exquifax and pay them £2 for a copy of your credit file.When i defaulted in 2001, it was 2 years before any credit card company sent me marketing mail in the post, then a few months after that i got a cold call from Capital One inviting me to open a Classic Card with them. Capital One started me off on a £200 credit limit, but about 12 monthws later that was £1,000. Aqua has a website maybee it's www.aqua.co.uk I strated with Aqua on £200 i made large payments everymonth of say £150 to £200, within 12 months i had a £1,400 credit limit with them.

Four out of ten credit card applications in the UK are refused according too BBC radio. A good website you can goto for financial advice is www.moneysavingexpert.com.

Yea i know what your saying. I do just want to be able to get one to use to build up credit and if i do need to spend a bit extra than my wages allow which i dont think there is any harm in that as its up to me. As i said in my post i know what happens when you get into debt and i certainly wont let that happen again even though most the problems occured when i split with ex who i got most of the credit for in first place! i wouldnt spent a full £250 in one month no way!!! So yes i would be able to afford to make the repayments as i would only use it for emergencies or say to buy something like a new monitor where it would be easier for me to buy something and pay it back over a couple of months than have to fork out £130 of my wages on it in one month thats what i want it for. So who do they give the cards to? Do they work out that i can afford to pay them therefore they wont let me have one?!! So who would give me a card then as ive tried many who just dont want to know. Seeing as my problems were years ago but the debt still exists even though been paying stuff back for well over a year now im still looked upon as untrustworthy arent i.

The problem with Vanquis is that it is run by the Provident company (the same people that give loans with a mental APR). These loans and cards are attractive mainly to those who can least afford it. You say you make £850 a month. The only way a credit card is effective is when you pay the balance in full. Suppose you do make good the repayements and they start you off at £250. Can you really afford to throw away 2/5ths of your wage to pay the card back every month.
What happens when they increase the amount after 6 months to say £1000. In effect you could get more credit than you bring in and this is where it gets really dangerous.
Put simply, Vanquis is an irresponsible lended who will lend to those that can't really afford it and who may get to a point where they cannot pay back what they owe. They are trying to suck you into the Credit Trap. If you could afford to pay £250 a month, you would be far better off putting that away in an instant access ISA. Don't get me wrong, I have been down that road but have learned how to play the credit and savings game well. With record numbers taking out IVAs or going bankrupt, is it worth the risk.

Im a bit confused about people who can get a vanquis credit card and people who cant. I got into £20,000 worth of debt about 3 years ago. Set up an IVA eventually as it all got messy and was the only option at the time as obviously missed payments for a long time. After a year the IVA was failed as i split up with my ex and living on my own meant i couldnt afford the £150 payment aswell as paying my rent and all other household bills. Since then only a few creditors have contacted me,i tried to contact the rest but no luck. So just paying £5 a month the ones that did contact me. Got 2 ccjs on my credit file and have checked my file with experian and equifax to check i have no joint associations anymore which i dont. So does this mean my credit file is quite bad and too bad to get a credit card or not bad enough?!! they refused me just before christmas. I live with my partner which i have done for the last year and all my direct debits and payments that i do make have been up to date but i cant get credit from anywhere so i have no way of building it up at all as noone will give me a chance. I could pay more off the debt i already have but its still going to take years and years and years until i find a really well paid job or something so will i never be able to get any kind of credit unless i start paying more off original debt or what?? i am going to see a financial advisor i think is best thing to find out what to do,also i only allowed a basic bank account with natwest but at least i am allowed a solo card so can use it in most places but still would like a normal account with overdraft facility. My boyfriend was thinking of letting me use an account that he never uses and then just remove his name after a couple of months but will that effect his credit rating as it really wouldnt be fair to muck up his aswell as mine. i know i can ask the FA this but wont be seeing him for a while due to being busy so just wanted some advice for this moment in time. Just confuses me how other people with ccjs can get credit still. i have full time job paying bout £850 a month.