Rejected for BAPP

[APL03]

I’ve held a BAPP card for several years with my wife as a supplementary card holder.

Two months ago, my wife signed up and received the Amex gold card when the 30k offer was on (with a referral bonus to me).

However, what we really wanted was another BAPP in her name so that we can get two companion vouchers a year.

My wife’s credit history is sparse – she’s never held a U.K. credit card in her name and is not a U.K. citizen so not on the electoral roll.
Her income is over £35k, and our household income is much higher but she’s always just been a supplementary card holder on my accounts.

When she signed up for the gold card, the logic was to have that for a year or so to build up some credit history, then apply for the BAPP.

However I was foolishly tempted by the current 60k bonus sign up for the BAPP, so my wife applied and was rejected yesterday.

I presume because even though the current balance of the Gold card is almost zero (we pay off the full balance each month) it’s too close to having received the Gold card, plus the lack of credit history, not being on the electoral roll etc.

Is there anything that can be done in lieu of the electoral roll? And I presume the rejection will effect her credit rating so we may need to wait even longer until that’s built back up to try and apply again?

[ianwardz]

I was rejected a couple of weeks ago. I also had the Gold when I applied for the BAPP (via the 60k SUB link).
I called the number on the rejection email, where I was told that if I agreed to a reduction to the credit limit on my Gold they would re-process my BAPP request.
Yesterday I received an email telling me my BAPP is in the post.
Just hoping now that they are still going to give me the 60k SUB. I asked when on the call and they assured me I would, but lets wait and see.

[NorthernLass]

I had a similar experience last year. I contacted Amex and they told me to close my gold card and re-apply for the BAPP after 90 days. I was then accepted with a ludicrous 5-figure credit limit given that I’d been rejected the first time!

[BBbetter]

You can link her as a ‘financial association’ using joint accounts or joint loans / mortgage.
You can also add her to your utility bills, including water and sewerage utilities.
Is she both non-eu and non-commonwealth?

As others have said the rejection is most likely due to both recent application and credit limit higher relative to income.

[sloth]

Is also worth her opening up another couple of current accounts (without o/d) as this helps also in the circumstances (of being non British) and should make life easier in future applications

[Luca M]

Good advice already above, my only comment is that if your wife has right to permanent residency in the UK, she should still be able to register on the Electoral Roll as she should be eligible to vote for local election (not parliament)