The thought of filling out a loan application can feel a bit like a puzzle sometimes. You may be unsure what questions you’ll have to answer or how the process works.
To help take the mystery out of applying for a loan with us, we’ve put together some handy info answering a few of your most frequently asked questions. We’ll have you kicking back with a cuppa in no time!
How do I fill out the application form?
Once you’ve popped your product item into your online basket, you’ll be able to start the checkout process. Depending on the item, you may be asked for some general information by the product retailer before being taken to our loan application page. The application form is made up of a few questions that will help us assess whether a Fair for You loan is right for you.
These questions include your:
- Name, address and contact details
- National Insurance number
- Average monthly income
- Child or monthly benefits income
You’ll usually get an answer from us within a day as long as you submitted your application during our open hours. If your application is approved, our team will call you to verify the affordability and set up your loan repayments.
Once everything is confirmed, an e-loan agreement will be e-mailed to you which you can sign digitally via your tablet, phone or laptop mouse.
Pro-tip: speed up filling out the application form by having this information to hand before you start:
- National Insurance number
- Contact details (name, email address, mobile number)
- Address for previous 5 years
- Monthly income including monthly child benefit and other benefits
Why am I being taken to another website?
We work with a number of different retailers helping you to spread the cost of your essential household items in a way that works for your lifestyle and needs. You will be sent to your chosen retailer’s website to choose your products directly with them before being returned to us to complete your loan application. This process allows you to purchase directly from the retailer while using your loan from us as the payment method.
Why do you ask for bank statements?
As a responsible lender it’s important for us to ensure that the loan you have selected is the best option for you, this sometimes means we need to see bank statements for additional affordability checks, especially for larger loans. We use a service called “oohMoolah” to get read-only access to 1 months’ worth of Bank Statements through the new Open Banking process.
What happens if my loan is declined?
We were built on the ethos of being a fair and ethical alternative to high-cost lending, offering support to those who need it while checking that having a loan will improve their lives. Sadly, this means that to ensure a bad situation isn’t made worse, we can’t accept loan applications if we feel the repayments may be unaffordable. Every application is reviewed individually to see if the loan is affordable and to make sure you’re managing your existing credit.
If you find yourself struggling or in debt, don’t worry, there are still organisations who can provide support and advice. Turn2Us is a national charity set up to help people in financial hardship gain access to grants and benefits. You can use their benefits calculator to find out if you’re entitled to any grants or funds that could help you.
What can I do if I feel my application was incorrectly declined?
We’re always happy to chat to you, and support as much as we can. If you believe we have made the wrong decision for your loan application, you can raise a review of your application by emailing loans@fairforyou.co.uk. To make sure we can give you a fair review please ensure that you include additional evidence to confirm that the loan is affordable – we may need to ask for copies of bank statements or proof of income.
What are my payment options?
You can pay for your loan in weekly, monthly, four-weekly or fortnightly flexible payments from 3 to 18 months to suit your budget. You pay what you can afford, when you can afford it, and the faster you pay it off, the less you pay. All of our example payments are shown over a period of 52 weeks, but we can set the payments to suit your budget. You can use our loan calculator to check whether the loan is an affordable option for you.
Can I buy this for my sister?
Once your loan application is signed and complete, the product you’ve ordered is yours at the point of delivery. As the owner of the item you are able to give it away to a family member if you like, however please bear in mind that the loan agreement will still be between you and Fair for You, which means that you’ll still be responsible for the repayments. It’s also worth remembering that in line with our lending policy, the item can only be delivered to your current address (as stated on your loan application).
Can I come back to my application?
No, unfortunately not. You need to select the product and fill in the loan application at the same time. To make sure the product you’ve chosen is still available when you finish your application form we temporarily hold the stock for you. After 30 minutes if the loan application is not completed, the product stock is released and you’ll need to add the item to your basket and start the application process again.
Can I check if I would be eligible without a credit search?
To get a guaranteed answer you will need to apply with a full credit search, however we do have a soft credit check facility you can use to find out if you are likely to be accepted. A soft credit search allows lenders to run an eligibility check without affecting your credit rating. It isn’t a guarantee of a loan, just a good indicator if you’re likely to be accepted.
Can it be delivered to a different address?
No, we are only able to deliver to your current address. As a responsible lender, we need to follow the KYC (Know Your Customers) process and ensure that we are lending to genuine customers. This crucial process helps in the prevention of financial crimes and money laundering, protecting both you as a customer, and us as a lender. To fulfil our KYC obligations, we will only deliver an item to the address listed on the applicant’s credit file, helping to confirm that the person who has applied for the loan is the person receiving the item.
What should I do if I’m moving house soon?
We recommend that you don’t apply until you’ve moved in to make it easier for you to have the item delivered to your new home. Any change to your address after application will require proof of this change to be sent to us so that we can ensure our records are kept up to date.
Still not sure? Don’t worry, there’s also a handy video guide on how to apply here.
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Why was I declined for a loan?