Credit discrimination is thankfully rare but if someone feels that a lender has treated them differently due to a protected characteristic then they should complain.
Lenders would be acting illegally if they advertised for a particular “type” of client, or even worse openly stated that only one type of applicant may apply. There are, as ever some exceptions, such as specific saving accounts for the over 55s, Young Savers and Student accounts.
Protected Characteristics include:-
♦ Age (however the law does state minimum age to open an account)
♦ National origin / race / colour
♦ Sex / Sexuality / Identified gender
♦ Religion / religious beliefs
♦ Marital status / civil partnerships
♦ Customers who identify under the LGBTQ or BAME community
♦ Disabled (there are some other layers to this such as the Mental Capacity Act, Autism Act and so on which may come into play)
It is important to understand that you cannot be held liable for complaining about illegal practices, this remains true even if your accusation is ultimately proven incorrect, provided the accusation was sincere. If an application for a card is declined, you have 60 days to request a reason if you haven’t received one already. They then have 30 days to explain why they refused the application. Then, by law, they are required to send you an “Adverse Action Notice”, informing you of how to appeal the decision.
It is worth noting that issuers can ask questions about your age, marital status and other information provided that the information is relevant. For example, creditors can ask the applicant’s age to determine if they can open a credit account.
1.16