A mother from Portsmouth has discovered that a forgotten £3.99 delivery charge prevented her from obtaining a mortgage for six years. Kelly Miles, 33, applied for a mortgage with her former partner in 2016 and was shocked to find a 'big red mark' on her credit file.
Investigating the cause, Ms Miles realised she had missed paying a delivery fee for an iPad mini she purchased a year earlier using a buy now, pay later scheme. Although she had repaid the £500 cost of the tablet over six months, the delivery charge was overlooked, resulting in a negative mark on her credit history.
The advice charity manager said the unpaid fee appeared as a mis-payment, and each missed update worsened the mark. As a result, she could not be accepted for a mortgage, and her ex-partner had to buy the house alone. The red mark remained for six years, affecting her ability to access credit.
Ms Miles expressed frustration that the mark was placed without her knowledge, as she had not received any notifications. She now checks her credit score monthly and urges others to do the same, particularly before applying for any financial products.
She cautioned against buy now, pay later schemes, advising people to avoid them if possible. Despite having no other debt, her credit score was damaged by this single oversight.
