[Clifford24]

Hi, I have a problem, I went to get a quote for gas and electric for a house I'm moving into, after being quoted I pressed next, and it's asked me some further questions and ask me to tick a box to check my credit then I pressed next and it asked me to fill in details name address etc and on the next page direct debit details but I decided to not go forward and check another supplier to see the difference, today I find out I've been hard credit checked which brought my credit score way down this is incorrect how can this be fixed to remove this please

[retrotecchie]

@Clifford24

The maximum a hard credit check can affect your credit score is by 5 points.

How hard searches affect your score

When you apply for a credit card, loan, mortgage, mobile phone contract, car finance or open a new utility account – lenders carry out a hard search on your credit report.

This is when a company looks at your full credit report. One hard search may affect your credit score by a few points, but shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Having more than 1 hard search in 6 months can have more of an impact on your credit score. It can be a sign you rely too much on credit and affects the chances of lenders accepting you for new credit.

After 6 months hard searches won’t impact your credit score, but will stay on your report for 1 year.


If your score has gone 'way down', I'd suggest having a look at your latest report and look at all the factors used to calculate your score.

[Clifford24]

Thanks for you're response, I did not complete the sign up form, never got to dd details, never submitted literally changed mind before that point and left page only to find the next day a credit check search had been done.

At what part of the form do eon next credit check? Is it normal to credit check without completing the form?

Surely It is not right to cr check before someone has agreed upon a service - thank you for your help any insight would be greatly appreciated

[retrotecchie]

@Clifford24

I don't know how E.on Next work these things - my credit check happened a year after I became a customer! But supply of utilities is usually a credit arrangement unless you aren't creditworthy and need prepay meters, so I would imagine the check is usually done in advance of giving you possible options.

[meldrewreborn]

If the action taken by Eon Next in advance of you taking up an energy supply has caused you provable detriment you need to make a formal complaint. I could well imagine that you’ll eventually have to take the matter to the ombudsman.

[Clifford24]

OK thanks I will try that, it's crazy how they don't tell you they actually gonna do the credit check when you press the button, especially half way before they taken all you're details, after I tick the check box I pressed next to see what the other options were such as dd whether you can set it up to only debit what you have used or options for the day of the debit etc but by this time I've already been credit checked, now if there was something saying "by checking this box you accept and acknowledge that we will do a credit check, press continue to do this now and move to the next step" this is enough to make people think. I have no doubt this will happen to others

[Anasa_EONNext]

Hey @Clifford24 Anasa here 👋 A big welcome to the Community although I'm sad to see that the reason you got here is because you feel let down by our website. We'd would be sad to see you go because of this.

Have you been able to get in touch with one of our Energy Specialist? 🤔

If not leave it with me I'll have a look into this for you and pass on any feedback to our web team as we want to be open and transparent to all of our customers and make coming over to us a smooth seamless journey and if there is something we need to do to make the customer experience better we'll make sure this is looked at and improved where we can or provide you with a reasonable explanation as to why we're not able to.

I'm so sorry you've gone through this as a new customer and I wish you all the best in your new property. As much as we'd love you to be a customer we do understand you've got to do what's best for you, but we'd love for you to stay around and be part of the community 😊