CARCRAFT credit checks

[princess jane]

My poor little car has almost given up the ghost so I (unwittingly) went with my partner to a local Carcraft.

After expressing interest in a car with a 0 per cent deal I agreed to be credit checked for finance, but asked twice, two seperate employees to confirm there would only be one credit check, as I know how damaging multiple checks can be to your credit file.

I failed the check, which didn't upset me too much, as I have moved house a lot and only been in my job a year.

But later that day I received a call from Carcraft's finance dep to say I had successfully passed, wait for it, five of NINE checks.

I hit the roof and called the local Carcraft. They claimed it was "company policy" (nice try), I had "consented to multiple checks" (even nicer try), and five acceptances would "improve my credit rating" (erm, no it won't).

They didn't sit up and take notice until they received a phone call on my behalf from a journalist asking them to explain themselves.

The manager suddenly became A LOT more polite and deferential, and claimed they only do one actual credit check, then take that info to a range of finance companies, who decide whether to offer you finance or not.

I don't believe a word of this and have requested my credit file from Experian and Equifax, with a view to making a FOS complaint if there are multiple checks.

I will report back, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has had similar experiences?