Finance FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for finance?
To apply for finance, you must be over the age of 18, work at least 16 hours a week, or be retired with an income. You must also be a resident of the United Kingdom and have lived in the UK for the last 12 months or more. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer online finance to residents of Eire. Homemakers aren't excluded from applying under their own names; however we will require the employment details of your spouse in order to process your application.
When do my repayments start?
Your monthly repayments will begin one month after your purchase has been delivered.
Are there any arrangement fees or hidden extras for credit?
No. There are no arrangement fees or hidden extras.
The application process only takes a few minutes and is simple and secure. Once your finance application is approved, you will receive an e-mail advising you of how to download the finance agreement. Please read this carefully checking that all the details are correct, then e-sign the agreement.
Your questions answered - Here are some of the most commonly asked
questions regarding
Once my application is approved, what happens next?
Within minutes of your application being approved, you will be presented with the option to e-sign your agreement. If you choose to e-sign your agreement, a PDF of your agreement will be displayed on screen. You should read the agreement carefully before clicking all the relevant sections agreeing to its terms.
Will your credit score me and if so, what does this mean?
Credit scoring is the process used by financial services companies to evaluate the credit risk of new applicants. This technique will be applied to your application for online finance. Credit scoring works by awarding points for each answer given on the application form such as age, income and occupation, together with information obtained from credit reference agencies. This information allows us to produce consistent decisions, ensuring all our applicants are treated fairly. Credit scoring does not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race, religion or disability.
If you decline my application, what is the reason?
In addition to credit scoring, Novuna also takes into account confirmation of your identity, validation of certain application details, existing commitments and information held at the credit reference agencies. Though Novuna is unable to provide you with a main reason for the decline of your application, it is usually based on one, or a combination of the following:
• Your credit score (note that every finance company will score you differently)
• Adverse credit reference agency information
• You are considered to be overcommitted
• You are aged under 18
• Your existing account performance with other lenders
What type of information do credit reference agencies hold about me?
Some of the information is public information, for example electoral roll, County Court Judgements and bankruptcies. Other lenders may also file information about accounts you hold with them for instance this could include your payment history and outstanding balance on these accounts. Any requests for credit, where a credit reference search has been undertaken, will also be filed, although the result of the request is not recorded.
How do I obtain a copy of this information?
You should send a cheque for £2.00 made payable to the relevant company, together with details of all addresses at which you have lived over the last 6 years:
• Consumer Help Desk Experian Limited PO Box 8000 Nottingham NG1 5GX
• Equifax Ltd., Credit File Advice Centre. PO Box 1140. Bradford, BD1 5US
• Consumer Services, Callcredit Limited, PO Box 491, Leeds, LS3 1WZ
The above listed agencies will provide details of information relating to these addresses. If you believe that the information is incorrect, you can ask the agency to correct it.
If my application is not successful, can I re-apply?
Yes. We acknowledge that your circumstances change and just because we have refused a previous application, it does not mean that we'll automatically turn down a further request. We do suggest however, that you leave at least 6 months between applications.
Can I request delivery to an address other than my home?
In order to safeguard against fraudulent applications, we regret that we're able only to deliver goods to the home address of the applicant
On the rare occasion that we do receive a complaint, we take it very seriously. If you are unhappy with the any aspect of the goods you purchased with us you may contact us in any way you prefer. Our contact details are as follows;
Phone: 01235 774300
Email: accounts@john-lewis.co.uk
Address: John Lewis of Hungerford, Grove Business Park, Downsview Road, Wantage, Oxfordshire OX12 9FA
If your complaint relates to your finance agreement
If your complaint relates to the finance linked to your purchase you can still let us know about this, but we will forward it on to your credit provider Novuna.
Novuna will acknowledge your complaint and investigate it thoroughly and issue their response within eight weeks.
What to do if you can't reach an agreement
If you are not satisfied with Novuna’s response to your complaint relating to the finance agreement, you may be able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You must contact them within six months of the date of Novuna’s final response letter to you.
They can be contacted in the following ways:
• Write: Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR
• Telephone: 0300 123 9 123
• E-mail: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Further details can be found on the Financial Ombudsman Service
website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
