from boiling over with the lack of customer service from everyone I talked to yesterday!!! 
I can ask my fellow myFICO'ers about my lingering problem: GE accounts.
Yea, I know i've talked about it alot but yesterday just drove me to the edge of closing all of my accounts with them.
Here's what I have:
JCP $150CL Opened 7/2011 Never late $0Bal (CLI asked for 5 times declined all)
Old Navy $300CL Opened 7/2011 Never late $0Bal (CLI asked for 5 times declined all)
Walmart $600CL Opened 11/2011 Never late $489 (just made this debt this week)
CareCredit $500CL Opened 11/2011 Never late $0Bal
I get the decline letter for JCP and 2 of the 4 reasons involve a 30 day late from my PIF auto loan that is 1 1/2 years old. Really?? I have since that late been perfect with my credit.
The other 2 are revolving/retail accounts open too recently. (I can relate to this one)
So am I over-reacting with this and should garden the accounts further?? I think i'm taking it too fast with Walmart but JCP is on my last nerve!!!
CareCredit I'm not concerned about, i'll garden that and try later for CLI.
How would you all handle these accounts?? I don't want to close because theyre $0AF accounts and nothing but positive info can be reported, But at the same time these toy limits are holding me back from real limits.
That's really a lot of products with one bank.
I'd keep pushing for goodwill on the late auto payment and kill one card ever 6 months.
Everyone will disagree, but a $150 CL card really isn't that useful and them saying no would have probably been less frustrating in the long run.
Added by edit: I'd probably keep WalMart. That being said, I don't really know if that version of FICO is routinely used by lenders.
@drkaje wrote:That's really a lot of products with one bank.
I'd keep pushing for goodwill on the late auto payment and kill one card ever 6 months.
Everyone will disagree, but a $150 CL card really isn't that useful and them saying no would have probably been less frustrating in the long run.
Added by edit: I'd probably keep WalMart. That being said, I don't really know if that version of FICO is routinely used by lenders.
+1
I think the 30 day late payment is what's really holding GE back from granting you a CLI (or CLIs in this case). You've paid down debts but they probably see that auto loan payment as being late too recently for their likes. I could be wrong, but that's what I think. Try working on that like was previously suggested and that could change things, not to mention your scores as well.
@frogfan12 wrote:
@drkaje wrote:That's really a lot of products with one bank.
I'd keep pushing for goodwill on the late auto payment and kill one card ever 6 months.
Everyone will disagree, but a $150 CL card really isn't that useful and them saying no would have probably been less frustrating in the long run.
Added by edit: I'd probably keep WalMart. That being said, I don't really know if that version of FICO is routinely used by lenders.
+1
I think the 30 day late payment is what's really holding GE back from granting you a CLI (or CLIs in this case). You've paid down debts but they probably see that auto loan payment as being late too recently for their likes. I could be wrong, but that's what I think. Try working on that like was previously suggested and that could change things, not to mention your scores as well.
Now that I think about it the 30 day late may be too recent. FICO still factors it in somewhat. I'm gonna use the card every other month for 6 months and PIF right after posting and try again. See what happens.
@namvet wrote:I would keep them open and quit asking for additional credit. Take another look at these cards when they have all aged to 1 year.
Yea, I really should do that. It's just irritating to know they do give CLI's to people with derogs and negative info. but shoot me down constantly. I''ll revisit it in August.
@GB44 wrote:Personally, I feel that GECB is overrated when it comes to CLI's.
I got a JCP card last year this time when I was rebuilding. When I apped for the card they started me off with a $200 limit. I immediately called and said it wasn't enough to shop with for my kids and they raised it to $800 (FICO score was about 670 at time of opening account). The card stayed at $800 until my last baddie fell off in October of last year (2-3 request were denied). In October, GECB increased my JCP card to $1800 (FICO score over 760). Fast forward to today, It's time for an increase yet the JCP website refers me to calling customer service to request a CLI, instead of the usual computer generated request. Not doing it because I'm not sure that it won't be a hard pull now (don't trust customer service).
I have an America's tire card that is managed by GECB opened last year and started at $1200. Every time I call for a CLI it denies my initial request and wants to do a HP to evaluate any CLI's. I refuse to do it, but I'll keep the card to take advantage of the 0% finance offers.
Now what blows me a way is my DW has a GAP Visa that started out at $2000. She still has several late payments on her CR and they won't fall of for another 3-4 years. She has not requested a CLI yet, but her initial CL is more than both my cards and I have the better score and report.
I'm now wondering if it's the type of store card that one has with GECB that gives better initial limits and CLI's (Gap and Sams vs. JCP and others)?
Now the thing that drives me crazy is my Target card (Non-GECB) started me out with a $200 limit and it hasn't changed at all. I just don't use it anymore. I'd rather use my AMEX BCP.
Try to look at the total credit available to you for UTI, instead of individual cards. As your credit improves and you get those prime cards the store cards will start to mean less to you.
Sorry for such a long story but the point I'm trying to make is wait it out and things will change.
It's not a HP. My reports are frozen and they are able to soft me when I asked.