If you’re applying for credit, it’s important to make it easy for the person looking at your application. They’re only human, and if you catch them on a hard day with an application that’s difficult to follow, they may simply decide to reject it, rather than try to make sense of what you’ve sent.
All About Your Business
Whether your business is a company or a sole trader, remember to give its name — something that’s surprisingly easy to forget. Also, if you’re a registered company, you’ll need to note the registration number.
You have to give your address, of course, but that may not just be one address. Specify both your registered address and trading address, whether or not they’re different.
Put down your telephone number, website address and email address. Also, the person making the decision will need to know what kind of business you’re running, so give a brief but clear explanation of this.
All About the Relevant People
The number of people involved in making the application for credit will depend on the type of business. If you’re a one-man-band sole trader, for instance, the chances are you’ll be the only person involved. If you’re a limited company, on the other hand, you’ll require two authorised signatories, and both need to be specified on the application.
For each authorised person, give name and position in company, as well as contact email and phone number. These may or may not be the same as the contact details you’ve given above but still need to be specified here.
The other relevant person is the one responsible for settling the account, and the same information should be given. Even if this is one of the authorised signatories, the information should be repeated.
Finishing Off the Application
You’ll need to include a statement similar to “I confirm that all the information submitted is true at the date of signing this Application.” Depending on the circumstances, you may wish to include other declarations, such as “I acknowledge that I have received a copy of the above supplier’s terms and conditions” or “I have no objection to receiving regular newsletters via e mail.”
Each authorised signatory must sign, and the document must be dated. You must also add a link to your own website’s privacy/cookies policy.
Of course, following these guidelines won’t guarantee your application will be accepted, but you’ll be giving yourself the best chance. You’re welcome to give me a ring if you want to chat further about applying for credit.