So where's the checks?

All I've heard for the last few months now is how this country is facing a credit crunch, and how getting credit is going to be so much harder from now on. But in the last tweleve months I've had to apply for credit on two occasions, a small loan to rebuild my kitchen and a 12 month car finance deal. Nothing special I hear you say., and you would be right.

The thing is, on both of those occasions I've almost no checks done at all. For my loan I applied for it on-line and was only required to sign a form. I mentioned at the time that I didn't have to send any proof of ID or anything.

But, as the bank's purse are set to tighten, and the chances of getting credit supposedly diminshing, I expected to not just be asked to jumo throw hops, but flaming hoops at best. But no, it was like history repeating itself.

Yesterday, as I said, I applied for a 12 month finance deal on a new car (stuff you Darling! - sorry got carried away). I was asked a few questions, and I took with me all the documentation that their website told that i would need to take if I wanted to drive the car away the same day. However, none of this was checked! the only check that was performed was the standard credit checks. So as a result I got a credit deal without my payslips being checked or anything.

Now, that is what worries me. Thanks to the government screwing up the economy and leaving us with nothing left in the kitty to avoid a recession, we will all be under a very tight squeeze, and if credit institutions are still going to hand out money without thorough checks then a lot of people will find themselves getting into trouble. Its all very well, people preaching about not overstretching themselves, but if the availablity is there human nature will dictate that we take it.