Denied Elsewhere Questionnaire
1. Have you ever been denied any of the following due to your credit history? (Select all that apply)
a. Bank loan or credit card
b. Rental housing (apartment/house)
c. Employment opportunity
d. Auto loan or financing
e. Mortgage or home loan
f. Utility service (phone, internet, electricity)
g. Cell phone contract
h. Insurance policy
i. Business loan
j. None of the above
2. In the past 12 months, how many times have you been denied something because of your credit history?
a. Never denied
b. Once
c. 2-3 times
d. 4-5 times
e. More than 5 times
3. What was the primary reason given for your most recent credit denial?
a. Low credit score
b. Insufficient income
c. High debt-to-income ratio
d. Lack of credit history
e. Past bankruptcy or foreclosure
f. Employment history
g. No specific reason provided
h. Other
i. Not applicable - never denied
4. Have you ever been surprised to learn you were denied something due to information on your credit report that you were unaware of?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not applicable - never denied
5. How confident are you in your understanding of the specific factors that caused your credit denial?
a. Very confident
b. Somewhat confident
c. Not very confident
d. Not at all confident (I don't really understand why)
e. Not applicable - never denied
6. Which of the following financial consequences have you experienced as a result of credit-based denial? (Select all that apply)
a. Forced to use high-interest payday or title loans
b. Had to borrow money from family or friends
c. Paid higher interest rates or deposits elsewhere
d. Could not access affordable housing
e. Could not secure employment
f. Used "Buy Now, Pay Later" services as alternative
g. Delayed or canceled major purchases or life milestones
h. No financial consequences
i. Not applicable - never denied
7. How much has poor or limited credit cost you financially (in fees, higher interest, deposits, etc.) over your lifetime?
a. Less than $500
b. $500-$1,999
c. $2,000-$4,999
d. $5,000-$9,999
e. $10,000 or more
f. Unsure
8. Which emotions best describe how you felt after being denied due to your credit? (Select all that apply)
a. Embarrassed or ashamed
b. Angry or frustrated
c. Stressed or anxious
d. Hopeless or defeated
e. Motivated to improve my credit
f. No strong feelings
g. Not applicable - never denied
9. To what extent do you agree: "Credit-based denials have negatively affected my confidence or self-esteem."
a. Strongly agree
b. Agree
c. Neutral
d. Disagree
e. Strongly disagree
10. Have you ever had to delay or give up a major life milestone (buying a home, starting a business, getting married, etc.) due to credit-based denial?
a. Yes, delayed significantly
b. Yes, gave up entirely
c. Yes, minor delays only
d. No
e. Not applicable - never denied
11. If you were denied credit, how long did it take before you felt comfortable applying for credit again?
a. Applied again immediately (within 1 month)
b. 1-3 months
c. 4-6 months
d. 7-12 months
e. More than one year
f. I still haven't applied again
g. Not applicable - never denied
12. Do you believe credit scores are a fair way to measure financial responsibility?
a. Yes, very fair
b. Somewhat fair
c. Neutral
d. Somewhat unfair
e. Very unfair
13. Do you believe landlords and employers should be allowed to use credit checks when making decisions?
a. Yes, always appropriate
b. Yes, but only in certain cases
c. No, never appropriate
d. Unsure
14. How worried are you about being denied in the future due to your credit?
a. Very worried
b. Somewhat worried
c. Not very worried
d. Not at all worried
15. Which of the following best describes your current credit score?
a. Excellent (750+)
b. Good (700-749)
c. Fair (650-699)
d. Poor (below 650)
e. I don't know my credit score
16. How often do you check your credit score or credit report?
a. Weekly or more often
b. Monthly
c. Every few months
d. Once per year
e. Rarely or never
17. Which of the following steps have you taken to improve your credit or avoid future denials? (Select all that apply)
a. Checked my credit report regularly
b. Paid down existing debt
c. Opened a secured credit card
d. Worked with a financial advisor or credit counselor
e. Increased my income or found additional work
f. Used credit monitoring services
g. Did nothing
h. Other
Explore key insights from this questionnaire in our detailed article. For more data and survey results, click here.