WHEN Ms M from Dublin applied for a charge card with a popular department store she was disturbed to see that the application form required her to list her partner's personal details and income, even though she was "making the application in my sole name and based on my own income. Are the financial details requested excessive?"

The practice to which Ms M refers is fairly widespread among retailers and banks for customers seeking credit terms. Every so often a similar complaint nearly always made by a woman is given a public airing and the stores/banks rush to defend their policy of demanding to know the financial position of an applicant's partner.

The official line is that the retailer/bank is being prudent in seeking as much information about the customer's ability to repay a credit line or loan. A credit line may be turned down if the applicant's personal income is deemed borderline or if the person only works part time or seasonally, but might be approved if their partner/spouse has a higher or steadier income. "The difficulty seems to arise in these cases because often it is the woman who earns less and she may think this requirement about their spouse's income is aimed at her. But men are also required to fill in these details," one bank spokesman told Family Money.

Since so many customers of department stores are women, retailers are particularly vulnerable to being accused of focusing on their ability to pay an account that is in their name. But the consensus view given to Family Money is that where an applicant has refused to reveal their partner/spouse's financial position, the credit card or loan will usually still be advanced "if the applicants income is deemed sufficient and their personal credit record is strong".

Family Money is very interested in hearing from women readers who have had difficulty in securing credit from retailers and financial institutions. Please write to Jill Kerby, co The Irish Times, 11-15 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2.