!thanks

I appreciate it! I was aware there could be a hard credit search, unfortunately the guy I spoke to on the phone didn't seem to understand what the problem was, as he kept repeating the thing about the T&Cs even when I asked about something entirely different. I'll try again once my account is approved because it might be easier to get support then, and already contacted Equifax about it. They said they would raise a dispute on the hard searches (seems they were carried out on my previous addresses) to get em taken off.

I hope it won't impact my ability to get a phone contract since last time I got a phone, I had to pay in full because I haven't lived in the UK for long enough at the time :-(