What information is found on my credit report?
Your credit report is a complete record of your financial history and is used by lenders, banks, and other financial institutions to decide how creditworthy you are. In the UK, there are three Credit Reference Agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. For Credit Monitor, we use TransUnion.
Here's what information would appear on your report
- Personal information: Your name, current address, and date of birth.
- Accounts: This section details your credit accounts, including credit cards, loans, mortgages, and any other forms of credit you have taken out. Information such as the date you opened the account, your credit limit or loan amount, and your payment history is also included. You'll sometimes see utility accounts such as water, energy, broadband and mobile phone services.
- Public records: Information such as bankruptcies, court judgments, and debt management plans will also be recorded in your credit report if applicable.
- Electoral roll records: This shows if you're registered to vote at your address. Lenders use this information to confirm your name and current address.
- Searches: This section shows a record of all the times a lender or financial institution has checked your credit report over the last 12 months. It contains “hard searches” which are full searches of your credit history carried out by lenders, for example when you’re applying for credit. This information is important because having several hard inquiries in a short period of time can negatively affect your credit score. Your credit report will also show other searches, such as when you're checking your eligibility for financial products on our site. These are known as a "soft search" and don't impact your credit score.
- Linked addresses: TransUnion will also show any linked addresses associated with your credit report, which may include previous or current addresses where you have lived.
- Financial connections: This section shows any financial connections you may have with other people, such as joint accounts or mortgages.
It is important to regularly check your credit report to ensure the information is accurate and current. If you notice any errors, you can dispute with TransUnion through your Credit Monitor account to correct the information.