What does it show?
It shows evidence of your credit history, including:
What you owe on your mortgage, credit cards and loans
Whether you have made, been late on or missed any repayments
Any other applications you have made
Your current and previous addresses
Any time a company has checked your credit record in the last two years
Financial links with anyone you share an account with, e.g. joint mortgage
Debt issues from the last six years, e.g. bankruptcy or county court judgments (CCJs)
Who can see it?
You can access your credit record and check all the information is up to date and correct.
Lenders perform a credit check when you make a credit application. This helps them understand how you've managed your finances in the past.
This can affect if your application is successful or not. For example, if you have a history of missing repayments, a lender may be cautious in lending you credit.
Where can you find it?
You can sign up to check what is on your credit record with a credit reference agency, like:
Most of these credit reference agencies offer an in-depth look at your credit history, called a statutory report, for a small fee.
When are you checked?
You get credit checked when you apply for credit, including applications for:
Mobile phone contracts
Insurance policies that you pay for monthly
Every time a company runs a credit search, it shows up on your credit history for about two years.
