Products

Credit Report - Manage your most important financial asset - your credit.

Credit Rating - Improve your credit rating and your ability to get credit. See your Credit Rating and your current Credit Report. See how lenders see you.

Credit Watch - Now there's a simple, automated way to help detect and protect against the impact of Identity Theft and Identity Fraud.

Help and Advice

What is a Credit Report - Credit reference agencies maintain credit score and credit rating information about you and your credit history, which is contained within a credit report. This credit report information is gathered on an ongoing basis from many credit reference sources that have extended you a credit history. Lenders, employers, landlords, and other credit service providers buy that credit information in the form of a credit report , credit check or credit search to help them decide whether to approve your application for a credit related product or service. Because your credit report and credit file content changes constantly, it's important that you review your credit report information regularly to check its accuracy.
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Introduction to a Credit Check - Put simply, the results of a credit check or credit search provide the reputation for repaying back credit on time. The better your credit check and credit rating within your credit report, the more willing companies and people will be to provide you credit or provide services to you on favourable credit terms. A good credit check doesn't require a spotless payment credit history, but a poor credit check and credit score, once established, can be difficult to escape. When you apply for any type of credit, the lender must decide if you are a good credit risk using some form of credit check. Creditors do this by checking your credit file credit history to see how you've repaid credit in the past, using a credit check. A poor credit history and credit reference will hurt your ability to receive credit.
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What is a Credit Rating - A credit rating is a credit tool used by a credit lender to help determine whether you qualify for a particular credit product or service. Based on your credit history in your credit file and credit search, the credit reference agency analyses your credit history using a complex mathematical model to yield your credit rating and credit score contained within your credit report or credit check. Most credit ratings estimate the risk a company incurs by providing you with credit or providing you with a credit related service - specifically, the likelihood that you'll fail to make payments in the next two to three years. The higher the credit rating, the less credit risk you represent. Your credit rating is calculated by a mathematical equation that evaluates many types of information found in a credit file.
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Manage your Credit Score - Looking for a higher credit score and credit rating within your credit report? There's good reason to do so - a higher credit score can give you a greater array of financial options and more favourable credit offers. Even if you already have a good credit score, there's always room for improving your credit history and credit file by carefully managing your credit. Keep in mind, however, that your credit score is based on your credit history of borrowing and repaying money, so there's no way to instantly change your credit score through a credit check or credit search. But there are some effective strategies that should help to strengthen your credit score and credit reference over time.
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What information is included within your Credit Search - Compiled from credit applications you've filled out, personal credit information included within your credit search, credit report or credit check held by credit reference agencies normally includes your name, current and recent addresses, and date of birth, and current and previous employers. The bulk of your credit file, credit search and credit rating consists of credit history details about credit accounts that were opened in your name or that list you as an authorised user.
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Rebuilding a Damaged Credit Reference - A bad credit reference and credit rating within your credit report and credit check can happen to anyone. Don't despair if you have a bad credit reference and credit score. There are ways you can get your credit reference and credit file back in shape. But you have to start working on your credit reference today - and keep working hard to show potential creditors that you're serious about getting your credit reference and credit history back in order. As you do so, your ability to obtain credit will improve over time, resulting in a better credit history and credit search.
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Checking Your Credit History - Your credit history held by a credit reference agency is used by many different lenders and other businesses to make decisions about you, using a credit report. When it comes to your credit history, credit score and credit rating, it's what you don't know that can hurt you. Credit related companies can check your credit history to find out about your credit past using a credit check or credit search. The reason? They assume if you were responsible in the past with your credit history, you will most likely be responsible with your credit history in the future . When it's time to consider any sort of financial or credit move, it's time to check your credit file and credit history.
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Correcting Errors on Your Credit File – It is possible for incorrect or outdated credit history and credit score and credit rating information to appear on your credit file or credit report. If it does, it can affect your chances of getting the credit you require. If you find an error on your credit file, take the following steps to correct the credit information on your credit file as soon as possible. Please note: It's important to keep a record of everything you do to correct the credit check on your credit file held with a credit reference agency.
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How Identity Theft Strikes - What exactly is identity theft? Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal credit related information to take over your credit accounts, open new ones, take out a loan, rent’s a flat, access bank accounts, or commit many other crimes in your name and at your expense. When identity theft strikes the effects can be devastating. What's more, because identity theft frequently involves no physical theft, identity theft may not be noticed by its victims until significant damage has been done to your credit history contained within your credit report or credit check - often, several months and thousands of pounds later.
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Preventing Identity Theft - It's unfortunately not possible to entirely prevent identity theft and credit fraud. But, by managing the personal credit information contained within your credit report or credit check carefully, and with a full understanding of its importance, you can substantially reduce the likelihood that identity theft will happen to you. The following tips show you how to prevent identity theft.
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If you are a Victim of Identity Fraud - If you suspect that someone has undertaken an identity fraud and has used your name, or other personal information to get credit or a loan, the following steps can help you as a victim of identity fraud. Keep a record. Because recovering from identity fraud can be a long and complicated process, it's important to keep a record of all communications regarding the identity fraud. If you think your case might lead to a lawsuit, keep track of how much time you spend dealing with the identity fraud problem.
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Identity Fraud – Facts and Statistics – Here are just a few recent facts and statistics about identity fraud: "Year-on-year, identity fraud continues to grow. Since 1999, identity fraud has risen by 163% and is one of the fastest growing fraud types in the UK. False identity fraud went up 59% in Quarter 3 2002 and impersonation fraud up 25%. False identity fraud and impersonation fraud remains the most rapidly growing type of fraud in the United Kingdom. An annual figure of Ł1.3 billion pa is the minimum quantifiable cost to the economy arising from identity fraud".
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