Credit Reference Agency

A credit reference agency holds files on the borrowing records of nearly every adult in the UK. The information is collated from a variety of sources. The file may hold details of: people on the electoral register at your address(es); your credit agreements, including details of any late payments & defaults - this can be held for up to six years; court judgments and bankruptcy orders against you - these can also be held for six years; previous applications for credit; and people living at the same address as you, such as your family.

These agencies do no more than supply information to lenders. The lenders use the information as part of their credit scoring. If you'd like to have a look at your own files, contact the agencies. You can order your credit file from the main agencies over the internet and your file will be sent back to you within seven days When you receive a copy of your own credit record, if you spot information you think is incorrect, write back asking for the record to be amended.

A credit reference agency holds files on the borrowing records of nearly every adult in the UK. The information is collated from a variety of sources. The file may hold details of:

• people on the electoral register at your address(es);
• your credit agreements, including details of any late payments & defaults - this can be held for up to six years;
• court judgments and bankruptcy orders against you - these can also be held for six years;
• previous applications for credit; and
• people living at the same address as you, such as your family.

These agencies do no more than supply information to lenders. The lenders use the information as part of their credit scoring. If you'd like to have a look at your own files, contact the agencies (details are below.) You can order your credit file from the two main agencies over the internet and your file will be sent back to you within seven days.

When you receive a copy of your own credit record, if you spot information you think is incorrect, write back asking for the record to be amended.

The four main credit reference agencies:

Experian Ltd
Consumer Support Centre
P.O. Box 9000
Nottingham
NG80 7WF
http://www.experian.co.uk
0800 013 8888

Equifax Ltd
Customer Service Centre
PO Box 10036
Leicester
LE3 4FS
http://www.equifax.co.uk
0800 014 2955

TransUnion Information Group Ltd
One Park Lane
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS3 1EP
https://www.transunion.co.uk
0113 388 4300

Crediva Limited
LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Global Reach
Dunleavy Drive
Cardiff
CF11 0SN
https://www.crediva.co.uk/
0808 129 3210

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See also: Financial Services, Mortgages