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What is my credit score? How can I obtain my credit report?


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Related FAQ's

Q. How can I improve my credit rating?
A. Rebuilding a bad credit rating is possible, and whilst it may take patient and diligence, it's not as impossible a task as it may seem.

Q. What should I do if I'm already in debt?
A. If you are already in debt your main priority should first be to repay your debt – or at least get your repayments under control.

Q. I've been rejected for a credit card – what should I do?
A. With the arrival of the credit crunch over recent months lenders are tightening up on their approval criteria, which means some credit cards are becoming harder to get accepted for.

Q. How might the credit crunch affect me?
A. The credit crunch has led to many banks reducing their risk by tightening up on lending criteria, such as whom they will lend to as well as how much they will lend.

Q. Can I get a credit card if I'm bankrupt or still repaying past credit?
A. If you are bankrupt then you will not be able to get a regular credit card, as these are subject to credit checks.

Your credit file and credit score are extremely important to your financial future, as they will hugely impact your ability to get affordable finance – or some cases to get finance at all.

It is vital that you try and keep your credit in good shape, as otherwise you could find your future very bleak when it comes to any sort of finance, from a mortgage or car loan to credit cards or any other type of finance.

Remember, when it comes to your credit score:

  • The lower your score the less chance you have of getting affordable finance
  • Your credit score can be adversely affected through a history of poor repayments or through having no past credit
  • Your credit score is used by lenders to determine whether you are a viable risk when it comes to offering credit

Obtaining your credit report
Obtaining access to your credit report can be done online through credit reference agencies like Experian or Equifax.

Experian and Equifax are the main credit reference agencies used by lenders in the U.K. to check your credit rating when you apply for credit.

By signing up with either Experian or Equifax you’ll be able to see the same report on your credit that lenders will look at when making a decision on any credit applications.

Experian offer a 30 day free trial in which you can check your credit report as many times as you wish. After the 30-day free trial period, if you’ve not cancelled your access account the service costs around £7 per month.

Keeping your credit in good shape
Keeping your credit in good order is very important these days, as your credit score plays a huge part in your ability to get affordable finance. Those with poor credit will find that they only have access to high interest rate finance, which can prove very costly. Those with very bad credit may find it impossible to get any credit at all. This is why it is so important to make sure that your credit is in good order.

There are a number of things that you can do to maintain good credit, and one of the most important to is to ensure that you keep a regular check on your credit report.

You can obtain your credit report with ease and convenience from credit reporting agencies such as Experian or Equifax, and because you can get your credit record online you won’t have to waste any time or effort, as you will be able to access this financial information with ease.

By ensuring that you make timely and responsible repayments for the amounts requested on your bills and loans you should not have to worry about an adverse effects on your credit.

However, inaccuracies, out of date information, and even fraudulent activity can affect your credit, and these are things that you can pick up on and rectify when you order and check your credit record.

If you have already suffered a hit to your credit rating, you can look at improving your credit, which will enable you to enjoy better financial deals in the future. You will find that rebuilding your credit can be a long winded and arduous task, but over time, as you continue to exercise responsible repayment habits, your credit will start to improve.

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