Repeated phone/broadband credit checks affecting credit score?

coffidu

Hi everyone,

I am vaguely aware that too many credit history checks are generally thought to be bad for your credit... history. So, I've stayed away from any unnecessary credit/store card applications etc. quite successfully so far.

However, recently I've had to change my broadband provider, and in the process of signing a new contract, I found myself agreeing to possibly too many credit history checks. To review the story briefly, I placed an order over the phone with my first choice provider, only at the end to be passed on to another Customer Service assistant to finalise the order, who told me that the initial order had to be cancelled and a new order placed again. These were two separate credit history checks that I had to agree to in one phone call. After several other disappointments in a short space of time with the CS of my first choice provider, I have cancelled all orders and placed an order with another provider (the third credit history check).

The problem now is that for genuine reasons (and while I am still in the free cancellation period) I want to cancel this third order and go back to my first choice provider - thus contemplating a fourth credit history check. All other considerations aside, my question is: How bad is having four credit history checks from two different providers, in the space of 2-3 weeks?

And more generally, for my financial education, are credit history checks from mobile phone/broadband/TV, and utilities companies (with which you will be entering a direct debit agreement) recorded differently in the credit history from regular loan applications (mortgage, credit card, personal loans, etc.)?

If they are not any different, then will three credit history checks from the same company in the space of 2-3 weeks "look bad" in one's credit history?

PS: Although I have actually never seen a credit history report (even as a template), I understand that each credit institution will look for different things in your credit history, and possibly for different reasons. However, any opinions and advice would be most gratefully welcome.

Thank you very much!

The_Boss

Four in a few weeks is quite bad if they are credit searches, as opposed to ID searches. If the worst comes to the worst and you can appeal for a manual underwriter to look at it, then they could overrule any refusal based on this if you explain the reasons. Please note that you do not have a credit score though as mentioned in your thread title - they do not exist.

YorkshireBoy

coffidu wrote: »

I have actually never seen a credit history report (even as a template)


advice would be most gratefully welcome.

There are templates on the credit reference agency websites (Experian, Equifax, and CallCredit).


You can view your actual report for free with all 3 (Experian and Equifax via a 30 day trial, and CallCredit is free for life via www.noddle.co.uk), or you can buy a statutory report for £2 from all of them.


These reports will show you if the searches are unrecorded (ie not seen by other lenders) or full credit searches.

coffidu

Thank you both for the advice.
I've signed up for the free Experian account (which I'll cancel tomorrow).

None of the credit searches for my broadband contract appeared in my report, so perhaps they were indeed only ID searches. I will go ahead and cancel my current broadband order, to go for the one that really suits me.

Many thanks again!

YorkshireBoy

coffidu wrote: »

None of the credit searches for my broadband contract appeared in my report, so perhaps they were indeed only ID searches.

You misunderstood my earlier post. ID searches (ie unrecorded enquiries) are visible to both yourself and the credit reference agency...but are not visible to other lenders when they search your file for credit application purposes.


Also, don't forget that the companies could have searched Equifax and/or Callcredit instead.


You need to view reports from all 3 to get the full picture.

jamesd

The credit report that is provided to you includes all searches, including identification searches. If they don't show up on the Experian report all that means is that Experian wasn't the agency used. It was probably Call Credit and you can check that at no cost via Noddle.

Do whatever you want with the account, wondering about the credit record for occasional events isn't worth doing.

The credit report provided to businesses doesn't show the name of the specific business, unlike the one you get. It shows the generic type of credit. Credit card, loan, mortgage, current account say. Money laundering identification check searches aren't provided to other companies, just to you so you can check that they look legitimate rather than someone pretending to be you.