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Do lenders see more that the public?

Can lenders see a credit account that is not yet active, one that is pending, the credit agreed but delivery of item and payments not yet begun?

Comments

  • Nope. What you see on your credit report is what they see. The only exception is if you were an existing/previous customer of one of the companies they own (i.e. Bank of Scotland owns Lloyds, TSB, Halifax etc), in which case they'd use internal data too.
    Credit 'Score' - Don't buy the credit 'score' that Experian, Equifax and Noddle want to sell you. It's an arbitrary number that means nothing when it comes to applying for credit.

    ALWAYS HAVE A DIRECT DEBIT SET UP FOR THE MINIMUM PAYMENT ON YOUR CREDIT CARDS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU PLAN TO LOGIN AND PAY EACH MONTH.
  • How long does the previous customer information go back?
  • Experian_company_representative
    Experian_company_representative Posts: 2,134 Organisation Representative
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Hi Thumpertwinkle,

    When an account has been closed or has defaulted, it is kept on your report for six years. After six years it comes off automatically.

    While an account is still active it will stay on the report regardless of how old it is.

    County court judgments will also stay on for six years and then come off, whether they have been paid or not.

    Searches only stay on for a year and are then removed automatically.

    Regards
    Neil
    Official Company Representative
    I am an official company representative of Experian. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"

    Posts by James Jones, Neil Stone, Stuart Storey & Joe Standen
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Hi Thumpertwinkle,

    When an account has been closed or has defaulted, it is kept on your report for six years. After six years it comes off automatically.

    While an account is still active it will stay on the report regardless of how old it is.

    County court judgments will also stay on for six years and then come off, whether they have been paid or not.

    Searches only stay on for a year and are then removed automatically.

    Regards
    Neil
    You appear to have answered 4 questions that the OP didn't ask!

    How about answering the one they did ask?..."Can lenders see the credit account information on my CRA file before I can?"

    On your last point, you seem to be stating it's 12 months for all credit reference agencies (you were generalising, rather than being clear you were talking about only Experian). For example, I have searches on my Noddle (CallCredit) file for current accounts which were opened in January 2013, nearly 2 years ago.
  • I wondered if they could see credit commitment that you have applied for but not yet got the goods thus not yet actually got history of payments. I know the search shows up.
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I wondered if they could see credit commitment that you have applied for but not yet got the goods

    Technically the supplier has yet to deliver their side of the bargain. So the liability is only contingent.
  • rizla_king
    rizla_king Posts: 2,895 Forumite
    You appear to have answered 4 questions that the OP didn't ask!

    How about answering the one they did ask?

    Experian are happy to let debts you don't owe, often even under the wrong name or date of birth go on your credit report, so you can't expect them to be competent enough to answer one single question on here. :rotfl:

    They have standards to keep up. Poor ones.
    Still rolling rolling rolling...... :) <
    SIGNATURE - Not part of post
  • Experian_company_representative
    Experian_company_representative Posts: 2,134 Organisation Representative
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Hi, to clarify I was answering Thumpertwinkles second question
    How long does the previous customer information go back?

    TheBritishbloke has already answered the opening questions.

    Apologies for any confusion!

    Regards
    Neil
    Official Company Representative
    I am an official company representative of Experian. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"

    Posts by James Jones, Neil Stone, Stuart Storey & Joe Standen
  • xgingerx
    xgingerx Posts: 592 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Also they do not see the lenders names, only account type ie credit card
    Dmp Mutual Support thread member No 82
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