Credit card utilisation “recently” over 50% - how long does it last?

Smiffy87

Hi everyone,

I recently paid off a chunk of a credit card balance, taking the balance from 55% to 37% total credit utilisation.

However, I was surprised to see that my Equifax score via ClearScore hasn’t changed, even though my credit history reflects this payment. The orange “Medium impact” factor of credit utilisation is still there, saying that I have recently used more than half of my credit allowance, which can impact my score.

Does anyone know how long exactly is meant by “recently”, and when I can expect this factor to resolve? Thanks in advance.

Willing2Learn

Do not worry about your 'credit score', as a typical lender neither sees nor use your 'credit score'.  A typical lenders scores you independently against their lending criteria and policies, using the data held in your credit files, added to the data you submit in a credit application, added to the data they may already hold on you as an existing or returning customer.  Basically, your Equifax 'credit score' means very little in the real world.

For what it is worth, a 'credit score' usually drops with any significant changes to your credit file.  So I would have assumed your 'score' would drop once the new utilisation data is added to your file. 

Smiffy87

Willing2Learn said:

Do not worry about your 'credit score', as a typical lender neither sees nor use your 'credit score'.  A typical lenders scores you independently against their lending criteria and policies, using the data held in your credit files, added to the data you submit in a credit application, added to the data they may already hold on you as an existing or returning customer.  Basically, your Equifax 'credit score' means very little in the real world.

Thanks for your reply. I can appreciate that a potential lender’s decision ultimately rests on its own scoring criteria. However, this doesn’t really answer my question. How long is meant by “recently”?

kuratowski

You could try asking clearscore themselves: https://contact.clearscore.com/hc/en-us

FYI, on my clearscore report, under credit utilisation, it includes the following text:
Why you're being shown this insight
We can see on your report that you have remained well within your credit limit over the past 3 months.

Smiffy87

I tried it but your reply is more helpful than theirs, haha. Thanks for taking the time to look - seems like “recently” means three months then. Cheers.

DCFC79

Reduce your debt by more.

Anamox

Mine says the same and has done for ages... I still just got accepted for a new mortgage on a new property at the limit of my affordability.