PGCE student with job for September wanting to build a credit score

spanyah

So, I'm in a bit of a pickle. 
I want to build my credit score for getting a mortgage in the future, but want to rent in the immediate future. The estate agents I'm thinking of renting from might require a credit check, but I have never had a credit card. I current live with my parents to save money during my PGCE year, where I get a large tax free bursary, but technically I'm in education with no salary. I have a job for September on a starting teacher wage, so affording to rent is not going to be a problem, plus I have plenty of savings.
BUT my problem is that any credit I have acquired from paying bills are from my student addresses, but I was also registered at my parents home, where I'm currently living. How do I fill this out on a credit card/credit check enquiry form when they only say 'include previous addresses if you've been there less than 3 years' ? 

sourcrates

Just put your parents address, no need to complicate things, although a credit card can be a way of building credit history, please don`t go getting one for that sole purpose, unless you use the card wisely, they can cause massive problems with debt for years to come for some people, you must be sensible with it.

We do not have a universal credit score in the UK, we have a number generated by the credit reference agencies, which we see when we look on our file, at best its a vauge indication of how we may be viewed by lenders, but do not rely on it, as every lender has their own scoring system they use to determine credit worthiness, and we are not savvy to that number.

Usually for renting purposes, you may need to provide a higher deposit if you lack credit history.

abc.xyz

Letting agents usually do a soft check to see if there have been any CCJ's or defaults. I wouldn't worry about not having much credit history. In the worst case scenario, they may ask you for a gurantor. Use whatever address your bank account, mobile phone contract, car insurance, etc are registered to.