Help with building credit score

OllyGr

My daughter,  aged 44, has got herself into a bad financial state. 
Finally, attempting to do something about it, she has moved in with us as she can no longer rent until her credit scores have improved. 
She has signed up with Clear Score, Experian and Equifax, but the scores are very different. 
Can anyone advise which is the best to use and what one creditors, like Estate Agents use.
Thanks for help in advance.

Emmia

The scores are completely meaningless and only seen by you/your daughter.

What matters is the stuff in the file underneath the score - late payment markers, access to credit, ccj's etc.

Brie

being registered to vote too helps.  

CliveOfIndia

As others have said, the scores you see on your CRA reports are completely meaningless - in fact, they're not even visible to lenders/estate agents.  What they'll be looking at is the underlying data - amount of outstanding debt, payment history, CCJs or defaults, that kind of thing.

OllyGr said:

She has signed up with Clear Score, Experian and Equifax, but the scores are very different.

The scores will be very different - proof, if any were needed, of just how meaningless they are.

OllyGr said:

Can anyone advise which is the best to use and what one creditors, like Estate Agents use.
Thanks for help in advance.

There isn't a "best" one really - they all hold broadly the same information (the only caveat being that not all lenders report in to all three agencies).  And different lenders/estate agents will consult different agencies - some will look at all three, some may only look at one.

OllyGr said:

My daughter,  aged 44, has got herself into a bad financial state. 

Does this imply that she has defaults, missed payments, etc., registered against her?  Or that she has a high level of outstanding debt?  Either of these things will ring alarm bells to anyone viewing her reports.  And if that's the case, there's not an awful lot you can do about it.  Their impact will gradually diminish over time, and will drop off her report after 6 years, but in the meantime all she can really do is to manage her finances well, to demonstrate that she's in control of things.

It's often stated that using a credit card wisely is the simplest way of building up a credit history.  Use it for routine purchases, things you have to buy anyway, and always repay in full every month, without fail, when you get the statement.

It's likely she would only be eligible for a credit-builder card, but that in itself is not a problem.  The main issue is making sure that you only ever use it to buy things you can afford, and which you know you'll be able to clear in full at the end of the month.  As long as she's disciplined, it can be a good way of starting to rebuild her credit history.  But it's not an overnight fix, it takes time.