How to obtain credit reports

Galstonian · 5 May 2005 at 2:36PM

For a full article on this, including how to get free reports, and the pros and cons of doing so

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Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs) have a statutory obligation to provide you with your credit file and charge no more than £2. These reports are paper based and will be posted to you.

You can apply online for your reports from the two leading CRAs using the following links:

http://www.wiseconsumer.uk.experian.com
https://www.econsumer.equifax.co.uk/consumer/uk/gb_consumerletter.ehtml

Alternatively, CRAs also offer online reports and other products for a charge. In my opinion only the reports are valuable, additional services like "credit ratings" are expensive and are of little use to most people. As they say though, "your mileage may vary".

Both Equifax and Experian offer a 30 day free trial of their online subscription services, you can apply online via these links.

https://www.creditexpert.co.uk/UK/Order1_1.aspx
https://www.econsumer.equifax.co.uk/consumer/uk/order.ehtml?prod_cd=UKESNG&pri_opt=UKESNG_5999_ANNUAL_TRL

If at the end of thirty days you do not wish to continue with the subscription you should contact the CRA and cancel, if you fail to do so you will be charged the annual fee (approx £60). These services are expensive but they not only offer you the valuable information contained in your credit reports, they also offer a means to combat identity theft and fraud.

Hope this helps.

Milky_Mocha · 10 May 2005 at 10:33AM

Hi Glastonian

Apparently there is a service that offers you your credit information from the 3 CRA's simultaneously for approx £70 and with an initial free trial period. Do you know what this service is and who the third CRA is?

Galstonian · 10 May 2005 at 10:57AM

The third CRA is Call Credit (http://www.callcredit.com) who offer an annual subscription service for £29.99 (http://www.mycallcredit.com/home.asp) but no "try before you buy" option.

In my experience CallCredit hold very little info. My report had no searches and all accounts that were listed appeared on both Equifax and Experian too.

I think the service you refer to is Check My File (http://www.checkmyfile.com) and they do offer a service to monitor all three agencies for £69.99 but, if I am correct, they only actually obtain quarterly reports and provide some analysis of them (i.e. data you could get yourself for £2 x 3 x 4 = £24). The other services allow you to obtain a new report every day and will send alerts if new searches are made, new accouts opened etc.. They do offer a one month trial but I have not used their service so cannot say if it is worthwhile, if anyone else wants to post a review please feel free.
Also note that because this is a third party service there is a full credit search carried out to obtain the information from each agency each quarter - if you are concerned about the number of searches on your files you might want to avoid this.

Pete_Biggs · 15 May 2005 at 12:29PM

I don't understand this - I thought Call Credit were the new big third credit reference agency - at least that's what I understood from listening to BBC Radio 4's 'Money Box' the other weekend:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/4321713.stm

But when I look at their website:

http://www.callcredit.plc.uk/

I can't find anything about the statutory £2 report. Does anyone know how you can get this from them? Presumably they have to provide it?

If so, they seem to be doing a pretty good job of hiding it but promoting their own 'added value' (a.k.a. expensive!) reports on their site, which is something both Experian and Equifax have been criticised for in the past.

I'm not desparate to know this info, I just want to make sure whatever these people are holding about me is correct - I seem to have quite a good record but I want to keep it that way!

Any help much appreciated.

Pete.

charlie12 · 15 May 2005 at 12:32PM

Here's the link

http://www.callcredit.plc.uk/corporate_scripts/consumer_creditreport.asp

It was under consumer services, "my callcredit", "Alternatively, if you would like to receive a copy of your statutory creditfile by post, please click here"

Pete_Biggs · 15 May 2005 at 12:37PM

Thanks for the speedy response :T

I'd just found it actually by googling for 'Call Credit statutory report'. But they do a pretty good job of hiding it - I do think the OfT/Information Commissioner should look into that one.

And a shame they don't do it online of course, I hardly ever write letters!

Lopo · 17 May 2005 at 8:08PM

Thanks for pointing this out, it wasn't an error, it is simply that the links keep getting moved around. Please bear this in mind and read all agreements before signing up to them.

Galstonian

I think Gal meant to provide the following link for Equifax rather than the one detailed in the initial post which links to the £8.25 priced online version. The below link is simply an order form for the statutory paper based posted out to you version which is a more humble £2.00 !

https://www.econsumer.equifax.co.uk/consumer/uk/gb_consumerletter.ehtml

Be wary when using any of the Credit Agency sites as they will constantly lead you astray into buying their products which cost more when you can get the same info you need for the £2.00 sum. Be sure your paying for the £2.00 version if that is simply what you are after...

:cool:

smartsaver · 3 June 2005 at 11:00AM

I've posted this elsewhere but now think it should really be here.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,18669,00.html

Hope it's useful

richiethekid · 8 June 2005 at 11:35AM

Has anyone else had problems ordering a statury credit report on Experian's website? I've tried a few times, but every time I get a message saying there has been an error and my card has not been charged.

Porker · 12 July 2005 at 3:40PM

I ran one the other day and it worked fine - maybe a problem at their end (or your card's no good

)

richiethekid · 12 July 2005 at 4:25PM

Maybe it's because it's a Solo card. Which is quite ironic if you think about it - I can't find out why I can't get a credit card, because I don't have a credit card.

How to obtain credit reports

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