Partner with dodgy credit history, would doing a credit search cause problems?

[Belleende]

Before we met DP had a dodgy credit record, think him being named on bills in shared houses that didn't get fully paid. Not sure what damage this will have done to his credit.
We have been living together for over five years, the house and mortgage is in my name only. My credit score is 5/5.

We may move in the nearish future. DP now has a steady income and has been fiscally responsible since we have been together.

I am trying to decide if we should get the next mortgage together. Would doing a credit search on him cause any problems for my credit?

Why not order a copy of his credit report from one of the agencies like Experian, and see what's on it?

Yes I’d do what helpmedecide recommends.

That's what I was planning, but I was worried that the act of doing a search on him will link him to me and tank my credit rating.

Could he not do a search and let you see it, though? If it are thinking of buying a house together, it is surely the least he can do?

That's not the issue, he would happily do it, I am concerned that just doing a credit search on him will flag that I am living with someone with a dodgy credit history and may affect my credit score.

No it won’t but presumably you’ll ask him to order his own credit report and then look at it together, not go behind his back? Or am I misreading this (entirely possible 😀)

Ah ok - cross post. I have no idea why you think him doing a credit search on his own credit history would link him to you. The only reason it will link it to you is if you actually have joint credit.

I am concerned because we live at the same address. We don't have any official joint finances. Sounds like it would be fine.

The issue that potential lenders would be interested in is not that you live at the same address but whether or not you have any shared credit facilities which would indicate a financial relationship.

As Catcher and winking prawn say. DH and I only became financially linked when we took out a mortgage together, even though we lived together and were married to each other before.

Thanks all. We shall find out what horrors are lurking.

Checking your credit report doesn't leave a trace. It's called a "soft search" I think. If you have any joint accounts etc then you are financially linked but if not, then just living at the same address doesn't create a link.

As pp have said it would be helpful to check your DP's credit file first to see if there is any adverse information there.

The reason lenders either refuse a loan or lend with higher interest rates to those with poor credit history is because statistically there is a genuinely higher risk that the borrower will default on the payments.
In your situation op I would definitely give this some thought.

Oh no worries I have two divorced sisters and have seen the consequences of not protecting yourself financially. I would only ever join finances if it didn't affect my credit, and I would only buy a house that I know I could pay the mortgage on my own

Clear score is a free credit report.