Credit check - why aren't rent payments on there?

[hejsvejs]

Checked my credit file this morning and it made me think...

Why aren't rent payments and council tax payments showing on there? Wouldn't it be great for credit agencies to see that I've paid my rent and council tax on time?

Can't help but think that this would increase my credit score if it was on there...

Because you haven't borrowed the money.

No answer as to why not but I completely agree with you! I suppose with rent it could be as sometimes bank transfers are between personal bank accounts rather than always being through an estate agent? Could mean it is difficult to track sometime and wouldn't fair on those people if those that paid rent to a company got it included on their credit score and others didn't.

I understand that I haven't borrowed the money but it is still a financial commitment.

The contents of credit files are a bit of a mystery to me - but I seem to recall that 'other agencies' can see more than we see?

(For example, I have a cc but it doesn't show on my credit file. Or at least the version that I can access.)

The free noddle report doesn't show most of my info. Probably need Experian or equifax to get fuller information

I was the same on Experian. I never figured it out.

According to mse rent payments will soon be on there but only for social housing x

I'm in social housing they brought a check in last year where rent payments can be used for credit checks- and for some sort of getting credit company. I wasn't very pleased being on housing benefit as when the council have a meltdown on average every 2years or so they just stop paying for one reason or another for months at a time. Luckily I'm not looking to get credit but if I was it would be held against me, through no fault of my own.

Just to point out mobile phones and utilities aren't monies borrowed but still show on a credit file!

It's gutting we've paid 12 years of rent and just buying a house and the biggest chunk of our monthly outgoing accounts for nothing but they are bothered I spend £40 in Tesco a week

Someone's already mentioned Noddle (from Callcredit) but there's also Clearscore (from Equifax) who provide free reports online.

The other thing is that not all companies share your account info with all the agencies - they aren't required to by law . It's up to the company to decide which credit reference agency they want to use, if any. So if you want a full picture of your credit rating, you need to get all 3 reports.

Noddle at least identified me. Clearscore couldn't find me at all.

Hmm. Try the £2 statutory request using one of their old fashioned paper forms . When I was doing my clearscore one online, I was sure I'd got some of the questions wrong about my accounts.

Mobile contract often is borrowing money because you get the phone for free or really cheap upfront. Part of the monthly bill is paying the device off.

EE shows up on my clearscore.

I think council tax should be on there. They're b**yards about everything and will take you to court if anything goes wrong with no chance for you to just fix it first (happened to MIL, bank effed up and they threatened with court) the least they could do is help you out on credit file!

There's a consumer credit bit to the mobile phone contract. Not sure about utilities as I just click the box online and never bother to read the terms. I guess the credit element is that they provide you with the services in advance and you pay them in arrears.

Rent is paid in advance so no credit element.

There's a specific reason why Council Tax doesn't affect your credit score but I can't remember what it is! I'll google...

Mobile phone and utilities you're running up a bill for stuff you've consumed and the company just has to hope you can pay for what you've already spent (and in a way, borrowed from them until your next bill)

Rent and council tax is paid before 'using' IYSWIM.

www.experian.co.uk/consumer/questions/askjames226.html

Non-payment of CT is criminal not civil. That's a bit scary!

If you have a barcalycard the app now has a free Experian credit score.

East Lothian, Scotland do release this information , for precisely that reason- increasing ones credit rating.

Our HA sent us a letter recently telling us that they would be sharing payment info with credit agencies to help build credit scores.

Car insurance paid monthly attracts an interest charge. So surely that is monies borrowed upfront and paid back with interest? They aren't credit scored

I got a letter from my housing association around last year telling me that they will start to add my rent payments to my credit file. I think this someone how benefits someone else thigh rather than us, there's always a catch.

Just seen that there's a new "Rental Exchange" scheme for private renters to have their rent payments recorded on Experian - detail on Martin Lewis' site here

Was going to say same as pingpong. It will be handy for some people just to show how important rent is and for people that haven't borrowed loads like myself who doesn't really have a rating as I haven't borrowed much. Think phone contract & 1 small credit card. I would like borrowers to see how I put my rent first & always pay on time. Might make them realise if I can pay a crazy amount of rent each month then I should be able to manage a smaller mortgage repayment. Although it does state that lenders don't know what they're going to do with this information yet. We shall see.