Does rent appear on my credit report?

Rent is usually the biggest regular expense for many tenants. And because it’s a regular outgoing, like a mortgage or loan, you may think it contributes towards your credit score. Well, it’s not so straightforward.

Unlike mortgages and loans, rent payments don’t usually show up on your credit report – but there is a way you could change that.

Will rent payments show on my credit report?

Credit reference agencies (CRAs) like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion mainly receive data from lenders, such as banks and credit card companies.  Payment information isn’t required to be reported to the credit reference agencies, so landlords and letting agents often don’t automatically report payments.

This means that even if you’ve been renting for years and have never missed a payment, it’s not likely to appear on your report and therefore won’t contribute towards your credit score – unless you sign up to a rent reporting service.

How can I get my rent to show on my credit report? Some good news – you could get your rent payments recorded on your credit report by using a ‘rent reporter’ service. These services report your rent information directly to the CRAs. Here’s how they work: 

1. You sign up with a rent reporting service – There are several companies in the UK that offer this (we list some examples later), and most offer free and paid plans. 

2. They track your rent payments – You either link your bank account so they can automatically verify payments, or your landlord confirms them. Some reporting agencies will contact your landlord to verify the payments. 

3. Your payments get reported to the credit reference agencies – Some services report to one CRA, while others report to multiple agencies.  

At Checkmyfile, we show your information from all three agencies in one place. See where you stand with a 30-day free trial. Then it’s a monthly subscription – cancel online anytime.

Once your rent is recorded, positive payments can help build your credit history and could positively impact your score over time – but it’s important to remember that missing payments could lower your score.

Which rent reporting services are available in the UK? If you want to add your rent payments to your credit report, there are a few services that can help: 

• Emma – This budgeting app can report your rent payments to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Tiered paid plans are available.  

• CreditLadder – Reports to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Free (reports to just one CRA) and paid plans available. 

• Canopy – Also reports to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. A free plan just reports to one CRA, with paid plans available. 

• The Rental Exchange (Experian) – Works with letting agents and housing associations to report rent to Experian. 

Each of these services works slightly differently, so it’s worth checking which one best suits your needs.

Will rent payments improve my credit score? Adding rent payments to your credit report can help build your credit history over time, particularly if you don’t have many other forms of credit. But the impact on your credit score depends on several factors: 

• Your overall credit history – If you already have a strong credit history, adding rent payments may have a less noticeable impact. 

• Which CRAs are notified – Your rent payments will only affect the credit scores held by the CRAs they’re reported to. 

• Your payment reliability – If you always pay on time, it can help. But if you miss rent payments, it could harm your credit score. 

What are the downsides of rent reporting? 

While rent reporting can be beneficial, there are a few things to consider: 

• Missed payments can harm your credit score – As mentioned above, if your rent is reported and you miss a payment, it would leave a negative marker on your report and could lower your score.  

• It’s just one part of the picture – Remember that while some lenders take rental payments into account, they’ll consider all aspects of your credit health, as well as your affordability, when deciding whether to lend to you. Make sure everything’s in shape by checking your credit report before applying.  

• Some services charge fees – Some rent reporting services offer free plans, but others charge a fee, so look out for this when signing up.  

Should I use a rent reporting service? If you always pay your rent on time and want to build your credit history, using a rent reporting service could be a smart move. It’s particularly useful if: 

• You have little or no credit history. 

• You plan to apply for a mortgage in the future and want to demonstrate reliability. 

• You want to improve your credit score without taking out additional credit. 

On the other hand, if you’re worried about potentially missing a rent payment, or you don’t want to pay for the service, you may prefer to focus on other ways to build your score.