Why does my financial associate’s activity show in the ‘Searches’ section of my credit report?

Not all life’s moments are happy ones – there are of course fall outs, break ups, and divorces. All of which are sure to not just have a big impact on you emotionally, but possibly impact your credit health as well.  

You may have found yourselves financially connected to one another by: 

• Making a joint credit application. 

• Holding a joint account. 

• Acting as a guarantor. 

Just because your relationship has ended doesn’t mean that your financial connection ends too. While a financial association won’t directly affect your credit score, it could affect any credit application that you make and vice versa.  

And even if you’re not making applications together anymore, it wouldn’t be unusual for searches relating to their credit activity to still show on your credit report. Because while you remain financially associated, any potential lender is able to search your credit report too when making their lending decision.  

This could be something as simple as a quote for car insurance, or something bigger like a home improvement loan. While that lender is deciding whether or not to lend to them, they have to consider that you could potentially affect the applicant’s ability to repay the debt as you’re still financially connected.  

That’s why it’s important to do your housekeeping and make sure that your financial connections are up to date. Because if you don’t, there’s a chance that their activity could turn up in the Searches section of your credit report. Don’t worry if you do find an out of date associate listed though, we can help you get it removed – just follow the steps in this guide.