A Credit Bureau is a less frequently used name for a Credit Reference Agency (CRA). The three main UK Credit Bureaux are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. ‘Credit Bureau’ is the standard vernacular for Credit Reference Agencies in US and Australia, while the UK refers to these organisations as ‘Credit Reference Agencies’.

How do I see my Credit Bureau information?

Each Credit Bureau will hold a Credit Report in your details, which is essentially a record of your financial behaviour and history. Your credit accounts, repayment history, linked addresses, Court Records, and Financial Associations – among much more – are recorded on your Credit Report to allow prospective lenders to assess your creditworthiness whenever you submit an application.

Only checkmyfile lets you see your complete information from all Credit Bureaus on the same, easy-to-use platform, making it quick and easy to compare the data. Your Multi Agency Credit Report will show you the information that lenders can see whenever you apply for credit, giving you peace of mind knowing that you’ve checked everything.

You can view your Multi Agency Credit Report free for 30 days, then just £14.99 per month. Cancellation is quick and easy online at any time.

Where do Credit Bureaux get their information?

Most UK lenders have a reciprocal data sharing agreement with at least one Credit Bureau; this means that the lender will share their customers’ credit account information with the Credit Bureau in order to access the Bureau’s vast database of Credit Reports. Lenders routinely evaluate their would-be customers’ Credit Reports before extending finance to them.

Credit Bureaux receive a great deal of account information through lenders and their reciprocal data sharing agreements.

Additionally, Credit Bureaux get public information from government bodies and local councils. For example, Court Records such as County Court Judgments come from Registry Trust, while Electoral Roll listings are provided by local authorities.

Cifas, the UK anti-fraud organisation, also shares fraud warnings with the Credit Bureaux, as a way of protecting at-risk consumers.

How do I know which Credit Bureau will be checked when I apply for credit?

Lenders often don’t disclose precisely which Credit Bureaux will be checked when you apply for credit, so you can’t be certain which database will be accessed.

It’s therefore best to check your Credit Reports at all three Credit Bureaux – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – and ensure that they accurately represent your financial position. This way, you’ll have covered all your bases by seeing everything that a lender can see.