Experian is one of the four main UK Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs); the other three being Equifax, TransUnion, and Crediva.

How do I see the information Experian holds for me?

You can use checkmyfile to see your Experian Credit Report, alongside your complete information from the other agencies: Equifax, TransUnion, and Crediva. Your Multi Agency Credit Report is the most detailed in the UK, letting you see everything that a lender will see all on the same, easy-to-use platform.

Try checkmyfile free for 30 days, then just £14.99 per month. You can easily cancel your subscription at any time online, and our expert team is on hand should you have any questions about your Credit Report.

What type of information does Experian hold?

Experian holds your Credit Report, a record of your financial behaviour and history that lenders can assess whenever you apply for credit.

Your Credit Report consists of your credit account information – such as your outstanding balances, limits and account statuses – as well as linked addresses, Financial Associations, and recent credit applications.

Additionally, Experian receives public information, such as County Court Judgments and insolvencies, as well as Electoral Roll listings. This blend of credit account and public information paints a picture of your creditworthiness that lenders can rely on when deciding whether to accept you as a new customer.

It’s important to note that as there are four Credit Reference Agencies, you actually have four Credit Reports – with your Experian report being just one. It’s therefore always best to make sure you’ve checked your information at all the Credit Reference Agencies. This way, you can be confident knowing you’ve seen everything and that there are no nasty surprises gone unnoticed.

Why is my Experian Credit Score different to other scores?

Each Credit Reference Agency uses its own method of calculating your Credit Score, so you will inevitably see differences from agency to agency. As each CRA has a different scorecard as well as different information, your Credit Score is similarly different wherever you check it.

This means that there is no one ‘true’ Credit Score. A Credit Score you receive online is a subjective interpretation of your creditworthiness and does not directly affect your credit applications. The information found on your Credit Report, however, is vitally important to your credit applications, as it is this data that will be scrutinised whenever you apply.

The Credit Scores that Experian supplies to consumers are not the same as those it provides to lenders, which depend on whether the underlying scorecard has been developed specifically for the lender or for more general usage, and also upon the extent of information that the lender is allowed to use within the scorecard, which can differ substantially.

In short, your Credit Score can be useful to help you gain a quick understanding of your Credit Report’s overall health, but it won’t be used in lending decisions. Instead, the data on your Credit Report is where you should focus your attention, as this information most certainly will make a difference to your applications.