A credit check is the same as a credit search. This is where a company accesses your credit report to see information about you and gauge your credit worthiness. A credit check should only take place with your consent and there should be a good reason for them looking at your credit profile. Commonly credit checks are needed when:
Based upon the information within your credit check the provider who you are seeking a product from will decide if you qualify for their service/product.
If you are looking to take out a mortgage with a high street bank or building society you will need to have a good credit profile, however if you have bad credit registered against you such as missed payments, defaults or county court judgements you will need a bad credit mortgage which is provided by specialist lenders accessible through mortgage brokers, such as The Money Hub.
What information is in a credit check?
Your credit report shows data over the last 6 years. The main information held within a credit check is:
- Credit - It will show a record of all the credit you have taken out within the last 6 years (mortgages, loans, utilities, mobile phone contract etc).
- Payment - It will show your payment history on the credit that you have had. Any missed payments will show and also how many months you are/were in arrears.
- County Court Judgements (CCJ) - If you have been taken to court over an unpaid debt this will show unless you settle the debt within one month of it being registered against you in which case you can request for it to be removed.
- Voters Roll - It will show where you live currently and in the past.
- Financially Linked Persons - If you are financially linked to another person, partner perhaps, as you have taken out a joint financial commitment it will mention the person’s name to whom you are linked financially to.
- Past Credit Searches - When you have applied for credit in the past it may have left a ‘footprint’ on your credit file. By keeping an eye on your credit report you can make sure no credit checks have been done without your consent.
What is a soft credit check mortgage?
A soft credit check, also known as a ‘soft search’ is a view of selected information on your credit report and these are used so a lender can make a quick decision to whether you would qualify for a mortgage. Most lenders initially do a soft credit check. This ‘soft search’ won’t have any impact on your credit score and other lenders cannot see a record of this search. If you run your own report you will be able to see this soft credit check.
What is a hard credit check mortgage?
A hard credit check is when lenders, such as mortgage lenders, want to see your full credit report. This generally happens when you submit a full mortgage application. When a hard credit check is done this will show on your credit report for you and other lenders to see.
Where can you get a credit check done?
The two main credit agencies are Experian and Equifax. By visiting there website you can request to see your credit profile which will show all the data they hold on you – this is what a lender will see when they carry out a credit check on you. It is good practice to regularly review your credit profile and make sure all the information contained in the report is correct. Sometimes there maybe errors and this could cause issues when you are looking to borrow money in the future. By you looking at your own credit report this will not affect your credit score or your chances of you being accepted for credit.
What is a credit score?
Your credit score is a number generated by the credit agencies to determine your credit worthiness. Your credit score is based upon a number of factors such as your payment history, debt levels and voters roll data.
As a guide the credit score ranges are:
| Credit Agency | Very Poor | Fair | Good | Very Good | Exceptional |
| Experian | 300 - 579 | 580 - 669 | 670 - 739 | 740 - 799 | 800 - 850 |
| Equifax | 0 - 279 | 280 - 379 | 380 - 419 | 420 - 465 | 466 - 700 |
Can you get a no credit check mortgage?
No. All mortgage providers insist on a credit check being done. This is to make sure they fully understand your past payment history and your current financial position before they agree to provide you with a mortgage. A mortgage is probably the biggest financial commitment clients take out, so it is extremely important that the lender is fully confident in your ability to repay the mortgage.
What does a mortgage in principle credit check credit mean?
If you are thinking of buying a house for example you will want to know what your mortgage options are and if you qualify for one. A mortgage in principle credit check is when your lender, or broker, submits your details to a lender who runs a credit check and if you pass there criteria will provide an ‘Agreement In Principle’. This basically means the lender will be happy to provide you with a mortgage based upon the information provided being verified (i.e. payslips to confirm your income) and a satisfactory valuation being done on the property you wish to purchase being acceptable to the lender.
Where can I get mortgage advice?
If you are looking for mortgage advice, the mortgage advisers at The Money Hub, would be happy to help you. We can discuss what lenders are offering and what mortgages are available based upon your credit report. Please complete the above enquiry form or call the office.
