Experian, Equifax and TransUnion each have to give you a copy of the information they hold about you, free of charge. It's called a statutory credit report. You don't need a paid subscription, and you can ask for it as often as you like.
What the statutory report is
It's the file a lender could see about you: how you've kept up with credit and utility accounts, your past addresses, and public records such as the electoral roll, county court judgments and insolvency. Lenders use it to decide whether to offer you credit. Other organisations use it to check who you are and to spot fraud.
Each agency holds its own file. They overlap, but they aren't identical, because not every lender reports to all three. You don't need all of them. Asking your lenders which agency they use tells you which to get first.
How to ask for it
You can ask for it online or by post. Have your full name, any other names you've used in the last six years, your date of birth and your addresses for the last six years, with postcodes. The agency may ask for proof of your name and address, such as a utility bill or bank statement.
- Experian. Order online and Experian posts you a passkey within 5 working days, which opens the report in a secure area. By post, download its application form and send it to Experian's Customer Support Centre in Nottingham. Experian says a postal application usually takes up to 7 working days.
- Equifax. Register for a free Equifax Basic account, confirm who you are, and the report appears in your online account, where you can download it as a PDF. By post, Equifax sends the report as soon as it can, and within a calendar month.
- TransUnion. Fill in its online form with your current and previous addresses. If it can't confirm who you are online, you can ask for a free postal copy by email or phone, or use its paper form. Postal requests take longer than online ones.
Each person applies for their own report. Links to each agency's request page are under "Sources".
Scores are separate
Experian and TransUnion both say their statutory report doesn't include a credit score. Equifax says a copy you request online does.
Each agency has a free route to a score: Experian points to a free Experian account, Equifax to its free Basic account, and TransUnion to partners such as Credit Karma, some of which are paid. Check what a service charges, and how it makes money, before you sign up.
If something is wrong
Tell the agency that supplied the file. The lender that reported the entry may need to correct it too, and lenders can update their own entries with the agencies. If an entry stays disputed, you can add a notice of correction, which lets you write a short statement explaining your situation.
If an obvious mistake isn't corrected, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office. It doesn't decide financial disputes.
Short answers
Is the statutory credit report free?
Yes. Each of the three credit reference agencies has to give you your statutory credit report free of charge, and you don't have to sign up to a paid product to get it.
Do I need a report from all three agencies?
No. Lenders choose which agency to use, and each agency holds slightly different information. Asking your lenders which one they use tells you which report to get first.
How long does a statutory credit report take?
The agency has one month from your request to send it, and up to two months longer if it tells you within the first month that it needs more time. Online requests are often quicker.
Sources
- Information Commissioner's Office: credit
- Experian: statutory credit report
- Equifax: statutory credit report
- TransUnion: free statutory credit report
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Wording checked . Rules change, so check the linked sources before you act.