Best credit report websites

agnes said:
I have terrible rating, lowest there is. But nothing in the last 3 years has been late/skipped, everything is green? I've settled ALL debt and have nothing. Yet I'm still at the absolute lowest, on the electoral role. But still, struggling. I've no idea how to bump it up. I've got a CC but simply rather not use it.

Is there a company I can just speak to someone and ask for advice on what's going on?
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I'm really not the best to give advice as I just haven't had any problems with money myself. I would assume they would be looking further back than 3 years. However once I made my gf consolidate her debt onto one card it only took a couple of months for her rating to go up.

If you have a CC and are not using it then that never looks good. These forums are half and half on CCs but I strongly suggest using a credit card for everything like it was your current account. (If you can't do this then maybe food & petrol) It a lazy excuse to say you are tempted or can't keep track of what you are spending. We live in a day when we have bank apps on phones and I think it's a excellent way to manage your spending as you actually have to look and see what's in your current account to use for your CC.

My gf can't do this and the talk results in her getting in a argument and tears. Credit cards offer protection and benefits. Use them right and they treat you well. Use them like it's a 1 month loan and you will end up in ****.

I have never used the premium service of noddle but if you really can't see what might be up with your rating then maybe signing up to something else would give you more advice. You can always do a notice of correction if something is wrong/right but is giving off the wrong impression.

Try not to get too worked up on your credit rating though. It changes from place to place and in the end it's only going to effect you when you actually want credit. So loans, mortgage, other credit cards.

Moneysavingexpert for all your needs really. Point 3 on the 25 ways to improve your credit score I think is a major one. Used my credit card since I was 18 so it shows I use credit but pay back with cash on time.
 
Are people genuinely that hopeless with money that they even need a site like those listed so far to check their 'ratings'?
 
I think it's more that the better the rating the better rating you will get for a mortgage etc. Credit score does matter if you want credit.
 
Derek W said:
Are people genuinely that hopeless with money that they even need a site like those listed so far to check their 'ratings'?
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There's many reasons to check your credit file regularly (Every 12 months at the minimum). Just a few:

Each search for example slightly lowers your credit rating so if someone has applied for credit in your name fraudulently you may not know and need to follow these searches up to get them removed.

Check for old accounts which haven't been closed correctly (More common than you'd think).

Check for agreements people may have successfully taken out in your name fraudulently to other addresses so you would never know.

Ensure all agreements you have are registered to the correct residential address and personal details are stored are correct, if anything has a mismatch then this will go against you in a credit check as they can be major fraud indicators.
 
Tobes said:
I think it's more that the better the rating the better rating you will get for a mortgage etc. Credit score does matter if you want credit.
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shauncr91 said:
There's many reasons to check your credit file regularly (Every 12 months at the minimum). Just a few:

Each search for example slightly lowers your credit rating so if someone has applied for credit in your name fraudulently you may not know and need to follow these searches up to get them removed.

Check for old accounts which haven't been closed correctly (More common than you'd think).

Check for agreements people may have successfully taken out in your name fraudulently to other addresses so you would never know.

Ensure all agreements you have are registered to the correct residential address and personal details are stored are correct, if anything has a mismatch then this will go against you in a credit check as they can be major fraud indicators.
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I've never used one of those credit rating sites before. I'm just really curious about it. My credit history isn't anything fantastic either. Had my main bank account since i was 16, only got a credit card after i left uni but pay off the balance each month (occasionally got the odd interest added to a date missed when the transfer was being processed). Followed it up with a cash and savings isa which were regularly paid into along with changing money through my main account to feed those ISAs as well as in premium bonds. 7 Months before i wanted to buy a house i cleared 6 grands worth of student loans out so i was 'debt free' then when i went to apply for a mortgage i pretty much got offered the maximum my salary would allow with no problems. I'm in no way rich but I managed my money sensibly.
 
Student loans don't count towards credit rating just fyi anyone reading this thread. (not that you implied)

But that's it. I have pretty much no money in my accounts. It's just about how you use money and how the banks see you using money in the future. But some people just have trouble will money. I get it. Sometimes stuff happens and a carbreaks down and you have to fork over £300 or something. I take that into account though have money spare for such a problem. You need to be showing that you are prepared for the future and banks are happy.
 
PinkPig said:
If you've never signed up before you can get 'free trials' from Experian and Equifax which will get your report for free as long as you cancel before the trial is over.
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Although like a lot of companies with a "cancel before your trial period ends", they can be super dodgy/suspicious. My GF used the trial, cancelled it the same day. She found out they were charging her like £40p/m or whatever their stupid rate is even though she was told multiple times the account was closed - of course demanded money back as what they were doing is technically theft. I'd avoid them heavily.
 
Derek W said:
I've never used one of those credit rating sites before. I'm just really curious about it. My credit history isn't anything fantastic either. Had my main bank account since i was 16, only got a credit card after i left uni but pay off the balance each month (occasionally got the odd interest added to a date missed when the transfer was being processed). Followed it up with a cash and savings isa which were regularly paid into along with changing money through my main account to feed those ISAs as well as in premium bonds. 7 Months before i wanted to buy a house i cleared 6 grands worth of student loans out so i was 'debt free' then when i went to apply for a mortgage i pretty much got offered the maximum my salary would allow with no problems. I'm in no way rich but I managed my money sensibly.
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It isn't about managing your money, for me anyway. I had a load of fraud happen in my name in December and I signed up to these sites to check my credit file to ensure I didn't have credit cards, mortgages and other loans in my name that I had no idea about.
 
ubern00b said:
It isn't about managing your money, for me anyway. I had a load of fraud happen in my name in December and I signed up to these sites to check my credit file to ensure I didn't have credit cards, mortgages and other loans in my name that I had no idea about.
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Fair enough. Can i ask if you ever found out where the fraud originated from?
 
Derek W said:
Fair enough. Can i ask if you ever found out where the fraud originated from?
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I have had it twice in my life, December was the most recent. First time, a number of years ago, people were stealing mail from the post boxes in my block. They managed to get enough information about me to open a number of credit cards and then intercept the cards and pins before I got them. That was fun...

This time I happened to lose my wallet in a taxi. Taxi driver swore blind it wasn't in his taxi (I know for a fact it was) and low and behold 2 weeks later that is when all the fraud happened. I had my drivers license in my wallet which just happens to have ALL of your personal details on it. Good going DVLA.
 
ubern00b said:
I have had it twice in my life, December was the most recent. First time, a number of years ago, people were stealing mail from the post boxes in my block. They managed to get enough information about me to open a number of credit cards and then intercept the cards and pins before I got them. That was fun...

This time I happened to lose my wallet in a taxi. Taxi driver swore blind it wasn't in his taxi (I know for a fact it was) and low and behold 2 weeks later that is when all the fraud happened. I had my drivers license in my wallet which just happens to have ALL of your personal details on it. Good going DVLA.
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Working for a taxi company drivers hand in dozens of wallets a month. Not saying every taxi driver is honest but they have a badge to protect.

Wallets are often picked up by further customers in the cars who are not honest enough to hand them in.

The amount of calls I get saying I lost my phone/wallet in a car 30 mins ago and expect them to be the only person in the car in that time scale. The truth is in 30 mins 2 or 3 further customers have been in and out.

How do I know lots of taxi drivers are honest? We have had wallets handed in with literally hundreds of pounds stuffed in them. So much that we count the cash under witness, log and lock it in the safe to the owner can be located and verified.
 
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I got from 2/5/to 4/5 in less than a year with noddle. I saw that my mobile phone address was wrong and I always buy everything on my CC and just pay off in full out of wages every month.
 
Third Opinion said:
Working for a taxi company drivers hand in dozens of wallets a month. Not saying every taxi driver is honest but they have a badge to protect.

Wallets are often picked up by further customers in the cars who are not honest enough to hand them in.

The amount of calls I get saying I lost my phone/wallet in a car 30 mins ago and expect them to be the only person in the car in that time scale. The truth is in 30 mins 2 or 3 further customers have been in and out.

How do I know lots of taxi drivers are honest? We have had wallets handed in with literally hundreds of pounds stuffed in them. So much that we count the cash under witness, log and lock it in the safe to the owner can be located and verified.
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It was 6am in the morning and the driver told me I was his last job. I had the wallet in the taxi because I paid the driver, so, draw your own conclusions.
 
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