Your Credit Report: How to Check It and Fix Errors
Your credit report is the detailed record behind your credit score, the accounts you hold, your payment history, and any defaults or court judgments. Lenders look at this, not the headline score, when you apply. You're entitled to see it for free, and checking it regularly is one of the smartest money habits there is: it lets you spot mistakes that are costing you, and catch fraud early. This guide explains what's on your report, how long things stay, and how to put errors right.
- ✓You can check your credit report for free, and doing so is a 'soft search' that never affects your score.
- ✓There are three agencies (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion), check all three, as lenders may use any of them.
- ✓Most negative entries (defaults, CCJs, bankruptcy) drop off after six years; hard searches show for about 12 months.
- ✓You can get genuine errors corrected, and add a 'notice of correction' to explain a black mark.
- ✓Checking regularly is one of the best ways to catch identity fraud early.
Get instant help right now
A Citizens Advice appointment can take weeks. Our free assistant is available 24/7 with no appointment, giving you clear, step-by-step answers about your exact situation, what to do next, and the deadlines that matter.
Need to take action? It can draft a ready-to-send formal letter for you (optional, from £4.99).
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
How to check your report for free
You don't need to pay. You can see the information each agency holds about you for free, including through free consumer services:
- ✓Experian, free access to your Experian report and score
- ✓Equifax, available free through services such as ClearScore
- ✓TransUnion, available free through services such as Credit Karma
What's on your credit report
- ✓Your credit accounts, cards, loans, mortgages, overdrafts and mobile contracts, with payment history
- ✓Whether you've paid on time, or missed payments, month by month
- ✓Electoral roll registration at your address
- ✓Searches, both the hard searches from applications and your own soft searches
- ✓Public records, County Court Judgments (CCJs), bankruptcies and Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs)
- ✓Financial associations, anyone you share credit with, such as a joint account holder
Note what is not there: your salary, savings, criminal record, student loans (in the usual way), and council tax or most utility usage don't appear in the standard report.
How long information stays on your report
- ✓Defaults, six years from the date of default, whether or not you later pay the debt
- ✓County Court Judgments (CCJs), six years, but removed entirely if you pay in full within one month of the judgment
- ✓Bankruptcy and IVAs, six years (from the date of the order or arrangement)
- ✓Hard searches, around 12 months
- ✓Closed or settled accounts, generally about six years after they close
- ✓Electoral roll, kept and updated as your registration changes
Correcting mistakes
Errors are common and can cost you. If something is wrong:
- ✓Raise it with the lender that reported it, or with the credit reference agency, they must investigate
- ✓Genuine errors must be corrected; an entry under dispute can be marked as such while it's looked into
- ✓If a black mark is accurate but had a genuine cause (illness, redundancy, a relationship breakdown), you can add a 'notice of correction' of up to 200 words that lenders will see
- ✓Ask for a 'notice of disassociation' to break a financial link with an ex-partner or former housemate once your finances are separate
If an agency won't fix a genuine error, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or the Financial Ombudsman, depending on the issue.
Protecting against fraud
If you spot fraud, contact the lender and the credit reference agency straight away, and consider a Cifas ‘protective registration’, which asks lenders to take extra steps to verify it's really you. Report fraud to Action Fraud. Then follow our guide on improving your credit score to rebuild.
Get instant help right now
A Citizens Advice appointment can take weeks. Our free assistant is available 24/7 with no appointment, giving you clear, step-by-step answers about your exact situation, what to do next, and the deadlines that matter.
Need to take action? It can draft a ready-to-send formal letter for you (optional, from £4.99).
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my credit report for free?
You can see your credit report for free from all three agencies: Experian directly, Equifax through services such as ClearScore, and TransUnion through services such as Credit Karma. Checking your own report is a 'soft search' that never affects your score, so you can do it as often as you like. It's worth checking all three, as you won't know which one a particular lender will use.
How long do defaults and CCJs stay on my credit report?
Defaults stay for six years from the date of default, whether or not you later pay the debt. CCJs also stay for six years, but are removed entirely if you pay the full amount within one month of the judgment. Bankruptcies and IVAs stay for six years too. Hard searches show for about 12 months. After six years, negative entries drop off automatically.
How do I fix a mistake on my credit report?
Raise it with the lender that reported the information or with the credit reference agency, they're required to investigate and correct genuine errors. While it's being looked into, the entry can be marked as disputed. If a negative entry is accurate but had a genuine cause, you can add a 'notice of correction' of up to 200 words explaining it. If an agency won't fix a real error, you can complain to the ICO or the Financial Ombudsman.
Can I remove negative information from my credit file?
Only if it's wrong. Genuine errors must be corrected, and a CCJ is removed if you pay in full within a month of judgment. But accurate negative entries, like a default you really did incur, can't be removed early; they drop off automatically after six years. Be wary of any firm that offers to 'wipe' accurate information for a fee, they can't.
Related guides
Found this useful? Link to it
If you run a site, write an article, or help others with their rights, please link to this guide, it helps more people find free, reliable guidance.