Credit Reference Agency

No-one has a right to credit. Before giving you credit, lenders - such as banks, loan companies and shops - want to check whether you are an acceptable risk.

To help lenders do this, they may check with firms called credit reference agencies to get details about you and your credit record.

The main credit reference agencies keep information on their computers about almost every adult in the United Kingdom.

These agencies do not keep "blacklists , or give any opinion about whether or not you should be given credit. They provide information about your credit record. The credit reference agency will not be able to tell you why you were refused credit. The lender decides whether you are an acceptable risk.

When you apply for credit the lender should tell you if the files of a credit reference agency will be searched and the name and address of the agency should be made available to you if you ask.

Addresses of two main agencies

The agency you contact may may ask for more details to help them find all the information they hold about you and, before sending the file out, to check that you are who you say you are. Otherwise they must send you your file within 7 working days from the receipt of your letter or tell you that they hold no information about you.

The two main agencies are:

Equifax Plc
Credit File Advice Service
P0 Box 3001
Glasgow
G81 2DT

Experian Limited
Consumer Help Service
P0 Box 8000
Nottingham
NG1 5GX