Does checking your own credit report affect your score?

A common misconception is that checking your own credit report affects your credit score. The good news is, it doesn’t. If anything, we’d recommend checking it regularly to ensure it always stays in good shape. With so much misleading information out there, we’re here to set the record straight.

It’s time to dispel the myths around credit checks, give you the information to know exactly where you stand, and shed some light on what types of check will affect your credit score.

There are two types of searches you can expect to see on your credit report:

Hard search – when a lender has performed a full credit check on your details as part of a credit application.

Soft search – this could be a check by a landlord, employer, or price comparison website.

Let’s look at these in more detail.

Hard searches

An application search (hard search) is a formal check of your report that shows all information, including your credit history. A lender will carry out an application search when deciding whether to lend to you, based on how you’ve kept up with your repayments.

Application searches will show on your credit report, so whenever you apply for credit (like a loan, mortgage, mobile phone contract), a ‘hard search’ will be visible. This type of search will contribute to your score.

Soft searches

An enquiry search (soft search) is usually carried out by landlords or employers. But it could also relate to where you get a quote for credit or use a comparison website. If they are made by debt collectors, however, you may be declined during a credit application.

An audit is another type of soft search; this normally shows where you have checked your own credit report, or an existing lender is checking your current status.

Will checking my credit report affect my credit score negatively? The short answer is no – it doesn’t affect your score at all. It doesn’t matter where you get it from, or how often you check or update it, neither your report nor score will be affected.

Audits are not used in credit scoring, so you can view your credit report as much as you like without worrying about it affecting you. They are only seen by you and the credit reference agency where it was recorded.

In fact, checking your credit report regularly is encouraged. And lenders can’t see when or how often you’ve done so. By knowing your score, you can start growing your score.

Checkmyfile is the only credit report that shows you data from all three main credit reference agencies, so you can see whatever a lender can see. We give you the best information to take the steps, build the habits, and make the progress to help turn your goals into a reality.