Credit check when renting house

[amci90]

So the mrs and I are looking at getting our first house together and we are both still at parents. We have came across a few flats we are going to view. I have noticed that they say they will do credit checks on us. Just to find out what this is for exactly? ID? or for your actual credit history?

Im not sure how our ratings are, I mean, we have had about 10 late credit card payments between us over the last few years and only by 2-3 days at the most. We have both been students in the past and unfortunately got stuck with the overdrafts after studying so we have never really got round to paying them off in full. Apart from these things there isn't much else.

Any help would be great, cheers

[Delmont St Xavier]

There are credit reference agencies online like Experian and others where you can run your own personal credit check and see what they hold on their databases about you.

Late payments for credit cards will show up and will be a mitigating factor as to your likelihood to pay your rent. Sadly, from experience there credit agency markers are generally good guidelines, as you get lots of heart wrenching stories and promises to pay but then you have to go to eviction to get rid of them.

Go search!

Good luck.

[Ruchazie Rat]

I think Experian and the others charge a standard fee of around a tenner for a look at your own details.

[busdriver]

This website may offer some insight as landlords can now assess your credit worthiness from shared information:- moneysavingexpert It also shows how to access your own credit file and how much.

[HelenD]

I think Experian and the others charge a standard fee of around a tenner for a look at your own details.

There is a ten pound limit for subject access requests with the exception of credit reference agencies who must provide the information for a fee of two pounds.

http://www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations ... l_data#cra

There are special provisions regulating access to personal data held by credit reference agencies. Where credit reference agencies hold personal data relevant to an individual’s financial standing (information in a credit reference file), they must provide a copy of the information within seven days of a written request and on payment of a £2 fee. Credit reference agencies will need to verify the identity of the person making the request before they respond. Our credit explained guidance tells you more about information held by credit reference agencies.

ICO's quide to credit refrence agencies (PDF):
http://www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations ... _2005.ashx