Credit Check for Renting: What Landlords Actually See

What is a tenant credit check?

A tenant credit check is a search of your credit report carried out as part of the tenant referencing process. When a landlord or letting agent uses a referencing service — such as Homelet, Goodlord, OpenRent, or Rightmove Referencing — the referencing company queries one or more of the UK's three credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

Each agency holds slightly different data, so what one shows might not match the others exactly. Some referencing companies check all three; others only check one. This is why checking your report with all three agencies before you apply is important.

The referencing company interprets the data and gives the landlord a recommendation — typically acceptable, acceptable with conditions, or not acceptable. The landlord then makes their own decision. The referencing result is advisory, not binding.

Hard search vs soft search

There are two types of credit check, and the distinction matters for tenants.

A soft search is the most common type for renting. It does not appear on the version of your credit report that other lenders or landlords can see, does not affect your credit score, and is only visible to you on your own report. Most modern referencing companies, including Goodlord and OpenRent, use soft searches.

A hard search does appear on your credit report and is visible to other lenders and landlords. It can slightly lower your credit score and stays on your report for 12 months. Some older referencing companies still use hard searches.

If you're applying to multiple properties and are concerned about hard searches, ask the letting agent which referencing company they use and whether the credit check is a soft or hard search. This is especially important if you're making several applications in quick succession, as multiple hard searches can signal financial stress to future landlords.

What shows up on your credit report

Here's exactly what a landlord, via the referencing company, can see on your credit report. County Court Judgements (CCJs) stay on your file for six years, or are removed if paid within 30 days. Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) remain for six years from the start date. Bankruptcy orders and Debt Relief Orders (DROs) both stay for six years from the date of the order.

Missed or late payments on any credit agreement are visible for six years from the date of the missed payment. Defaults on credit agreements follow the same six-year rule. Your current credit accounts — credit cards, loans, phone contracts — are visible while open and for six years after closing. Current debt levels are updated monthly.

Electoral roll registration is visible and shows whether you're registered at your current address. Your address history, typically covering the last six years, is also shown. Financial associations with other people through joint accounts are visible until you request a disassociation. Hard credit searches from the last 12 months appear, though soft searches do not.

What doesn't show up on your credit report

This is often more surprising than what does show up. Your salary and income are not tracked by credit agencies — affordability is verified separately through your employer. Your savings, spending habits, and transaction details don't appear either.

Your rent payments are not visible by default. This is perhaps the biggest gap in the system: your largest monthly expense, and your most direct proof of being a reliable tenant, is invisible unless you actively report it through a service like Wollit.

Your credit score number is not part of the credit report. Scores like Experian's 0–999 or Equifax's 0–1,000 are calculated by each agency for their consumer-facing products. Referencing companies work from the raw data. Student loans don't appear on UK credit reports. Council tax arrears only show if a CCJ has been issued for non-payment. Your criminal record and medical history are not tracked by credit agencies.

How to check your credit report before applying

You should always check your credit report before starting your property search. You can check each agency individually for free: Experian offers a free basic report at experian.co.uk, Equifax is available free through ClearScore, and TransUnion is free through Credit Karma.

Alternatively, Checkmyfile shows data from all three agencies side by side with a free 30-day trial, then £14.99 per month. This is the most thorough approach because different agencies hold different data.

You also have a legal right to a free statutory credit report from each agency, containing the same data that referencing companies see.

When reviewing your report, look for errors such as accounts you don't recognise, payments marked as missed when you paid, or wrong addresses. Check for surprises like old CCJs you'd forgotten about. Look at financial associations with ex-partners or former housemates linked through joint accounts. Confirm your electoral roll registration and check for unauthorised hard searches, which could indicate fraud.

If you find errors, dispute them with the relevant credit reference agency. They have 28 days to investigate and respond. If you find issues you can't fix quickly, at least you'll know what the landlord will see and can prepare an explanation.

How to improve your credit report for renting

Once you know what's on your report, you can take action. Register on the electoral roll — it's the single biggest quick win and takes five minutes at gov.uk/register-to-vote. Dispute any errors, as incorrect data can be removed within 28 days.

Pay down credit card balances to get utilisation below 30% of your limit. Stop applying for credit to avoid further hard searches. Remove outdated financial associations by requesting a notice of disassociation from the credit reference agencies.

Use a credit builder like Wollit, which reports positive payment history to all three CRAs for £9.99 per month. Report your rent payments to make your biggest monthly expense visible on your credit file. These steps, combined over three to six months, can significantly improve how your credit report looks to a referencing company.

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