When you apply for any mortgage, acceptance will hinge upon your credit rating. Lenders will assess your ability to repay what they lend you, by applying either their own credit scoring system to your personal circumstances, or they will contract this work to a credit reference agency... or they will use a combination of both.

Just about everyone will have a credit rating file. Reference agencies build up an assessment of your financial activity. This information is gleaned from publicly available information (electoral rolls, court judgements, the filing for bankruptcy etc.) and from information shared by other lenders (if you default on a loan for instance).

If you are being turned down for credit, or suspect that you may, indeed, have something wrong with your credit rating, you are entitled to see your credit reference file by applying to a reference agency and paying a small admin fee.

The law entitles you to view the information that credit reference agencies hold about you. You can see copies of your files by writing to either of the agencies below, giving your name and addresses for the last six years. You are also entitled to correct any information held on you that is incorrect, by adding a 'notice of correction' and can write up to 200 words on why the information is incorrect.

	Credit Check
	For further information about Credit Scoring, please click this link
	Credit Reference Agencies
	For further information about credit reference agencies, check out the websites listed below.
	Experian
	Talbot House Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5HF www.experian.co.uk
	Equifax
	Equifax plc Capital House 25 Chapel Street London NW1 5DS www.equifax.co.uk