CheckMyFile.com Review – More than a Credit Score
CheckMyFile.com have recently launched a brand new TV advert stating that most other credit agencies offer a ‘one-dimensional’ view of your financial position (and they are right).
What most people aren’t aware of is that when you are applying for a mortgage or any credit, your credit score is only part of the consideration for acceptance. The payment history of your credit accounts going back 6 years is also considered in the lender assessment.
Just another new Credit Agency?
CheckMyFile.com have actually been around since March 2000 which we found surprising. There are quite a few credit reference agencies in the UK now to choose from. However, the main ones that the lenders use are typically CallCredit, Equifax and Experian.
There are other credit agencies such as ClearScore who also advertise on TV, but they are only good for a quick check on your credit score or a ‘snapshot overview’ as we like to call it.
Before we used CheckMyFile, you would simply sign up to one of the individual credit reference agencies and hope that the credit data held about you is the same across the board. Following our personal experience as mortgage advisors – this is not always the case.
Check what the lenders see before you apply
Lenders are now increasingly comparing data about us from multiple credit reference agencies. This not only allows them to build the most comprehensive credit profile about you, it also checks for any differences in your account payment history over four credit agencies, not just the one.
As mortgage advisors, we have had customers tell us in the past that they have found a mismatch between two different credit reports they have obtained.
Often, you won’t know about a mismatch of the reported data held about you until you have applied for credit. If you wait until this point, it could be too late.
It is important to make sure that the payment history and information held about you is being correctly reported and recorded via the top credit agencies in the UK. CheckMyFile.com does that all-in-one report.
What the lenders want to see:
A free credit score is a great gimmick used by other credit agencies to promote their services. However, what matters most to lenders is your payment history of accounts. The credit score is then the icing on the cake or the ‘snapshot overview’.
With the increase in competition and with more and more credit reference agencies advertising on TV in the UK, it is now more important than ever to use a comprehensive credit report provider.
Check My File clearly identifies missing data
Take a look at this account information below as an example. You can clearly see that Equifax aren’t even aware that this loan account exists, yet Experian are reporting that this loan account has 5 missed payments spanning several years.
CheckMyFile really does reveal true inconsistencies between each of the credit agencies. We were surprised at just how many credit agencies are missing crucial data held about our customers.
In addition to credit accounts being completely missed, reported payment statuses and links to addresses were also amongst the commonly missed items from one credit agency to another. All of these factors can have an impact on your credit score and your ability to obtain finance.
In addition to reported data, CheckMyFile now offers key account dates and timelines for your credit report changes. These allow you to track upcoming or past changes to your report. You can even determine the specific months when certain data will be cleared from your report.
Comprehensive Reporting
There are many comprehensive reporting tools on offer too. Graphs which help you quickly visualise your borrowing levels for different account types. You can check just how quickly your borrowing levels have increased or decreased, which will help you manage your future credit facilities and rein in your spending.
Do CheckMyFile offer the most comprehensive Credit Report in the UK?
Yes, they do.
We have been using CheckMyFile.com for seven years now and as mortgage advisors / brokers, it really does give us the best picture of your credit profile to be able to place you with the most suitable lender.
The fact that you get a single report that incorporates data from CallCredit (Noddle), Equifax and Experian all-in-one means that we now have the best chance of checking and challenging all of the recorded credit data held about us.
Download your CheckMyFile Report and start a free trial today.
Author: Ben, Glow Mortgage Advisor (CeMAP, BSc Hons)
Last Updated: 29th July 2023