OK, now we have your attention, you need to know that YOUR CREDIT SCORE DOESN’T MATTER. Let’s unpack that bombshell and look at what you should really focus on for better credit – from the experts at Loqbox.
You read that right. Ignore your credit score. Lenders don’t use it, and no one cares about it half as much as you do.
Instead, lenders make their decisions based on the data held about you by the credit reference agencies (CRAs). This data dictates the two things that, unlike your credit score, really do make a difference when it comes to getting credit: your ‘credit history’ and ‘creditworthiness’.
Our headline is actually doubly misleading (sorry). Because there is no single quick way to get better credit. But there are five steps you can take to get you creditworthy as fast as possible.
1. Get your credit reports
There are three you need and you can get them all for free.
2. Fix incorrect information
Fixing incorrect information IS the fastest way to change your creditworthiness. It doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get credit, but having accurate information is the first and most important step to improving your credit history.
3. Make sure you're on the Electoral Roll
This is essential to a good credit history. Lenders want to link you to a home address, and they use the voting register to do it.
4. Get some history
Without any credit history how will lenders know whether you can manage repayments? Here at Loqbox we specialise in building credit histories, so we know a thing or two about how to do it.
5. Ditch old associates
Remember that ex who was rubbish with money? If you were ever linked financially, they’re probably still dragging down your creditworthiness. You can sever old links by filing a ‘notice of disassociation’ with the CRAs.
6. Make your rent count
If you’re renting, using a service like CreditLadder can help build your credit history by reporting your rent payments to Experian.
If you’re struggling to get accepted by lenders, Loqbox is a completely free way to rebuild your credit history just by saving as little as £20 a month.
Transparency is important to us, we choose our partners very carefully, and only present financial products we think will work for you. If you sign up to CreditLadder using the above link, then they will pay us commission for this. This income helps us to continue to improve our service for our users and keep Loqbox free.
This post was written and compiled by the credit experts behind Loqbox. To sign up for free or read more about the clever way Loqbox works, head to Loqbox.com.