Credit Rating

5 simple steps to rebuilding your credit score

If your credit score has been affected by problem debt, you may be looking for ways to start rebuilding it and getting on with your financial future.

10 steps to take now to improve your credit rating

If you are currently working on reducing the amount of debt you have, improving your credit score may not be at the top of your agenda.

How can you contest a default on your credit file?

If you’ve had a default placed on your credit file it can affect your financial situation in a number of ways. The drop in credit rating makes it more difficult to obtain borrowing, and in some case...

The difference between ‘settled’ and ‘satisfied’ in a credit report

When you look at your credit report, you’ll see various status codes marked against individual loans and other borrowing. These indicate the extent to which you’ve repaid your creditors, whether t...

Can my debt affect the credit rating of those I live with?

If you’re worried about the effect that your debt might have on the people you live with, it’s worth knowing that credit files are independent of each other unless there is, or has been in the pas...

How the Rental Exchange scheme can help improve credit ratings

The Rental Exchange scheme is a new initiative which allows tenants to have their monthly rental payment recorded on their credit file.

I need a personal loan but have a poor credit score, can a credit union help me?

Credit unions in Scotland provide services to more than 250,000 people and one in 20 Scottish residents are members.

Can a default be removed from your credit file?

When lenders decide whether or not to offer you a loan, it is the information held on your credit file that forms the basis of their decision. This information also helps to combat fraud, as your iden...

How to check your credit score for free

Knowing your credit score and keeping a regular eye on your credit file can prove incredibly beneficial if you wish to apply for a mortgage, credit card, loan or other type of credit. By checking your...

What is a Notice of Correction with your credit report?

If the information in your credit report is misleading in some way, or misrepresents you, and the credit reference agency isn’t able to remove or amend it, you’re entitled to use a Notice of Corre...

Getting a Mortgage with a Bad Credit Score

It is possible to get a mortgage with a bad credit rating, even if you have previously been declared bankrupt. Mortgage loans for bad credit borrowers do exist – you may just need to look a little h...

How Universal Credit works in Scotland

The introduction of Universal Credit was intended to simplify the benefits system and reduce the opportunity for fraud, but it has received much criticism, partly due to an inherent lack of flexibilit...