Consumer Credit Check FAQs

ConsumerCheck is an on-line service, available 24/7 to registered clients.
 

Where does the information in a consumer credit check report come from?

• The Electoral Roll
• County Court Judgments (England and Wales)
• Scottish Decrees (Scotland)
• Credit information shared among the UK's major financial institutions and retailers
  Council of Mortgage Lenders records on repossessions.
• GAIN (Gone Away Information Network) shares information on customers with outstanding debts who have moved home without providing a forwarding address.

I have a question about my own credit report file

• Consumers wishing to see their own credit report online can click here for more information See Your Own Credit File. We cannot amend, comment or advise on the information shown in your credit report because we do not hold or control the data or credit score on your credit file.

Data Protection Registration

• To access personal data you must first be registered under the Data Protection Act. However, the process is quite straight-forward, telephone the ICO on 01625 545740 or
  
  1. Click here for the registration process online https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/register/
  2. Print off and post this form to the Data Protection Registrar with the fee of £35.00
  3. After your application is approved you will be sent your Data Protection Registration number
  
  4. When you have your Data Protection Registration number
  Enter your number here Your Account Details if you have already opened an account and are Logged in

Legislation Preventing Searches for Tracing Purposes

• The rights of individual privacy and protection of personal data are now extended to ensure that credit reference agency data is not used to trace people by speculative or blanket searching of addresses. The legislation means that for whatever name and address is searched, the agency must record the search and return data based solely on what has been searched. It is up to the searcher to obtain from the subject, their full, correct, and current name, and their full, correct, and current address, and any previous addresses if desired. If this information is not provided, or has been provided incorrectly, and you search based on that information, the agency must never-the-less return the results of the search based solely on the search details entered. This legislation makes it a legal requirement that we record each search as a separate transaction and we are therefore obliged to charge for and record every search as a separate transaction. In practice this means that you will be charged a Credit even if the details you search fail to fully confirm or trace the intended subject of your enquiry. All credit reference agencies providing data on UK individuals are now required to comply with this new legislation.

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

• The most significant European privacy legislation now replaces the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive. Click here for more information EU General Data Protection Regulation (downloads Word document file).
  
  If your organisation requires professional advice the London law firm Laytons provides a GDPR transition service.

I want to make a GDPR subject data access request

• To make a subject data access request in accordance with EU 'GDPR' regulations please do so here Subject Data Access Requests.

I am an account holder and wish to query the information in a report

• If you have a Login account and wish to query the data in a consumer report you have obtained from us please click here to Contact Us and complete the form provided.

Access to business reports and company credit checks

• Click here to access First Report company credit checks.

More information about tenant screening, consumer checks, and employee vetting

• For links and information Tenant and Employee Checks and Screening.

Privacy and Personal Data

• Click here to see our information about Privacy and Personal Data.