Your credit score is a number that reflects the activity on your credit file. It's a quick measure of how credit worthy you are, but the activity on your credit file or history is what determines this score. Your credit file includes more detailed information such as previous applications for credit, credit accounts, any defaults, and 24 months' worth of repayment history.

A credit file is a history of all your credit activity, dating back to the first time you obtained credit. Contained within a credit file is information such as:

• Companies you have applied for credit with such as banks, utilities and finance companies.
• The amount of credit you applied for.
• The type or purpose of credit sought, such as credit card, overdraft, home loan.
• Records of payment defaults (overdue accounts).
• Court judgments.
• Insolvency information.
• Collection agency defaults.
• Ministry of Justice fines.
• Collections data.
• Records of any identification you have reported lost or stolen.
• Also included is your full name, current and previous addresses and date of birth.

Your credit file can be accessed by you and certain entities for specific purposes, and only when you have provided consent for them to do so. For example, a bank that is considering lending you money.

We recommend you obtain a copy of your credit file. This is for several reasons.

1. The information on your credit file may impact your ability to obtain credit.
2. Your credit report is one of the first places fraudulent activity will appear if you've been victimized by identity theft.
3. Multiple sources of information can lead to inaccuracies on your credit report.

You are entitled to access your credit file for free (supplied within 10 business days) through mycreditfile.

We collect credit information directly from you as the consumer, from our customers such as banks, finance companies and other credit providers, or from public sources.

Our customers may supply your name, addresses, date of birth, gender, employer, occupation and the type of credit account you applied for. Details may also be provided relating to your repayment history on existing credit accounts you hold with a credit provider.

We also use information from public sources such as court records and newspapers, and other publicly available publications and databases.

Negative information (such as collection data, default data, summary instalment orders and judgement records) remains on your credit file for five years. Your previous enquiry information remains on your file for four years. Insolvency records, including records of No Asset Procedure and single bankruptcy, may be retained on your file for four years after discharge. Multiple insolvencies may be held indefinitely. Account repayment history may be held for up to 24 months.