Credit rating methods

[phyllislyon]

If a temporary tenant at my normal address, with a different surname to mine, gets into financial difficulties while living at this address, can this affect my own credit rating in future? i.e. is it possible for a bad credit rating to become attached to the address rather than to the name>

[Oneeyedvic]

Short answer - No.

Unless your tennant decides to apply for credit in both your names you should never be financially linked so whatever his financial affairs are will not effect you.

If you are concerned, I would get a copy of your credit report every few months and if any link appears between your names file what is known as a "notice of disassociation" which involves you saying that your financial affairs are not linked.

www.experian.co.uk and www.equifax.co.uk are the biggest two agencies.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

of course it will affect you, if the debt is at your address.credit agencies do list adresses on their databases and if your address is on it,it will affect you,if you apply for credit at that house.

[Oneeyedvic]

No it won't

NORMANTHEDOG - unless you understand how credit checks work, why bother answering the question?

[WendyS]

Even if it doesn't affect your own credit rating, if your tenant gets into financial difficulties, it's quite possible his /herr creditors might start turning up at your property to try and collect their money. The bayliffs could also conceivably pay your house a visit looking for their client.

[Mrs_Pegasus]

If the tenant is 'temporary' why would they change their address with their creditors? It really depends on what you consider temporary.

Oneeyedvic is correct, but you have to apply for disassociation. I periodically check my credit history and for a while I had the previous occupants showing on my report and details of their credit history. A recent report has shown they are now removed because they have changed their details with their creditors. However, had they not changed elements i.e. CCJs I would have contacted the relevant credit report companies and informed them of their new address and completed a 'notice of disassociation'

[phyllislyon]

Many thanks to all of you for your helpful answers. We are now going to check our credit rating you suggest and, if necessary, apply for this Notice of Disassociation". I initiated the question because we have recently had bailliffs showing an interest in reclaiming goods from our property, which we had let out to this woman for one year. Telephone messages intended for her, and mail arriving for her at our address many months after she has moved out lead us to believe she has several creditors chasing her.