Who's got your credit files?

Your credit information is personal and potentially sensitive, so it’s good to know who has it and what they’re doing with it. And if they don’t need it, you can get your credit file information deleted

Why should I send a request to see my credit files?

You should send a request to see your credit files to make sure you:

  • are in the best place to apply for a mortgage, loan, or any form of finance
  • know what a lender can see when making a decision
  • can see why previous lending decisions were made about you
  • can stop inaccurate information affecting your credit score
  • can see if you've been the victim of fraud

Thanks to GDPR, it's your legal right to access your credit files for free. It's your information after all.

You can do this by sending a subject access request through Rightly. A subject access request allows you to see any personal information a company has stored about you, including your credit files. We'll connect you to as many credit reference agencies as you need, in one go.

What information do credit reference agencies know about me?

Generally, your files will include:

  • Previous finance agreements
  • Payment history
  • Whether you’re registered to vote
  • The length of your credit history
  • How many applications for credit you’ve made
  • Your earnings

If you apply for a mortgage, loan or car finance agreement, the lender will likely use a credit reference agency to get your raw credit files. So, it's important to know what each of them has about you.

Why should I use Rightly to send a request?

Lenders don't look at ‘credit scores’ to make financial decisions. Instead, lenders look at your credit files held by credit reference agencies to make their lending calculations. With Rightly, you can access this information to make sure that there aren't any mistakes and protect yourself financially.

With Rightly it’s quick, simple and it’s free: no hidden costs, subscriptions or data sharing.

Some common questions

How do I send a subject access request (SAR)?

The easiest way to find out where your information is by sending a request through Rightly:

  • Search for any company
  • Enter your basic details so that they can confirm your identity
  • Check your email and send your request

What can you expect after you send your request?

Your request simply connects you to all of the companies you select. They’ll link you to their own forms and processes for you to complete. Only your name and email address is required to send these requests, but companies will likely ask you for more information to make sure you're you.

They should confirm what personal information of yours they have within 30 days.

So I don't need a subject access request template?

No - they tend to be of varying quality and take a lot of effort. That's why we made Rightly, so that things can be as safe and time-effective as possible for you to have more control over your data.

How long until a company responds to my request?

After the company has received your request, they have to reply in full within 30 days, or give a valid reason for asking for an extension. However, we're glad to say that most companies normally reply within a week.

Responses from companies are likely to come directly into your inbox.

If you have any questions, or have any difficulty at all with how companies respond, our friendly support team is here to help!

What if they don't reply?

They have to reply by law. You can ask any company if they have your personal data, even if you don't know for sure whether or not they have it. They have to tell you what they have, as well as how and why they are using it. This is thanks to your ‘right of access’ under GDPR law.

How long can a company store my data for?

There is no specific time limit on how long a company can hold your personal data. Under GDPR, your information should simply not be kept for any longer than necessary.

While a company should be able to justify the length of time that your data is stored, whether or not this is acceptable depends on what the data was collected for in the first place.

For instance, a company can keep hold of employment contract data for a total of 6 years since this is the window of time in which a contract breach claim could be made.

However, when it comes to job applicant CVs for example, these can only be stored for a maximum of 6 months, based on this being the length of time in which a candidate could file a discrimination claim.