FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my personal data be given to anyone else?
Your personal data will not be given to anyone else, it will only be used by Credit-check-services.co.uk for communicating with you. We take data security very seriously and retain only the minimum necessary information to provide our services. For example any credit card details you provide to purchase reports will not be received by Credit-Check-Services.co.uk, this information is processed directly into PayPal or RBS WorldPay secure servers.
Which tenant report should I choose?
We have summarised the options to help you make a choice in our Blog, to read more on this take a look at our Credit Check Services Blog - report options (opens a new window)
Do I need the tenant's date of birth?
Without the date of birth we can carry out searches however it is likely we will not find any / all of their adverse credit history in court databases.
What if the tenant has not been at their address for very long?
If a tenant has been at an address for only a few weeks we recommend that you obtain their previous address and use this for tenant referencing. Note that our searches will include linked address searches for court databases. You can read more about linked address searches in our Blog - linked address searches (opens a new window).
How is the report sent to me?
Reports are formatted as PDF for applications such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and sent by email to the address provided in the form submitted - you will see this form after selecting "buy" on the Services page. To see if you can read a pdf document click on this link Test pdf 1 and a new window will open, or if your browser will not allow new windows try this link Test pdf 2.
In the unlikely event that you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader or other PDF reader, or for some reason are unable to read the report, please let us know and we will resend in Microsoft Word or by fax.
What is the ‘risk profile score’?
The score is developed from a wide range of criteria such as previous outstanding debts, Country Court Judgements, continuity of identity, traceability of addresses, and more. The combination of data found is then placed into an algorithm to determine a score that indicates the probability that an individual may default and become a bad debtor.
The risk score is determined using a complex set of algorithms performed on the credit search. Whilst the score does not guarantee a tenant’s suitability it does provide some helpful information to use in your decision making.
The majority of people would score in the range of 300 to 700 however it is the grading at the lower end of the range that needs to be considered carefully. For example a prospective tenant scoring less than 200 could be considered high risk; a score between 400 and 550 could be considered as average risk, and very high scores, e.g. over 800, are considered low risk.
What information can you find from the Electoral Roll?
A search of the Electoral Roll provides details of those registered to vote at the associated postal address. As it is only a legal requirement for people over the age of 18 years to register on the Electoral Roll tenants of a younger age may not have much data recorded for address provided. It is also possible that an individual may not be registered at an address even though they were legally obliged to, or in some cases they may have opted out from publication.
What information can be found on CCJs / Court Decrees, Bankruptcy and Insolvency?
County Court Judgements (Court Decrees in Scotland), bankruptcy orders and voluntary agreements (e.g. voluntary insolvency) are searched for within the last 6 years. The report will identify the number of such instances and any associated value of any CCJs. Having a single CCJ for someone’s history may not be significant however multiple CCJs or significant sums of money would suggest a high risk for entering into a financial agreement.
What if the tenant has not been living in the UK?
Our checks will include searches of various court, financial, and other referencing databases for the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). An credit history of an applicant specific to another country will not be found with our services. If the applicant has only recently moved to the UK (e.g. within the last few months) then there is no benefit in obtaining a UK referencing check on them.
Can I check someone from the Republic of Ireland?
It is not possible for as to obtain history of applicants in another country, we can only check England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What is Insight?
Insight is effectively a pool of data created by those who are part of its user group. Such users are banks and building societies, other guarantors of credit, and credit referencing agencies. The data held within Insight can identify a wide range of information from an individual’s date of birth to the current balance on any debts and their payment history. Apart from identifying information such as poor payment history Insight can provide positive information such as helping to corroborate a person’s identity. For example an individual with a large amount of credit history against their name has an increased probability of existing when compared with a name for which no credit history can be found. The Gold and Platinum Tenant Reports will identify whether any accounts were created in the tenant's name for the addresses provided.
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