A mortgage lender sees the detail behind your score, not the score itself. Here's what's on your credit file, what isn't, and what to check first.

Key takeaways

• A mortgage lender sees the information on your credit file, then scores it using its own criteria. It doesn't see the credit score shown in your ClearScore app.

• Your credit file shows your accounts, balances, payment history, electoral roll status, hard searches and anyone you're financially linked to.

• Missed payments, defaults and county court judgments usually stay on your credit file for six years, after which lenders can no longer see them on it.

• ClearScore users on the electoral roll have a median score of 676, compared with 443 for those who aren't, though registering alone won't close that gap.

• You can check your credit reports from each of the main agencies for free before you apply, so nothing on them comes as a surprise.

What does a mortgage lender see on your credit file?

A mortgage lender sees your credit file, also called your credit report. This is a record of the credit you have and how you've managed it, mostly covering the last six years, held by a credit reference agency (CRA). The UK has three main CRAs: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Your file shows who you are, where you've lived, the credit you have, how you've repaid it, and who you're financially linked to. It doesn't show your salary, savings or day-to-day spending.

The lender reads this alongside your application, your income and your outgoings to decide whether to lend and how much. Every decision is subject to individual circumstances and lender criteria.

What appears can vary slightly between the three agencies, because not every bank or credit provider shares information with all of them.

Do mortgage lenders see your credit score?

No. A mortgage lender doesn't see the credit score you see on ClearScore or any other app. It pulls the information on your credit file from one or more of the three agencies and runs it through its own scoring system, alongside what you've told it on your application.

That means there's no single number a mortgage lender is looking for. Two lenders can look at the same credit file and reach different decisions, because each sets its own criteria. Any decision is subject to individual circumstances and lender criteria.

Your own score is still useful. The score you see on ClearScore comes from your Equifax credit report, which holds the same kind of information a lender reads. So it's a quick guide to how your file looks overall and whether anything has changed. The detail in your report matters more than the number itself, because that detail is what a lender actually assesses.

Read more: What credit score do you need for a mortgage?

How far back can a mortgage lender see?

Accounts you still have stay on your file for as long as they're open. Most other information stays for six years, including missed payments, defaults, county court judgments (CCJs), individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) and bankruptcy.

Closed accounts don't disappear straight away either. They stay on your file for six years from the date they were closed, along with their payment history. So a loan you paid off three years ago will still show, including whether you paid it on time.

Once an entry drops off your file, a lender can't see it there. Some mortgage application forms ask directly about past credit problems, sometimes over a longer period than six years. If you're asked, it's important to answer honestly.

Read more: Can you get a mortgage with a default on your credit report?

What do searches on your file tell a mortgage lender?

A mortgage lender can see hard searches but not soft searches. A hard search is recorded when you apply for credit. A soft search happens when you check your own report or check your eligibility, and only you and the agency can see it.

When you make a full mortgage application, the lender will carry out a hard search. A mortgage in principle, sometimes called an agreement in principle, usually uses a soft search, although some lenders use a hard search, so it's worth asking before you go ahead.

Several hard searches in a short space of time can suggest to a lender that you're relying on credit. Hard searches can stay on your credit report for up to two years, and each agency sets its own period.

Can a mortgage lender see your partner's credit file?

Only if you're financially linked. You become financially linked to someone when you share credit with them, for example through a joint bank account, joint loan or joint mortgage. Living with someone or being married doesn't link your files on its own.

If you're financially linked, a lender may look at that person's credit information as part of your application, because their finances could affect your ability to repay. If you apply for a joint mortgage, the lender will check both of your credit files.

If you're still linked to someone you no longer share finances with, such as an ex-partner or former housemate, you can ask each agency to remove the link once the joint account is closed.

Does the electoral roll matter to mortgage lenders?

Yes. Being registered to vote at your current address helps lenders confirm your identity and where you live. It's recorded on your credit file and it feeds directly into how credit scores are calculated.

ClearScore users on the electoral roll have a median credit score of 676, compared with 443 for those who aren't registered.

Source: ClearScore data, more than 14 million UK users with a recent credit score, July 2026. Association only. Electoral roll status does feed directly into credit score calculations, but registering alone won't add 230 or more points. The gap reflects a mix of that direct effect and other differences between the two groups, and individual results will vary.

If you're not registered, you can register to vote on GOV.UK. It's one of the simpler things to check before a mortgage application, and your ClearScore report shows whether you're registered at your current address.

What if there isn't much on your credit file?

If you're new to credit, a lender will see a shorter history, with fewer accounts and less payment data to go on. That's common for first-time buyers, and it isn't the same as a history of missed payments.

ClearScore users with an established credit history have a median score of 605, compared with 449 for users who are new to credit.

Source: ClearScore data, more than 14 million UK users with a recent credit score, July 2026. Association only. A limited credit history scores lower by design, it gives lenders less information, but scores and decisions depend on the scoring model and individual file. It does this as a structural feature of how credit scoring works, not because people who are new to credit have managed money poorly. Individual results will vary.

A thin credit file, meaning one with little history on it yet, doesn't define you. Your credit file is a snapshot of where you are right now, not a verdict on how you manage money. Every on-time payment adds to your history, and the picture a lender sees changes as your history grows. Where you are today isn't where you'll always be.

Read more: What you need to know if you have no credit history

What don't mortgage lenders see on your credit file?

Your credit file only covers credit, not your wider finances or personal life. It doesn't include:

• your salary or other income

• your savings or bank balances

• what you spend each month

• soft searches, including when you check your own score

• your criminal record or religion

• student loans from the Student Loans Company

Lenders still look at your income, spending and regular commitments, including student loan repayments, but they get this from your application, payslips and bank statements, not your credit file.

Read more: Our guide to bank statements for a mortgage

How can you check what a lender will see before you apply?

You can check your credit reports from each of the main agencies for free. Doing it a few months before you apply gives you time to fix anything that isn't right.

Check each agency's report - each agency holds its own version of your file, and you won't know which one a lender will use. ClearScore shows your Equifax report, but if a company doesn't share information with Equifax, that account won't appear there. That's why it's worth looking at all of them.

Fix any mistakes - if something is wrong, such as an account you don't recognise or a payment wrongly marked as missed, contact the company that reported it first. If they can't help, raise a dispute with the agency. For your Equifax report, you can do this through ClearScore. Our guide to fixing credit report mistakes walks through each step.

Register to vote - make sure you're on the electoral roll at your current address if you are eligible.

Remove old financial links - if you're still linked to someone you no longer share finances with, ask the agency to remove the link once the joint account is closed.

Add a notice of correction if it helps - this is a statement of up to 200 words explaining an entry, such as missed payments during illness or redundancy. It doesn't remove the entry, but lenders can read it, and it usually means a person reviews your application rather than a computer alone.

Space out credit applications - try not to apply for other credit in the six months before your mortgage application, so there are fewer hard searches on your file. Always make sure you can afford repayments.

Check your credit report for free with ClearScore

ClearScore gives you your Equifax credit score and report, updated every week, for free, forever. Checking with ClearScore is a soft search, so lenders can't see it and it won't affect your score.

Your report shows the same kinds of information a mortgage lender will read: your accounts, balances, payment history, electoral roll status, searches and financial associates. We'll also alert you when something on your report changes, such as a new account, a new search or a financial link being added or removed. That makes it easier to spot anything that looks wrong and keep track of your file in the months before you apply.

Check your credit report for free

18+, registration required, T&Cs apply.

FAQs

Which credit reference agency do mortgage lenders use?

Mortgage lenders can use Experian, Equifax, TransUnion or a combination of them, and each lender decides which to use. Because you won't always know which agency a lender will check, it's worth looking at your reports from each of the main agencies before you apply.

Can a mortgage lender see my ClearScore score?

No. ClearScore shows you your Equifax credit score, but lenders don't use ClearScore to check your credit. A mortgage lender looks at the information on your credit file and scores it using its own system. Checking your score on ClearScore is a soft search, so it doesn't show up to lenders or affect your score.

Do mortgage lenders see soft searches?

No. Soft searches are only visible to you and the credit reference agency. They happen when you check your own credit report or check your eligibility for a product, and they don't affect your credit score. Lenders only see hard searches, which are recorded when you apply for credit.

Can mortgage lenders see my overdraft?

Yes. An arranged overdraft is a form of credit, so your current account can appear on your credit file with your overdraft limit, your balance and your payment history. A lender can see how much of the overdraft you're using and whether you've stayed within your limit.

Do mortgage lenders see closed accounts?

Yes, for a while. Closed accounts usually stay on your credit file for six years from the date they were closed, along with their payment history. A closed account with a record of on-time payments can still show a lender how you've managed credit in the past.

Will a mortgage in principle show on my credit file?

Usually not in a way other lenders can see. Most lenders use a soft search for a mortgage in principle, which only you can see. Some use a hard search, which other lenders can see, so it's worth asking which type of search will be used before you go ahead.

Can a mortgage lender see debts from more than six years ago?

Not usually on your credit file. Most entries, including defaults and CCJs, drop off after six years. Some mortgage application forms ask about past credit problems over a longer period, though, so answer any questions like this honestly. Subject to individual circumstances and lender criteria.

Important information

This article provides general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Individual circumstances vary, and you may wish to seek independent advice before making financial decisions. Information is accurate at the time of writing and may change.

Always make sure you can afford repayments.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.