Who viewed your credit report?

You can see your credit enquiries through ClearScore.

See my credit report

What happens when you apply for credit?

There are various parties who will access your credit report, such as lenders and employers. We find out how these different enquiries impact your credit score.

03 July 2022Hannah Salih 3 min read
Person filling in an application form.

Who viewed your credit report?

You can see your credit enquiries through ClearScore.

See my credit report

Your credit report contains useful information for a number of parties. It informs lenders about your credit reliability and, if you work in finance, it allows future employers to see whether you’re able to practice what you preach.

It also allows you to check whether credit is being taken out fraudulently in your name, and you can make sure your credit history is being reported correctly.

With so many enquiries – including your own – you may have wondered who has access to your credit report and what impact this has.

When you browse your offers on ClearScore, you will only see offer that match your credit profile. However, this does not count as an enquiry to your credit report.

You can browse your offers as often as you like without hurting your credit score. It’s a good idea to check your offers regularly because they’re updated all the time.

If you’re ready to browse loans, credit cards, data deals, and more, you can sign up to ClearScore or log in to see which deals are available to you.

When you submit a credit application, your chosen lender will make an official enquiry into your credit report. They will check your full credit report in order to decide whether to accept your application.

An enquiry can cause a temporary dip in your credit score – whether you're accepted or not. However, you shouldn’t worry about this. By making regular payments towards the credit you have, your score will bounce back and it may even increase as you build up a good repayment history.

Make sure you don’t apply to several lenders during a short period of time. This makes you seem desperate for credit and your credit score will reflect this to warn future lenders.

For example, don’t apply for a credit card and a store card at the same time. Rather, space out your applications by at least six months so that you don’t alarm lenders. This will also give you more time to become acquainted with your new credit products and prepare yourself for the new responsibility.

You can get started by viewing a credit card or store card here. Both of these will give you access to credit, as well as certain additional benefits and an opportunity to grow your credit score.

Your credit report can only be accessed by the people you authorise to see it. When you apply for credit, this will form part of the application process. You will tick a box in your agreement that allows your chosen lender to review your credit report and score.

On top of this, there are other companies and institutions that can also view your credit report. Just like lenders, they need to get your permission to do so.

For example, if you apply for a job where you will handle money or finances, such as the position of a bank teller, then your future employer has a right to request your credit report. However, according to the National Credit Act, you are also allowed to decline this request.

Through ClearScore, you can see all the enquiries that have been carried out on your report. If you notice an enquiry that you don’t recognise, you should contact the lender for more information, as this could be a sign of fraud.

You can log in to your ClearScore account to find out which enquiries have been made on your credit report.

When you view your own credit report, absolutely nothing will happen. This will not count as an enquiry and your credit score will not be impacted at all.

As a result, you can check your credit score several times a day without causing any damage. In fact, you should make it a habit to view your credit report regularly. This will show you how your credit score is performing, and give you a chance to improve it where necessary.

If you would like to build, improve or repair your credit score, then you should do one of our free, self-paced coaching plans. Log in to find out more.


Hannah Salih Image

Written by Hannah Salih

Content Creator

Hannah is currently studying for a Master's in Comparative Cultural Analysis. She knows all about personal finance, but as a student, she's an expert in money saving tips and tricks.