Mon, 03 Nov 2025

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 Credit scores to include rental payments, says major ratings agency

The credit ratings agency says the change will give lenders a more complete view of borrower behaviour.

* Experian will start including rental payments in credit scores, which means tenants who pay their rent on time can expect a positive impact on their score.
* The new system will give more guidance on how borrowers can improve their creditworthiness and has been designed to better reflect "everyday financial behaviours".
* The maximum credit score will increase from 999 to 1,250, with the scoring bands being renamed as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Low.
* Names of Experian's different scoring bands have also been overhauled, eliminating the use of colour red and the categories "poor" and "very poor".
* The new system will start rolling out in October and be available on the free version of Experian's service by the end of the year.
* Tenants will need to opt-in for their rent payments to count towards their credit score, but missing rent payments will have a negative effect on their score.
* Other changes include taking into account cutting overdraft use, avoiding credit card advances and making mortgage overpayments.
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