The length of time information is retained on your report can vary depending on what type of data it is, for example:
Account performance data (credit cards, mortgages, loans etc.) will stay on your credit file for 6 years from the date they are closed and settled. Or, where an account has fallen into default, 6 years from the date of default.
Judgements, bankruptcies and insolvencies will show on your credit file for 6 years from the date of order, with some exceptions:
Judgements that are paid off within 1 month of order will be ‘set aside’, this means they will no longer appear on your credit file.
If you have a Bankruptcy Restriction Order (BRO) or a Bankruptcy Restriction Undertaking (BRU) then these can stay on your credit file for up to 15 years.
If you have an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) where the criteria of your IVA has not been met, then this could stay on your credit file for up to 15 years.
Searches only stay on your credit report for two years.
Address links, Alias links, and Electoral Register data will remain on your report indefinitely, as this form a vital part in displaying who you are. Please note, whilst a more historic record of your Electoral Register history will be visible to anyone reviewing your credit history, your credit report will only show your most recent unbroken stretch of data; such as the time since you last moved or amended your name on the register.
Associate information will stay on your credit report until you request to be disassociated from this individual. You would do this if you were no longer financially linked to them. To apply for dissociation you will need to raise a dispute against this area of your credit report.
Cifas data will stay on your credit file for as long as is necessary to protect and prevent fraud.
Notices of Correction will be on your credit report for as long as the data item it is attached to appears on your report, or until you request for it to be removed.
Notices of Dispute will be on your credit report for up to 28 days whilst the information we’re investigating is being looked into by our team of data dispute specialists.
The data retention rules that credit referencing agencies abide by are in accordance with current data protection regulation and regulated by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).