What’s in my credit file?

Your credit file is a breakdown of everything finance providers and utility companies need to know to assess whether you are eligible for their services.

At Harmoney, when assessing your loan application, we request your Comprehensive Credit Report. This report should accurately reflect your borrowing and payment habits as recorded in your credit file. Only creditors—like Harmoney—that subscribe to providing positive payment history to credit reporters (also known as credit bureaux) can see the positive information in your file.

That means at Harmoney, we can assess you based on the bills and debts you've successfully paid off—not just negative items—when determining your loan terms.

Here is a list of the standard information companies like Harmoney can find in your comprehensive credit report:

• Personal details: Your name, date of birth, gender, and address history.
  

• Account information: The status of your current credit accounts and recent payment history (up to 24 months). This may include credit cards, personal loans, car finance, mortgages, hire purchases, electricity accounts, phone contracts, and other utilities.
  

• Credit inquiries: Checks or reviews of your credit information made by providers when you’ve applied for credit or an extension.A new law (effective from 1 October 2019) allows lenders like Harmoney to make a quotation enquiry on your credit file—so we can give you a personalised quote before you complete a loan application. This enquiry is recorded but cannot be used to assess your credit score. A credit check will only impact your score if you decide to proceed with a full loan application.
  

• Payment defaults: Payments over $150 that have been overdue for more than 60 days, where the creditor has officially listed the default. (The timing of listings may vary, but it’s often around 120 days or more.) You must be notified in writing before a default is listed. Defaults stay on your credit report for five years.
  

• Public notices: Notices for bankruptcies, No Asset Procedures (NAP), Summary Instalment Orders (SIO), and other publicly available information. These may remain on your file for up to seven years.
  

• Insolvencies: Bankruptcy notices remain on your report for four years after discharge. If the insolvency lasts seven years, it stays on your file for 11 years—or indefinitely in the case of multiple insolvencies.
  

• Court judgments: Money judgments made by the District or High Courts remain on your report for five years, even if paid in full.
  

• Company affiliations: If you are listed as a company director in the Companies Office Register, this will also appear in your comprehensive credit report.