Credit Reports

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Information contained in the answers may not be accurate or current. Answers pertaining to matters of law may not be valid for your jurisdiction. Consult an attorney regarding laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

How long does it take to get a credit report?

In order to receive a credit report, you must first establish an account with us. After you have an account, credit report requests made online will normally be faxed back within a few minutes. If you don't own a fax machine, we can instead call you with the credit report results and mail you a copy through the post office.

What does it mean when the credit report says 'no record found'?

If a credit report comes back with "no record found," it may mean one of several things. Sometimes this is due to a typographical error in the data provided, so be sure to double-check the information before you send it to us. Another reason for "no record found" is that the applicant may have no established credit of any kind. If the applicant recently turned 18 or is a recent immigrant, for instance, he or she is likely to have no established credit record.

How do I read this credit report?

The CreditLink Profile includes a variety of information that can be of value to you. We've made a sample profile available on our Web site that explains all of the sections of the Profile, and gives details about the codes used. This sample profile is available for download or printing on our Forms and Sample Reports page, located here. If you have any questions about the specific Profile you received, please call us at 1-800-446-1421, and we'll be happy to assist you.

Why doesn't my applicant have a FICO score?

The FICO score is a projection based on the last six months of activity on a person's credit report. If there has been no activity, there is nothing to base this projection on, resulting in no FICO score. If your applicant insists that they should have a FICO score, check to see if they've just recently opened lines of credit. If the lines of credit are less than six months old, this can also result in no FICO score. In addition, some companies do not report credit activity to the credit bureaus, and may not show up on a credit report.

My applicant is saying that the information on their credit report is incorrect. What do I do?

First, you want to verify all the information that your applicant gave you, to make sure you have the correct credit report. Check to see if your applicant has given you the correct SSN, and his or her full name. If all of this information is correct, then have your applicant call TransUnion at 1-800-916-8800 to let them know about the error. If you are turning down your applicant because of this error, be sure to give them a completed Notice of Denial to Rent.

What should I do if my applicant tells me they have put a 'security freeze' on their credit report?

If your applicant has taken this action it will not be possible for you to obtain their credit report without having the freeze lifted. Your applicant will need to call the credit bureaus to ask for a temporary lift of the freeze (24 hours will do), after which you may submit your credit request as usual.

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