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Why you don’t have a credit report

If you've never had a credit card or loan, you may not have a credit score. Here's what you can do about it.

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Elizabeth Barry
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If you've never had a credit card, loan or other line of credit, you may not have a credit report or score. Most lenders and credit card issuers require cardholders to have a credit history, so it's important to build up a bit of history before you apply for any products.

Reasons why you don't have a credit report

As well as never having a credit card or loan, here are some of the common factors that could lead to a blank credit report:

  • You haven't held a utility account: Utility accounts include phone (landline), gas, electricity and internet. These are considered credit accounts and an enquiry will be recorded on your credit file if the provider runs a credit check. If you default on the account it will also be listed on your credit file.
  • You have never held a postpaid mobile phone account: Prepaid mobile accounts aren't listed on your credit report. Postpaid mobile accounts are ongoing contracts and are considered credit accounts so these can be listed on your report. If you're on a prepaid plan it could be worth considering switching to postpaid to establish credit history.
  • You haven't made a credit enquiry: Applications for credit (such as a credit card or loan), whether or not they're approved, are listed on your credit file. The lender will need to check your report to ensure the information on your application is accurate, and when the application is approved the account will be listed on your file.

I have credit accounts but still no credit report. What should I do?

If you have held credit cards, personal loans, utility accounts or even a mortgage and still do not have a credit report, it may mean that the credit provider you held those accounts with has not reported your accounts to a credit bureau. If you would like your credit activity reported to a credit bureau, just contact your credit provider and have them report the information to one of the credit reporting bureaus such as Experian or Equifax. If you check your score through finder, your report will be issued by Experian.

How can I develop a credit history?

There's no single surefire way of developing your credit history, but there are a few simple methods you can consider. Remember to examine your own personal financial situation before choosing the path for you:

Curious about your credit score? Find out now for free.

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38 Responses

  1. Default Gravatar
    JeffreyMarch 28, 2018

    I am confused as to why I don’t have a credit score.
    I’ve had 2 mortgages, credit cards and am a home owner with all the usual utility accounts.
    Why am I off the radar?

    Reply
    • Default Gravatar
      NikkiMarch 28, 2018

      Hi Jeffrey!

      Thanks for your message and fo contacting finder.

      I see how frustrating this is for you. Thing is, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 15,443,150 credit-active Australians in July 2013. These Australians will have engaged with credit providers by enquiring for credit or holding an account, and this activity will have been recorded in their file.

      If you have attempted to order your credit file or apply for a credit account and found that your report didn’t exist, you may be “credit invisible”. It probably is because (1) You have never held a postpaid mobile phone account (2) You haven’t made a credit enquiry.

      You may want to to go directly to Equifax to ask about this. Please note that we are not affiliated with any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.

      Hope this helps!

      Best regards,

      Nikki

      Reply
  2. Default Gravatar
    JamesFebruary 9, 2018

    I have been living overseas for the last 25 years and just moved back to Australia. Haven’t had any credit cards etc so just wondering how i could get a credit score
    Thanks
    James

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      MayMarch 2, 2018Staff

      Hi James,

      Thanks for getting in touch with Finder.

      You can get a free credit score through our page. Just to remind you though that you’d need to sign up for a Finder account first and use your valid Australian driver’s license for your ID when getting the score.

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      May

      Reply
  3. Default Gravatar
    KatieFebruary 6, 2018

    Hi why can’t i get my credit score

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      JonathanFebruary 26, 2018Staff

      Hi Katie,

      Thanks for your inquiry.

      I’m sorry to hear that you are unable to get your scores. Can you please tell us what error you are encountering when trying to get your credit score? You may want to refer to the troubleshooting section of our credit score page for basic diagnosis.

      Thanks,

      Jonathan

      Reply
  4. Default Gravatar
    KelliNovember 30, 2017

    Opened a joint account with my husband the bank couldn’t verify me as i have no credit history in my present name as we married 11 months ago

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RenchNovember 30, 2017Staff

      Hi Kelli,

      Thanks for your inquiry.

      You can try to get your free credit report from Equifax directly. Simply press the ‘Get your free credit report button and it will direct you to Equifax official site.

      Best regards,
      Rench

      Reply
  5. Default Gravatar
    TiffOctober 30, 2017

    Do you know if I am still able to borrow up to $5000 if I have no credit file, somehow I seem to be “invisible “?

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RenchOctober 31, 2017Staff

      Hi Tiff,

      Thanks for reaching out to Finder.

      There are instances that we may not have a record of your credit score. You may instead request a free credit report from Equifax.

      You can make use of our loan calculator to give you an idea on how much you can borrow. While you may compare your options from our list of $5000 loans and no credit check personal loans. These pages have a comparison table you can use to see which lender suits you. When you are ready, you may then click on the “Go to site” button and you will be redirected to the lender’s website where you can proceed with the application or get in touch with their representatives for further inquiries you may have.

      Before applying, please ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria and read through the details of the needed requirements as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      Rench

      Reply
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