Check your own credit record
You can get your credit report for free. If your information is wrong, you can get your record corrected.
Request your credit report
There are 3 credit reporting agencies in New Zealand: Centrix, Equifax and illion. You can get a free credit report from any of these 3 agencies.
Each agency has their own process and timeframe — check the timeframes before choosing which agency to apply with.
Choose the credit reporting agency from the links below:
Check your credit report
Check that the information on your credit record is correct. Look for things you did not request or did not give permission for.
If you’re concerned about someone accessing your credit record fraudulently, you can put a freeze on your record — see Freeze your credit record.
Credit accounts that you never applied for
A credit account is where an organisation gives you credit that you then have to make payments for. For example: loans, credit cards, power bill accounts, buy now pay later loans.
Check that all the credit accounts on your record are things you applied for. If you do not recognise an organisation’s name, check your records or search the name to see if they have another name you do not know.
Missed payments you did not know about
Check if any accounts have missed payments reported as this can affect your credit score. A missed payment is when you do not pay an organisation as agreed. For example: you missed 1 or more payments on your credit accounts.
If you think the information is wrong, contact the credit provider and discuss. They will investigate and if the information is wrong they must correct the data.
Defaults you did not know about
Check that any listed credit details are correct. Credit defaults occur when you miss several payments with a credit provider and the account has been referred to a debt collection agency.
Credit defaults can impact your credit score. If the information is wrong you should contact the organisation listed with the credit default. They will investigate and if the information is wrong, they must correct the data.
Credit enquiries you never approved
When you apply for credit accounts (for example: loans, credit cards, power bill accounts) organisations usually ask your permission to access your credit report (do a credit check).
Check that the only enquiries on your credit report are ones you have given permission for.
The report is not correct
If you believe there is something wrong on your credit report, contact the credit reporting agency to query it and have it corrected — see Get your credit record corrected.
Get your credit record corrected
You need to contact each of the 3 credit reporting agencies and ask them to correct your information — each company has their own procedure for doing this.
- Centrix — Contact them directly to query your record
- Equifax — Go through their credit disputes process
- illion — Log in to query your record
If any of your personal information is wrong, for example your address, you can ask them to update that as well.
Your rights when requesting a correction
The Privacy Commissioner’s website explains your rights when correcting your information.
How do I correct my credit report? — Te Mana Mātāpono Matatapu Privacy Commissioner
Freeze your credit record
If your information may have been stolen, you can request to freeze your credit record — this is called a ‘Credit file suppression’. This means your credit record cannot be accessed and makes it harder for someone to get credit under your name.
You need to request the ‘freeze’ with each credit reporting agency. You can apply to one agency and choose to have that agency pass on your suppression request to the other 2 agencies instead of you contacting all 3 separately.
Request a credit file suppression (freeze):
If you need to apply for credit
During the freeze, the credit reporting agency cannot release your credit record to anyone.
If you need to get your record, you can ask the credit reporting agency to release the information.
The request must:
- be in writing
- name the organisation you want the credit record released to.
The credit reporting agency will then release the information to that organisation.
More help for victims of scams and identity theft
If you believe your information may have been stolen or released without your agreement, there is help available.