How to get your rent reported to credit bureaus - My Home by Freddie Mac (2024)

FAQs

How do I get my rent payments to show up on my credit report? ›

Rent payments seldom appear on credit reports, as few landlords report them to credit bureaus. Yours may appear on your credit report if you: Get your landlord to enroll in a rent reporting service. Sign up for a paid rent reporting service.

You can't report rent payments yourself, but rent-reporting services can get your credit reports to reflect your rent payments fairly easily. However, the cost can depend on the service — some are free and some cost renters or landlords a fee.

Unless you or your landlord have signed up for a rent reporting service, the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – will not put rent payments on your credit report. That means your credit score and credit report aren't affected by your rent payments.

There are only a handful of situations in which landlords can directly report to the credit bureaus about payment issues by tenants. The main way that some landlords can relate payment information directly is when they are managing and accepting payments on a lot of rental properties.

The judgment may appear on your credit report and/or tenant screening reports for up to seven years. Read this guide to learn more about when it is legal for a rental debt judgment to appear on your “record” and how you can dispute any improperly reported judgments for rental debt.

Research and sign up for third-party credit reporting services. To self-report alternative data like rent payments and utility bills, you'll have to go through a third-party service. But be sure to do your research or talk to a professional before you sign up for any third-party services.

Removing a history of unpaid debt from a broken lease can be challenging since accurate negative information typically stays on your credit report for years. However, if you believe the negative item is inaccurate, you can file a dispute with the credit bureaus to remove it.

Historically, credit reports don't include rent payments. Why? Because rent isn't considered debt. As we all know, landlords and property managers don't lend us rent money each month to be repaid later with interest.

Experian^® RentBureau^® is the largest and most widely used rental payment database. We provide data detailing rental payment history on prospective residents so you can confidently approve more applicants, faster.

Overdue rent might appear on your credit reports if the landlord sends the debt to a collection agency. The agency might report the collection account to the credit bureaus. Also, if an eviction appears in the public record, the credit reporting agencies will likely include it on your credit reports.

Can paying rent build credit? ›

However, paying rent can potentially help you build credit under certain circ*mstances. These days, some credit-scoring models use alternative data to calculate your creditworthiness. Additionally, some landlords and rental platforms also offer you the option to report your rental history to credit bureaus.

Rent reporting services are companies that collect information about your rent payment habits and supply it to the consumer credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Adding this kind of information to your credit report may improve your score.

When you are looking at VantageScore^® 3.0/4.0 or FICO^® 9 and you are enrolled in a rent-reporting service, your on-time rent payments could increase your credit score with each on-time rental payment (assuming all of your other credit accounts are also in good standing).

Send a copy of a recent account statement and copies of canceled checks (never originals) or other proof of payment showing your payment history. Then, ask the credit reporting agencies to add the information to your file.

Powered by TransUnion, our secure screening process uses a soft credit check that won't impact your score.

Equifax incorporates rental history in its reports.