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How do I get a bad credit history?

There are many different reasons you may have a bad credit history which can make it difficult to borrow money when you need to.

Understanding how your credit history is compiled will help you to avoid situations which may result in you earning a negative credit history. There are simple things you can do to keep your credit history clean:

Keeping your credit history clean

  • Do pay your bills on time - avoid making late payments on any debts.
  • Do not miss payments or default on a debt - this includes your council tax
  • Do pay credit card bills off in full at the end of the month
  • Do monitor your accounts for identity theft
  • Make sure you fulfil financial contract or commitments as failure to do so may be reported to credit reference agencies.
  • Where possible do not change address or job too frequently as this can affect your credit history
  • If you have defaulted on any debts make sure you clean up your credit history as soon as possible by honouring your repayment schedules
  • Avoid bankruptcy

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