credit report canada
credit report canada
How do I get my credit report in Canada for free?
I truly resent that companies are allowed to SELL me my own credit information. After all, this is MY information isn’t it? So I’m wondering if there is somewhere that I can have easy access to my credit history/rating for free. Any ideas? Thank you.
Ignore the other answers, they apply only to obtaining your credit report in the US.
Here in Canada you are entitled to receive unlimited copies of your credit report (the credit bureaus are NOT required to provide you with your credit score for free, and getting that will cost approximately $25 through either of their websites).
Firstly, here in Canada we have the same three credit bureaus as the US, these are (in order of popularity with creditors):
Equifax – The most common
http://www.equifax.ca
Transunion – Second, but still popular
http://www.transunion.ca
Experian – Neglible, it is the former “Northern Credit” which I have yet to see used by any creditors.
http://www.creditbureau.ca/
With all three of these bureaus you are entitled to receive as many credit reports as you request (my personal maximum for any calendar year was 12 free credit reports, but that’s overkill).
Equifax and Transunion offer a free service where you can phone in, and after successfully answering a series of questions (based on the information contained in your credit report, which presumably only you would know) they will mail a copy of your credit report to your most recent registered address (turnaround time is approximately one week for this method).
Equifax: 1-800-465-7166
Transunion: 1-800-663-9980
If you have an extremely limited credit history, or have no credit there will be no information to verify and they will require that you mail in your request along with photocopies of Identification (drivers licence) and a utility bill in your name with your current address. Once received they will send out your credit report (turn around time for this method is approximately 30 days). NB. If you are avoiding collection agencies this method WILL update your information with the credit bureaus.
Equifax:
http://www.equifax.com/EFX_Canada/consumer_information_centre/docs/request_report_form_e.pdf
P.O. Box 190
Station Jean-Talon
Montreal, PQ H1S2Z2
Transunion
http://www.transunion.ca/docs/personal/Credit%20Investigation%20Request%20Form_en.pdf
P.O. Box 338 LCD1
Hamilton, Ontario L8L7W2
Experian
http://www.creditbureau.ca/intl/pdfs/report_request.pdf
Experian Canada, Inc.
150 King Street West, Suite 805
P.O. Box 68
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H1J9
It’s that simple. All Canadians are entitled to receive a copy of their credit report free of charge, the only requirement they must meet is the ability to prove that they are who they say they are.
Good luck, hope this was some help!
