ClearScore has launched a free service that lets private tenants add rent payments to credit files held by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
The service, confirmed on 12 November, is the first in the UK to report rent to all three bureaus at no cost. Tenants connect through the ClearScore app or website, closing a long gap where mortgage payments built credit scores but rent did not.
Landlords stand to gain from cleaner affordability checks, because tenants with thin files can now show a payment record without paying for CreditLadder or Canopy. Referencing decisions that once relied on payslips alone can draw on verified rent history.
Free reporting across three bureaus
ClearScore said reported payments will feed into scores used by mortgage and other lenders. The company pointed to research showing the average renter has paid almost £60,000 in rent over a lifetime, with one in five paying more than £100,000, while seven in 10 pay the same or more in rent as a mortgage would cost on a suitable home.
Justin Basini, co-founder and chief executive of ClearScore, said renters had waited long enough for recognition. “ClearScore is giving UK renters something that we feel is long overdue: free rent reporting, connected to all three credit bureaus, means that every rent payment finally counts,” he said.
The move answers calls made by MPs since the 2017 Creditworthiness Assessment Bill. Sam Carling, MP for North West Cambridgeshire, said young people with thin files face clear barriers when mortgage providers ignore rent. Justine Greening, former education secretary and chair of the Purpose Coalition, welcomed a practical free fix eight years after she championed the Bill.
Tenant checks set to improve
Sheraz Dar, chief executive of CreditLadder, said wider attention on rent reporting helps renters. “We’re pleased to see greater attention being given to rent reporting and the benefits it can deliver for renters,” he said. CreditLadder said it will add free cashback for customers this week as competition sharpens.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s report on 40 percent of landlords tightening references since the Renters’ Rights Act, which found more owners now seek guarantors and longer payment proof. Verified rent records give those checks a firmer base without extra cost to tenants.
Arrears risk andtenant demand
Better files could also speed moves for reliable tenants and flag strain earlier. Landlords who face limits on rent in advance under the new rules need other ways to judge risk, and a full rent ledger helps fill that gap. Read how the system works on ClearScore’s official site.
What this means for landlords
- If you screen tenants: ask for ClearScore rent history alongside bank statements to cut thin file rejects.
- If you self manage: point good payers to free reporting, as stronger scores support on time payment habits.
- If you use guarantors: retest borderline cases where rent records offset short employment history.
- Watch for: lender use of rent data in mortgage decisions, which could help tenants move on and free stock.
- Bottom line: free rent data will not end arrears, but it makes careful selection cheaper and faster.
Editor’s view
Rent has always been the best clue to future rent payment, yet credit files ignored it. Putting verified rent on equal footing with mortgages is simple common sense. Landlords who use it well should see fewer surprises.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 13 November 2026
Sources: ClearScore, CreditLadder
Related reading: August: 40% of landlords tighten references since RRA
