How can a low credit rating affect my life?
Credit scoring is used by lenders, insurers, landlords, employers, and utility companies to evaluate your credit behavior and assess your creditworthiness.
- Applying for a loan: Your credit score will be a big factor in the decision of whether you are approved or denied your application for more credit. Your credit score will also affect the interest rate and credit limit offered to you by the new credit grantor – the lower your credit score, the higher the interest rate will be and the lower the credit limit offered – the reason for this is you are considered more of a credit risk.
- Applying for a job: A potential employer may ask your permission to check your credit file and based on what they read, they may decide not to hire you due to your poor credit history. Yes, having bad credit could cost you a job!
- Renting a vehicle: When you sign an application to rent a car, the rental company can check your credit history to determine what their risk may be when they loan you their property. So although you are not applying for credit, the application documents you sign provide your written permission to access your credit information.
- Renting an Apartment: The same is true when applying for rental housing – the landlord may assess your tenant worthiness and their risk by factoring in your credit rating and score, and they could pass you over for someone with a better credit rating.