What if I don’t have a credit history?

There are several reasons why you may not have a credit history, such as:

• You’ve never applied for credit

• You were in a relationship where the loans and bills were all in your partner’s name

• You haven’t applied for credit for a long time. In this case you will still have a Credit Report, but it will have no credit history information. (This information is usually deleted once it’s more than five years old.) 

 

Younger and older Australians, as well as divorcees and recent migrants to Australia, are more likely to have no credit history or a ‘thin’ credit history.

Even if you don't have a credit history, you can still apply for credit. However, the potential credit provider will have to use sources of information other than a credit report to determine your creditworthiness.

You don’t need to get a credit card to establish a credit history. Other forms of credit like a post-paid mobile phone or electricity contract will also kick start your Credit Report.