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What a business credit report contains
Commercial credit bureaus compile your report from multiple sources: Companies House filings (accounts, confirmation statements, director history), court records (CCJs, winding-up petitions), trade payment data submitted by suppliers, and banking data where available. The weighting of each varies by bureau.
Unlike personal credit files, there is no single authoritative commercial report. Different bureaus hold different data, so a lender may check one or several, and your score can legitimately differ between them.
How lenders use the report
Commercial lenders use your report to assess default probability, gauge trade payment behaviour, and verify the legal standing of your company. A pattern of slow trade payments — even without a formal CCJ — can suppress a score significantly. Lenders also cross-reference the personal credit reports of directors, particularly for smaller companies.
Lenders with their own internal scorecards may weight bureau data alongside your management accounts, cash-flow statements, and bank statements. The bureau score is a starting point, not the final decision.
Practical steps to manage your report
Register with at least two bureaus to monitor your company's file. Correct inaccurate data promptly — bureaus have formal dispute processes, and creditors are obliged to update records within a reasonable timeframe.
- File accounts on time at Companies House; late filing is visible and penalised by most scoring models
- Satisfy any CCJs within 28 days to have them marked satisfied, reducing their impact
- Ensure your registered address, SIC code, and director records are current
- Build trade credit history by opening accounts with suppliers who report to bureaus
Frequently asked questions
Does a director's personal credit affect a business credit application?
Frequently, yes — especially for companies with fewer than three years of accounts or limited trading history. Many commercial lenders run a soft or hard search on directors as part of their underwriting, particularly where personal guarantees are requested.
Can a company request its own credit report?
Yes. Most bureaus offer a paid subscription for businesses to monitor their own file. Some offer a free summary. This does not constitute a credit search against the company.
Funding for UK limited companies
Credicorp lends to your company, not to you personally — short-term working capital with no personal guarantee. See what your business could access.