Does your UK credit rating apply abroad?

[GottaDoit]

Hi

 

Can't seem to find the answer to this question anywhere on this forum so I hope someone can help.

 

If I move abroad (I'm thinking France or Spain, not far) does my credit rating/score with Experian/Equifax etc. go with me, or does it all start from scratch as if I'd just turned 18 and never had so much as a bank account?

 

I know someone who moved to the USA and it looks as if that's the case over there. He had an okay credit rating in the UK but in the US couldn't get car finance or a credit card until he'd built up some track history with a bank account, been a resident for a while, employed for a while, and so on.

[DevonHillBilly]

Yes it does. We moved to Spain for 4 years and when we got there we were nobodies. For our mortgage though we could use our pay slips these made sense to them. The other thing to consider is an english speaking bank I believe there are some who trade in both their country and our own. You will have to do some research.

 

If you decide to come back you do start all over again. I have no credit rating whatsoever!!

[GottaDoit]

Thanks for your repy.

 

So do you mean my credit rating in the UK will not apply and when I get there I will have no credit rating. And if I come back years later will my details still be registered with the UK credit reference agencies or will they be wiped out because I no longer have a UK address?

[SilverLining]

Thanks for your repy.

 

So do you mean my credit rating in the UK will not apply and when I get there I will have no credit rating. And if I come back years later will my details still be registered with the UK credit reference agencies or will they be wiped out because I no longer have a UK address?

 

That's about right, but not quite. All records stay for 6yrs so your UK one will remain for 6yrs but only if you link it as a linked address . Personally, starting again isn't such a bad thing........ Likewise, if you went to Spain and built credit and left after 4yrs, your credit would be there for 6yrs but your UK one would be blank for the last 4yrs as there'd have been no activity because you were abraod. Only reason it'd stay active is if you keep a credit card here with a perne tetc, not use it but keep it handy so it keeps reporting to the CRA's...(make sense yet?)

 

Hope that answers for you.

[GottaDoit]

Thank you, yes that clarifies it.

Cheers!