Getting your free credit report and score

Experian provides free credit reports and free credit scores on Up, Experian’s progressive web-app. This is an easy-to-use application that enables all South African citizens with valid South African ID numbers to access their credit information via their personal extensive credit reports. It also enables you to dispute any inaccurate or incorrect information on your personal credit report.

Whether you are a first-time credit report user or not, Up powered by Experian will help you understand your credit data, show you how to monitor accounts, manage debt, and improve your credit profile.

Up powered by Experian is available at www.up.experian.co.za. You may also chat to Ed our chatbot who can assist you. 

What is a free credit report?

Up powered by Experian generates full free credit reports which provides a comprehensive records of your financial history, detailed information on your borrowing and spending habits, payment trends and contact details. Information includes accounts you opened, payments you’ve skipped, judgments taken against you and what you owe your creditors. 

Did you know...

Your credit report on Up is free, so get yours today

Why should you view your free credit report?

Experian’s free credit reports were designed to help you keep up to date with your financial status by doing a Credit Bureau check. With helpful tips and easy steps, you can now get your finances in order.

Where does the information on your credit report come from?

The data included in Experian’s free credit reports comes from credit providers you have borrowed from. Whether it’s a clothing account, a loan from the bank, or cell phone contract, all credit data gets sent to registered Credit Bureaus, like Experian, which enables Credit Bureaus to do Credit Bureau checks.

How does your Experian Credit report look?

Each of Experian’s free credit reports includes your credit score and payment behaviour in a simple and easy-to-understand format. Information is grouped for you to see which activity has the biggest impact on your credit score and finances. The free credit report is an in-house Credit Bureau check.

We have included quick tips to explain the data and give you advice on how to better manage your credit. On the dashboard, you will be able to see an overview of your credit report – you don’t need to spend hours sifting through a lot of data.

Experian’s free platform application includes:

  • Your personal details
  • Your credit portfolio
  • Payment history and behaviour
  • Budget planner
  • Your contact and address information
  • Your perception of your position within the credit market
  • Negative information including notices, defaults, judgments and debt collections
  • Online dispute submission function

Get your free credit report on Up powered by Experian today!

What is your free Credit Score?

Your credit score is the single most important financial score you’ll ever get. Yes, it’s even more important than matric aggregate, body fat count, or golf handicap, since credit providers use this credit score when deciding whether to extend credit to you. So be sure to maintain a good track record!

Your Experian credit score is calculated via a Credit Bureau check, using information from your full credit profile. Experian evaluates all your accounts, your negative and positive information, and your payment history to assign you a credit score of 0–999. The higher your credit score is, the better your credit profile, and the lower your risk will be of defaulting on an account or loan would be.

Why trust your credit score?

The Experian credit score is derived from a consumer’s personal information as submitted to Experian.  This includes data on borrowing, charging and repayment activities. A credit score summarizses a number of positive and negative factors that aim to predict how likely you are to honour your credit commitments in the future.

Key information used to calculate your credit score includes account information (personal loans, credit accounts, other loans), public records, such as judgments and administration and sequestration orders. Information such as race, gender, where you live and marital status are not used in calculating credit scores.

Your credit report

A favourable credit report helps you reach your financial goals while poor credit reports and credit scores limit your financial opportunities. Since your credit report could influence whether you are able to buy a home or get any kind of credit, it is extremely important to protect your credit score by making loan and account payments on time and not taking on more debt than you can handle.

Credit and Financial Education

Experian’s Up web-based app is also a financial education resource for consumers in South Africa with a focus on savings, budgeting, credit checks, credit reports and credit scores. 

My free report and score – Frequently asked questions

How to Log a Dispute

The National Credit Act (NCA) provides you with the right to dispute any factually incorrect information on your credit report generated by a Credit Bureau and to have this information corrected.

Logging a dispute with Experian is free of charge. Why pay one of the many “credit clearing companies” that charge money for doing something that you could do for free? Once you have logged a dispute with us, we have 20 business days to investigate the dispute. 

In the event that you are not satisfied with the outcome of the dispute, you may refer the matter as follows:

Bank account information:

Retail and other non-bank information:

Disputes Process Infographic

The disputes process can be confusing at times. To help you navigate the Experian disputes process, we've created this handy infographic.

Challenging your information with Experian

Experian holds consumer information; this information is used by financial services providers when performing a credit assessment and in some instances a score enquiry on consumers. We receive consumer data from financial services providers when consumers make an application or update their details with the service provider. We also receive payment information that reflects consumer payment behaviour, such as if they’ve made payments on time, have skipped payments or closed an account.

Dispute your Credit Report

Follow these easy steps

Step 1:

Visit www.up.experian.co.za

 

Step 2:

Register and submit your dispute through the portal.

 

Step3:

Upload a copy of your ID and proof of address (no older than 3 months) and any supporting document (e.g. paid up letter) 

If you need more information, you can also chat with Ed our chatbot 

chatbot

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