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6 min read → Credit
What is a credit check?
Hard vs soft search explained
Understand exactly what lenders see when they check your credit, why some searches affect your score and others don't, and how to shop around without leaving a trail.
5 min read • Cash Train editorial team
The key facts upfront
- There are two types of credit search: hard and soft — only hard searches affect your credit score
- Soft searches are invisible to other lenders; they do not leave a mark on your public credit file
- Multiple hard searches in a short period can signal financial stress and lower your score
- You have a legal right to see your own credit report for free under UK data protection law
What is a credit check?
A credit check — also called a credit search or credit inquiry — is when an organisation looks at your credit file held by one or more of the UK's three credit reference agencies (CRAs): Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Lenders, landlords, mobile phone providers, and even some employers can request access to this data.
Your credit file is a record of your borrowing history: accounts you hold, how reliably you've made payments, any defaults or County Court Judgements (CCJs), and a log of who has searched your file and when. Lenders use this information, alongside their own internal criteria and an affordability assessment, to decide whether to approve your application and at what rate.
Not all credit checks are equal. The type of search being run — hard or soft — determines whether it leaves a visible mark on your file and whether it can affect your credit score.
Hard searches vs soft searches
Hard search
- Recorded on your credit file
- Visible to other lenders for up to 2 years
- Can lower your credit score if there are many in a short time
- Only run with your explicit consent
- Typically done when you formally apply for credit
Soft search
- Recorded on your file but only visible to you
- Other lenders cannot see it
- Does not affect your credit score in any way
- Used for eligibility checks and quote tools
- Can be run without you applying for anything
Regulated lenders should tell you in advance what type of search they intend to run. If a lender is not clear on this point, ask before proceeding.
When does each type of search happen?
Understanding which type of search applies in each situation helps you protect your score while still getting the information you need.
Formal credit application
HardApplying for a personal loan, credit card, mortgage, or overdraft almost always triggers a hard search. The lender needs full visibility of your file to make a lending decision.
Eligibility checker / quote tool
SoftMost reputable lenders offer a soft search quote so you can see your likely rate before committing. Cash Train uses a soft search at the quote stage — no footprint left.
Mobile phone contract
HardSigning up to a monthly mobile phone contract typically involves a hard search, because you're entering into a credit agreement for the handset or airtime.
Renting a property
HardMany letting agents and landlords run a hard credit check as part of referencing. Some use a soft check instead — it is worth asking upfront.
Checking your own report
SoftChecking your own credit report via Experian, ClearScore (Equifax), or Credit Karma (TransUnion) is always a soft search. It has zero impact on your score.
Pre-approved marketing offers
SoftWhen lenders send you pre-approved credit offers, they've already run a soft search to confirm you meet their broad criteria. You haven't applied for anything.
What does a lender actually see?
When a lender runs a hard search, they receive a detailed credit report — not just a score. The report typically includes:
Personal details
Full name, date of birth, current and previous addresses, and whether you're on the electoral roll.
Credit accounts
Every credit card, loan, mortgage, overdraft, and finance agreement you've held in the last six years — balances, limits, and payment status.
Payment history
A month-by-month record of whether you paid on time, paid late, or missed a payment entirely. Missed payments show as a number: 1 = one month late, 2 = two months, and so on.
Adverse markers
Defaults, CCJs (County Court Judgements), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), and bankruptcies. These stay on your file for six years from the date recorded.
Previous searches
A log of every hard search made against your file in the last 12–24 months, including the name of the organisation that searched.
Financial associations
Anyone you share a joint account or joint mortgage with — their credit history is linked to yours.
How many hard searches is too many?
There is no official threshold, but lenders typically start to view multiple hard searches within a short period as a flag. The concern is that many applications in a short window might suggest financial difficulty or that other lenders have already declined you.
Scenario: the wrong way — Sarah
Sarah wants to find the best personal loan rate for a £3,000 home improvement project. She applies directly to five different lenders in a single week — each runs a hard search. By the time she reaches the fifth lender, their system flags five recent searches and she is declined despite having an otherwise clean credit history.
What she should have done: Used each lender's soft search eligibility checker first to gauge her chances, then applied to the one or two most likely to approve her. No hard searches until she was ready to commit.
Scenario: the right way — James
James needs £1,500 to cover an unexpected car repair. He uses three lenders' soft search eligibility checkers over a weekend. All three give him an indicative rate. He picks the lowest total repayable, reads the credit agreement, and formally applies. One hard search is recorded; he is approved the same day.
His credit score dips by a small amount immediately after the hard search — this is normal and temporary. Because he continues to make payments on time, his score recovers within a few months.
How to protect your score when shopping around
Always use soft search eligibility checkers first
Most reputable lenders and comparison sites offer these. You'll see an indicative rate or likelihood of approval without any impact on your score.
Space out formal applications
If you need to make multiple hard applications, try to separate them by at least 3–6 months where possible. The impact of each search fades over time.
Check your own report first
Before applying anywhere, review your report on all three CRAs. Dispute any errors. A clean, accurate file gives you the best chance of approval.
Avoid applying to multiple lenders at once
This is the mistake most likely to damage your score. Applications to several lenders on the same day will all appear on your file as separate hard searches.
Use a comparison site with a single soft search
Some comparison platforms run one soft search and show you multiple indicative offers. This is more efficient than visiting each lender individually.
How Cash Train handles credit searches
When you Apply online and request an indicative quote from Cash Train, we use a soft search only. This means no footprint is left on your credit file and other lenders will never see it. We only run a hard search if you formally apply for a loan and explicitly consent to one at that point. We will always tell you in advance which type of search we intend to run.
Cash Train is an unregulated lender. We assess affordability alongside your credit history — a less-than-perfect score does not automatically mean a declined application.
Quick reference glossary
Hard search: A full credit check that leaves a mark on your file for up to 2 years. Visible to other lenders. Run when you formally apply for credit.
Soft search: A partial or indicative check. Recorded on your file but only visible to you — not to other lenders. Does not affect your score.
Credit reference agency (CRA): Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion — the three UK agencies that compile and hold your credit data.
Credit footprint: The record of a credit search left on your file. Hard searches leave a visible footprint; soft searches do not.
Adverse marker: A negative entry on your file: a missed payment, default, CCJ, IVA, or bankruptcy. Most stay for six years.
Electoral roll: The voter registration list. Being registered confirms your name and address and is a positive signal to lenders.
Related guides
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Common questions
FAQ
A credit check (or credit search) is when a lender looks at your credit history with one or more of the credit reference agencies — Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. It allows the lender to see your existing debts, payment history, any defaults or CCJs, and how many recent credit applications you have made.
A soft check (soft search) does not affect your credit score and is invisible to other lenders — it is used for quote checks and eligibility assessments. A hard check (hard search) is recorded on your file and is visible to other lenders. Cash Train uses a soft search at quote stage; a hard search is only carried out if you proceed to a full application.
Each hard search counts on your file for 12 months. Multiple hard searches in a short period can signal financial stress and negatively affect your score. There is no fixed "too many" threshold, but most credit scoring models penalise several applications within a few months. Using soft-search quote tools avoids this.
The initial quote check is a soft search — no impact on your score. If you proceed to a full application, a hard search is carried out and will be recorded. This is standard practice for any responsible lending decision. The impact of a single hard search is typically minor and short-lived.
Ready to take the next step?
Apply online with Cash Train and get a quote with a soft search only — no impact on your credit score until you decide to proceed.
Apply now →Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk