Have you ever been asked for a credit check? What if someone checked your credit without asking you first? Here’s what you need to know about the rules for credit checks in BC.
The law in BC
We enforce some of the rules for credit reports in BC. The law covers what can be included in a credit report and who can see it. Your credit report contains a lot of personal information so it is important to understand what can be reported and who can have access to this information.
Q&A: What if a business checks my credit without my consent?
Read this real consumer question from our blog and our answer:
Question: Is it legal to do a credit inquiry without permission? My boyfriend and I were looking to buy a truck from a car dealership but we hadn’t made a decision yet. I told the dealership several times not to check my credit until we agreed on a car and moved forward with the deal. A couple of weeks later I see a credit inquiry on my credit report. Are they allowed to do this? What actions can I take?
Answer: Thanks for your question! Nobody can access your credit report without your consent. Anyone who wants to view your credit report must be able to prove that you have given them permission. You may want to contact both Equifax and TransUnion to confirm the request was made by the dealership. If so, explain to the dealership that you did not consent to a credit check and ask them for an explanation. If you are not satisfied with their explanation and still believe it was done without your consent, submit a complaint to our office for our review.
Key takeaway
Nobody can access your credit report without your consent. Information from your credit report is used to determine your credit score. With your permission, businesses, organizations and individuals use your credit report or score to help make lending decisions about you.
Where can I go for help?
We enforce some of the rules for credit reporting in BC and may be able to help if you run into issues that fall under our authority. The first thing to do is to explore our information about credit reporting on our website. If you are still having problems and can’t resolve it with the business, you can submit a complaint to us directly so we can assess it.
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About Consumer Protection BC
We are not-for-profit regulator responsible for overseeing certain industries and specific consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will try to offer a referral to a relevant organization, if one exists. Other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
Can I sue?
Hi, I am not sure of your circumstances but in BC, we have the Civil Resolution Tribunal (online platform) for claims up to $5000. If the claim is over their limit, you can take the business to the small claims court. Having said that, please know that working out the issue with the business directly may be an efficient option if that is possible. I hope this helps!
What about banks? Can they check your credit score? Seems I have 3 doing it regularly.
Hi Kevin, banks definitely check credit scores, especially if you are taking out a loan, getting a mortgage etc. They do need your consent for this. If you have questions about whether you provided consent, I would suggest contacting the bank directly to see if you may have signed something at some point consenting to checks. I hope this helps