Check your credit report before applying for car finance

Your credit report can help you understand the information a lender may consider. Checking it also gives you a chance to spot an unfamiliar account or an incorrect detail before you apply for a car loan.

Request your own report

You can request a free credit report every three months. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner explains how to access your credit report and where to request it.

Use the credit reporting body's official website. You do not need to take out another loan or buy a credit-repair service to read your own report.

Check the details carefully

Review your personal details, the accounts listed and the repayment information. If you do not recognise an account, or a detail looks wrong, keep a copy of the entry and any information that helps explain the problem.

You can ask the credit provider or reporting body to correct an error. Moneysmart's credit repair guide explains the steps you can take yourself without paying a credit-repair business. Accurate negative information cannot simply be removed because you would prefer it absent.

Know what Alpha assesses

A credit score is one part of an Alpha application. A person also reviews the information you provide about income, expenses and your circumstances. A past difficulty does not let us predict the result of a new application.

Applying starts with a soft credit check while we assess affordability. It does not affect your credit score. We run a full credit assessment only if you choose to proceed.

Choose your next step

If you want to understand the loan costs first, use the repayment calculator. If you have a question about the application process, contact Alpha Finance. You can also read the bad credit car loan guide before deciding whether to apply. None of these steps promises approval.