Your personal credit rating is often used to determine whether or not you receive a loan, credit card or mortgage. How can you find out whether or not you have a good credit rating? Where can you obtain your credit report? Do you have to pay anything to obtain this information?

In order to obtain a copy of your personal credit report (also know as credit rating), you can submit a request to either one of two credit reporting companies in Canada: Equifax and TransUnion. This credit rating allows financial institutions to measure the level of financial risk you represent. It is established from various factors such as your past and current level of debt, your debt repayment or bill payment habits, the number of individual debts, etc.

Both companies can provide you with a free copy of your credit report upon request, sent to you by regular mail. However, they both offer you the possibility of receiving your credit report much quicker, accompanied by an evaluation for a nominal fee. In order to order your credit report from these companies, you can contact these organizations at the following coordinates:

Equifax Canada Inc.
Consumer Relations Department
Box 190 Jean Talon Station
Montreal, Quebec
H1S 2Z2
Tel: 514 493 2314
Toll-free: 1 800 465 7166
Fax: 514 355 8502
E-mail: consumer.relations@equifax.com
URL: http://www.equifax.com

TransUnion Canada
TransUnion Canada
Consumer Relations Centre
P.O. Box 338, LCD 1
Hamilton, ON
L8L 7W2
Tel: (416) 609-2070
Toll-free: 1-866-525-0262
Fax: (416) 609-1994
URL: http://www.transunion.ca