Your credit history has never been more important. In today’s world, a good credit score can lead to lower cost loans, which can be a car loan, credit card interest rate, or home loan. Additionally, many employers are now checking credit scores as part of background checks on potential employees. While most people know that a good credit history is important, less well known is that you can build credit history with online rent payment.
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In the early 2000s, the big 3 US credit bureaus started adding rent payment information to an individual’s credit history. Initially, they offered this only to tenants who rented from the largest apartment companies. So there were still a large number of tenants missing out on this opportunity to build credit history because they were renting from smaller landlords.
In 2012, Experian made a revolutionary step by allowing tenants using ClearNow’s online rent payment service to report their rent payments. In the years that followed, Experian has allowed other online rent payment services to report rent payments.
How Can I Get Rent Payment on My Credit History?
There are a number of services that help tenants build credit history with online rent payment information. Unfortunately, some of them can be a little expensive. RentReporters charges a $94.95 sign-up fee and then $9.95/mo. Rental Kharma similarly charges a $50 setup fee and then $8.95/mo per tenant.
If you can get your landlord to use ClearNow’s online rent payment service (sign up at www.ClearNow.com), there is no fee for you as a tenant to have your payments reported to Experian. Your landlord will be charged $14.95/mo for the first tenant and just $2/mo for each additional tenant.