When a company checks your credit, it leaves a record on your report called a search. Some searches are only visible to you, while others can be seen by lenders and may have a short-term effect on your score.
Soft searches
Soft searches don’t affect your credit score. They happen when companies check your information without it being a full credit application - or when you check your own report.
Examples include:
• Eligibility or quotation checks
• Price comparisons
• Checking your own ClearScore report
Only you can see these. Lenders can’t, and they have no impact on your score or your ability to get credit. They’re useful if you want to compare offers without leaving any mark on your report. Hard searches
Hard searches
can temporarily affect your score because they show that you’ve applied for credit. They’re visible to lenders for around 12 months, although their impact fades much sooner.
Examples include:
• Credit card, loan, or mortgage applications
• Some mobile or utility contracts
• Certain director or business checks A single hard search has only a small, short-term impact.
However, several applications made close together can make you look as if you’re taking on credit quickly which can lower your score for a short time.
Debt collector and other specialist searches
Debt collector searches are a type of hard search used by collection agencies to locate or assess debts. They can stay visible on your report for up to two years and may be viewed as a sign of financial difficulty.
Why hard searches affect your score
Credit scoring models look for patterns in your borrowing behaviour. A burst of recent applications can suggest instability or increased borrowing risk - especially if your credit file is small or new.
The impact depends on your overall credit history:
• Limited history (thin file): each search carries more weight, as there’s less positive data to balance it.
• Established history: if you’ve paid on time and kept credit use low, the effect of one or two searches is small and fades quickly.
• Timing: multiple applications close together look riskier than those spaced out over time.
How to manage credit searches wisely
• Use eligibility checks first — these are soft searches and don’t affect your score.
• Space out applications rather than submitting several within a few weeks.
• Build a consistent record of timely payments and low credit use to offset any small dips.
• Apply selectively. Each application creates a hard search, whether approved or declined.
• Query anything unusual. If a search looks incorrect, contact the company to fix it. If that fails, raise a dispute with the credit reference agency.