Does my mobile phone bill show on my credit history?

The quick answer to this question is yes, your mobile phone bill does show on you credit history. This is because your mobile phone contract is a form of credit.

If you take out a mobile phone contract, your chosen network provider will subsidise your spending until the end the month (the end-of-month date for your contract will depend on when you took it out).

Because of this, your network provider will want to be certain that you’ll be able to pay your mobile phone bill on time and in full each month.

To see how reliable you are at paying bills, they will look at your credit history to gauge what kind of borrower you are. If you have struggled to manage money in the past, you may find it more difficult to take out a mobile phone contract.

If you have struggled with credit before, instead of turning you down, mobile phone providers may ask you for an upfront deposit as security. This will then be returned to you either at the end of your contract or after a specified period of time has gone by.

I missed a mobile phone payment, what now?

If you have completely missed a payment or paid it late, it will appear on your credit history and may affect your credit score.

This can make it harder to borrow in the future because the missed payment can make you appear an unreliable borrower. Lenders carefully examine your credit history to assess what kind of borrower you are, and so this may affect your chances of being accepted.

"Missed payments show on your credit history for up to 6 years."

Missed or late payments can show on your credit history for up to six years. As well as affecting the outcome of your application, they can also hold you back from some of the more competitive interest rate offers. This is because lenders often save their best deals for applicants with the best credit histories.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. If you’ve taken out a mobile phone contract and have paid your bills on time and in full each month, this can have a positive affect on your credit history.

This is because you’ll be able to show that you are responsible with credit.

Can missed payments be fixed?

If there’s a missed mobile phone bill showing on your credit history and you think it’s a mistake, you can apply to have this corrected.

You can do this by calling or emailing the credit reference agency that lists the missed payment and explaining the error. They will then investigate your claim by getting in touch with the mobile phone provider and clearing up the dispute. You can also contact your mobile phone provider directly.

If the missed mobile phone payment is down to your own error, unfortunately, there isn’t anything you can do remove it from your credit history.

How to prevent missed payments

The easiest way to prevent missed mobile phone payments is by setting up a monthly direct debit. This way, you can sleep easy knowing your bills are taken care of every month without having to lift a finger.

If you set up a direct debit, make sure you have enough money in your account to cover your monthly bill. If you don’t, the direct debit will fail and your credit history may still be affected.