It is a good practice to order your credit report periodically and check for any inaccuracies. I tend to do it once every two years even if I have no intention of applying for a loan of any sort. There are three major credit bureaus in Canada, but I only bother with the first two:
- Equifax: Equifax offers online access to the credit report and credit score but I simply requested the free credit report by mail. You can request your free credit history report by filling out this form and mailing in two copies of personal identification.
- TransUnion: Like Equifax, you can pay to check your credit report and score online but I prefer to request the free copy by mail.
- Experian or Northern Credit Bureau: The NCB website (Who did they hire to design their web pages? A fourth grader?) states that you can order a credit report by filling out and mailing in a Declaration Form and Identity Form. The address can be found on this page.
I found my Equifax credit report interesting because the company listed as my current employer is one I worked for five years and two jobs back. I also found a number of department store credit cards that I haven’t used in years and should really close these dormant accounts.
