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Utility Bills on CR??

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Utility Bills on CR??

Why don't utility/cable bills show up on credit report?  How can those agencies get on your credit report?
Message 1 of 43
42 REPLIES 42
haulingthescoreup
Moderator Emerita

Re: Utility Bills on CR??

They're not extending you credit. They're billing you on a month-by-month basis for a service or product received.

With as many screw-ups as people already have on their reports, I'm just as glad that there's not one more category! Smiley Tongue

Once you get your real credit lines up and reporting (and squeaky clean), you'll be very happy that you don't have to worry about some hung-over meter reader screwing up your reports and scores.
* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
Message 2 of 43
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Utility Bills on CR??


They're not extending you credit. They're billing you on a month-by-month basis for a service or product received

 
Actually thats not strictly true.  They are indeed extending you credit as most utilities bill you in arrears.  This is why they do indeed have permissible purpose to pull your credit when you apply for utilities.  They just don't normally report as accounts.  If they did they would report as a charge type account with the balance due in full each billing period.
 
Van
 
Message 3 of 43
haulingthescoreup
Moderator Emerita

Re: Utility Bills on CR??


Vanyel wrote:

They're not extending you credit. They're billing you on a month-by-month basis for a service or product received

Actually thats not strictly true. They are indeed extending you credit as most utilities bill you in arrears. This is why they do indeed have permissible purpose to pull your credit when you apply for utilities. They just don't normally report as accounts. If they did they would report as a charge type account with the balance due in full each billing period.
Van
That's true, Van --that's a much better description. Still grateful! Imagine Comcast or AT&T let loose on my reports --brrrr.
* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
Message 4 of 43
WhirledPeasPlease
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Utility Bills on CR??



@haulingthescoreup wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

They're not extending you credit. They're billing you on a month-by-month basis for a service or product received

Actually thats not strictly true. They are indeed extending you credit as most utilities bill you in arrears. This is why they do indeed have permissible purpose to pull your credit when you apply for utilities. They just don't normally report as accounts. If they did they would report as a charge type account with the balance due in full each billing period.
Van
That's true, Van --that's a much better description. Still grateful! Imagine Comcast or AT&T let loose on my reports --brrrr.

Exactly the reason that when I was in trouble utilities came last.  (And yes, I did have my elec/water shut off once.)
 
Oddly enough I was on the phone with AT&T awhile back and inquired about adding their digital TV product and dropping comcast.  Somehow it came up that I had 'perfect credit' with AT&T.  I thought, huh? and said as much.  She said my payment history is perfect.  So it seems even though I wasn't always diligent in paying them on time, they still love me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
From 700 in 2008 to 498 in 2012...
4/23/12 -- BK 13 date of filing EQ = 505
4/18/12 -- EQ 498
12/5/13 -- EQ 669
Here we go.... back on track.
Message 5 of 43
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Utility Bills on CR??



@WhirledPeasPlease wrote:


@haulingthescoreup wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

They're not extending you credit. They're billing you on a month-by-month basis for a service or product received

Actually thats not strictly true. They are indeed extending you credit as most utilities bill you in arrears. This is why they do indeed have permissible purpose to pull your credit when you apply for utilities. They just don't normally report as accounts. If they did they would report as a charge type account with the balance due in full each billing period.
Van
That's true, Van --that's a much better description. Still grateful! Imagine Comcast or AT&T let loose on my reports --brrrr.

Exactly the reason that when I was in trouble utilities came last.  (And yes, I did have my elec/water shut off once.)
 
Oddly enough I was on the phone with AT&T awhile back and inquired about adding their digital TV product and dropping comcast.  Somehow it came up that I had 'perfect credit' with AT&T.  I thought, huh? and said as much.  She said my payment history is perfect.  So it seems even though I wasn't always diligent in paying them on time, they still love me.


This is strictly a YMMV thing.  When I lived in a different apartment in a different city many years ago, my gas company reported to my CRs.  I was never late on payments; they actually reported my timely payment every month!
 
That account was closed when I moved out of that apartment, and the account was marked "Closed by consumer" with a $0 balance.  I think they must have some sort of glitch, though, because even though the account has been closed for years, they're still giving me little green boxes every month to this day.  I have no intention of disputing that. Smiley Very Happy
 
Message 6 of 43
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Utility Bills on CR??

Oh, and for the record, they didn't report as a charge type account.  There is a specific account type called "Utility", and that's how they reported.
 
Message 7 of 43
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Utility Bills on CR??



WhirledPeasPlease wrote:

Exactly the reason that when I was in trouble utilities came last.  (And yes, I did have my elec/water shut off once.)
 
Oddly enough I was on the phone with AT&T awhile back and inquired about adding their digital TV product and dropping comcast.  Somehow it came up that I had 'perfect credit' with AT&T.  I thought, huh? and said as much.  She said my payment history is perfect.  So it seems even though I wasn't always diligent in paying them on time, they still love me.


Heh.  AT&T is funny that way.  I had a cell phone with them many many years ago, I think they threatened to shut me off for nonpayment 6 or 7 times.  I moved out of the country for a while, and dropped my service.  When I came back and needed new service, my CRs were ugly (!), and all the other carriers wanted $1000 deposits just to sign me up.
 
AT&T took me back with open arms, though, with no deposit since I had supposedly been such a good customer in the past.  I was like...."Um, if you say so."
 


Message Edited by cheddar on 01-01-2008 12:22 PM
Message 8 of 43
Junejer
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Utility Bills on CR??

I live in WI and the good ol' utility company reports to TU here. It drives me up the wall. They actually show up as "other" on myFICO. On the tri-merge, it shows up as a Commercial account. Had some trouble with the account during divorce and consequently the thing is reporting some 90 day tardies. UUGGGGHHHH! Consequently, my TU FICO is 564 compared to 677 & 742 at the others. I am going to GW them tomorrow. Can't hurt.

Be grateful that they don't report in your area.

Message Edited by ByrdMan on 01-01-2008 07:47 PM






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Current Score: 849
Goal Score: 850

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Message 9 of 43
WhirledPeasPlease
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Utility Bills on CR??



ByrdMan wrote:
I live in WI and the good ol' utility company reports to TU here. It drives me up the wall. They actually show up as "other" on myFICO. On the tri-merge, it shows up as a Commercial account. Had some trouble with the account during divorce and consequently the thing is reporting some 90 day tardies. UUGGGGHHHH! Consequently, my TU FICO is 564 compared to 677 & 742 at the others. I am going to GW them tomorrow. Can't hurt.

Be grateful that they don't report in your area.

Message Edited by ByrdMan on 01-01-2008 07:47 PM

Good luck!  TU loves me (well, sorta) for some reason.  Too bad we can't swap a few scores.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
From 700 in 2008 to 498 in 2012...
4/23/12 -- BK 13 date of filing EQ = 505
4/18/12 -- EQ 498
12/5/13 -- EQ 669
Here we go.... back on track.
Message 10 of 43
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