What is a credit file?

Your credit file is a listing of your payment history on all your credit cards and loans, including your mortgage. It includes information about outstanding loans, debt repayment and credit limits. It may also include non-credit information, such as jobs you have held, public record information, your date of birth and your address.
Lenders review your credit file when you apply to them for credit. They use the file's information in deciding whether or not to give you a loan. Credit files are maintained by private companies known as credit reporting agencies. The three largest national credit reporting agencies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
Credit reporting agencies collect information from creditors about the payments you make for auto loans, student loans, installment loans, mortgages, rent, insurance, credit cards, or other credit.