Glossary
Credit file
The record credit bureaus keep about your borrowing: accounts, repayment history, enquiries and any defaults. Lenders read it when they assess you.
By Leverage Finance · Updated 17 July 2026
Three bureaus hold credit files on New Zealanders: Centrix, Equifax and illion. Your file records credit accounts you hold, whether repayments were made on time, applications you've made, and negative events like defaults. Different lenders use different bureaus, so your files can differ slightly.
You can request your own file from each bureau free of charge, and checking your own file never affects your score. Before refinancing, it's worth a look. Repayment history you've built since the original loan is exactly what a new lender will notice.
Same car. See what a better loan looks like.
Two minutes, one soft check to start, no obligation. Your file goes to a panel of NZ lenders and the strongest offer comes back.
Free to check