A hard credit check is a full search of your credit report that a lender makes when you formally apply for credit, such as a dental finance agreement. It leaves a footprint other lenders can see: for one year at Experian and Equifax, and about two years at TransUnion. A soft search is a lighter check that only you can see, and it does not affect your credit score.
When you apply for dental finance, the soft search usually comes first and the hard check happens only if you go ahead.
What is a hard credit check?
A hard credit check, also called a hard search, is a full look at your credit report as part of a formal application. Experian describes it as “a complete search of your credit report”, recorded on your file so any company searching later can see you applied.
Lenders do this because the rules require it. The FCA’s Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC 5.2A.4R and 5.2A.7R) says a lender must assess your creditworthiness before entering into a regulated credit agreement, using information from you and, where necessary, from a credit reference agency. A hard check can look at:
- whether you have repaid past credit on time
- how much credit you have now and how you are managing it
- public records such as County Court Judgments and insolvency
- financial associations, meaning people you share a joint account or joint credit with
Hard checks happen when you apply for a loan, credit card, mortgage, pay-monthly phone contract or a finance agreement such as a dental payment plan. Your income and outgoings also feed into the decision.
What is a soft search?
A soft search, also called a soft credit check or quotation search, is an initial look at some of your credit report. MoneyHelper, the government-backed guidance service, says a soft search “isn’t visible to anyone but you and the credit reference agency”, so it does not affect your credit score. Common soft searches include:
- checking your own credit report or score
- an identity check by a company you deal with
- an eligibility checker that shows your chance of being accepted
- a quotation search when you are comparing deals but not yet applying
You cannot fail a soft search, Experian points out, because you are not applying for anything. It gives an indication, not a lending decision.
Soft search vs hard credit check: the key differences
| Attribute | Soft search | Hard credit check |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | Eligibility checks, quotes, ID checks, checking your own report | A formal application for credit |
| Who can see it | You and the credit reference agency | You and any lender that searches your file later |
| Time on file | 1 year at Experian and Equifax; searches usually show for 2 years at TransUnion | 1 year at Experian and Equifax; about 2 years at TransUnion |
| Effect on your credit score | None | A small effect; several in a short period can weigh more |
What happens at each stage of a dental finance application?
Dental finance is usually arranged at the clinic, often during the consultation, once the dentist has priced your treatment.
You can stop after the soft search with no mark on your file that lenders can see. If you go ahead, the lender makes a full check and assesses affordability. If it then declines you on the basis of credit reference agency information, section 157 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 says it must tell you so and give you the agency’s name, address and telephone number. The ICO adds that you can ask the lender to explain the main reason for the decision and to review it, although a review may still end in a refusal.
Some clinics offer dental payment plans that start with a soft search, so you see the likely outcome before any hard check.
What does each credit reference agency record, and for how long?
The UK has three main consumer credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) says it is up to the lender to decide which agency to use, and there is no requirement to use all three. The agencies’ joint Credit Reference Agency Information Notice (CRAIN) says each agency “only creates search footprints for searches against its own records”. So a dental finance search may show on one report and not on the others.
Each footprint records who searched, when and why. Retention periods differ by agency:
| Stage | Experian | Equifax | TransUnion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultation and quote | Nothing recorded | Nothing recorded | Nothing recorded |
| Soft search (eligibility) | Soft footprint, seen only by you, kept 1 year | Footprint kept 1 year; soft searches do not affect your score | Eligibility check usually seen only by you; searches usually show for 2 years |
| Full application (hard check) | Hard footprint seen by lenders for 1 year, then kept 5 more years for analysis | Hard footprint on your report, kept 1 year | Score-impacting search seen by lenders for about 2 years; 6 years kept in total |
| Debt collection search (only if a debt is later chased) | Kept 2 years, then 5 more years for analysis | Kept 2 years | Used for 2 years; 6 years kept in total |
“Kept for analysis” means the record is held for profiling and statistics after it stops being used in live lending decisions.
Can you remove a hard search from your credit file?
No, not if it came from an application you made. It drops off when the live period ends. Experian says a hard search you do not recognise could be a sign of fraud or identity theft.
If an entry is wrong, the ICO says to raise it with the agency first. The fault may lie with the lender that supplied the data, and the agency cannot change a lender’s entry without its agreement. If neither corrects an obvious inaccuracy, you can complain to the ICO.
If you think someone has applied for credit in your name, the fraud prevention service Cifas offers Protective Registration for £30 for two years. It places a marker on your file that helps protect you from fraudsters using your details to apply for products and services, and TransUnion lists Cifas markers among the items that appear on your credit report.
What are your rights around a credit search?
Several separate rules apply to a credit search, each at a different point. None of the top-ranking guides puts them together, so the table sets them out in the order you meet them.
| When | Rule | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Before any search | UK data protection law, as explained by the ICO | The organisation needs a lawful basis for the search and must tell you it will happen |
| Before a regulated agreement | FCA CONC 5.2A.4R and 5.2A.7R | The lender must assess your creditworthiness, using credit reference agency data where necessary |
| After a decline | Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 157 | If the decline used agency data, the lender must name the agency and give its address and phone number |
| At any time | Statutory credit report (ICO) | A free copy of your file from each agency, normally within one month |
| If an entry is wrong | Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 159 | The agency has 28 days to remove, amend or refuse; you can then add a notice of correction of up to 200 words |
| If it is still not fixed | ICO complaint; CCA section 159(5) | You can complain to the ICO, which can make an order on an application under section 159 |
The section 159 process runs in steps. You send the agency a notice asking it to remove or amend the entry. It must reply within 28 days to say it has removed it, amended it or done nothing. If it has not removed the entry, you then have 28 days to ask it to add your own notice of correction to the file, and the agency must show that notice whenever it passes on information from the entry. The ICO notes its credit guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act, so check the ICO page for updates before relying on it.
Does a hard credit check affect your credit score?
It can, a little. TransUnion says a single search is unlikely to have a significant impact. MoneyHelper explains that lots of hard searches in a short time can make lenders think you rely too much on credit, and Experian says too many over a short period can affect your score for six months. Soft searches never change your score.
If your credit history has problems, the soft search is the lowest-risk way to find out where you stand. See dental finance with a poor credit history.
How to keep hard searches to a minimum before dental treatment
- Ask whether the application starts with a soft search. MoneyHelper suggests asking for a quotation search while you shop around.
- Check your own reports. The ICO says each agency must provide a free statutory report, normally within one month.
- Space out applications. Experian’s rule of thumb is no more than two or three credit applications every few months.
- Compare quotes first. Then make one application for the plan you choose.
- If you are declined, ask which agency the lender used. Then check that agency’s report.
A worked example shows the difference. Say you get written quotes from three clinics and each runs an eligibility check. That leaves three soft footprints, which only you can see. If you then make one full application, your file shows one hard search: live for 12 months if the lender used Experian or Equifax, or about 24 months at TransUnion. If you apply in full at all three clinics in the same week, you have three hard searches in a short period, which is the pattern MoneyHelper says can make lenders think you rely too much on credit.
To compare options before you apply, see every way to pay for dental treatment compared.
What should a dental finance quote include, and what should you ask?
Before any full credit check, get the details in writing. A useful quote covers:
- the treatment plan and total price, item by item, as the dentist priced your case
- how much would be financed, and any deposit
- the term and whether the plan is interest-free or interest-bearing
- the total amount payable and the monthly payment
- the lender’s name, whether the first step is a soft search, and which agency the full check uses
- what happens to the agreement if the treatment plan changes part-way through
If the clinic offers interest-bearing plans, the guide to what representative APR tells you explains how to compare them.
What does dental finance cost each month at 0%?
Knowing the monthly figure before you apply means you only make a full application you can afford. The table divides three illustrative amounts by the number of months.
| Amount financed | 12 months | 24 months | 36 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £83.33 | £41.67 | £27.78 |
| £2,500 | £208.33 | £104.17 | £69.44 |
| £5,000 | £416.67 | £208.33 | £138.89 |
Interest-bearing plans over longer terms cost more in total; the clinic shows the exact figures, including the total amount payable, before you commit. See how 0% dental payments work for the conditions attached to interest-free plans.
Frequently asked questions
Does a soft search affect your credit score?
No. A soft search is visible only to you and the credit reference agency, so it cannot change your credit score or be seen by lenders. That holds however many soft searches you have. Checking your own report, identity checks and eligibility checkers all count as soft searches.
How far back does a hard credit check go?
A hard check reads your whole credit report, not only recent activity. Experian and TransUnion both say they use six years of credit account performance data for live lending decisions. Equifax holds up to four years of monthly history on each account. County Court Judgments and insolvencies also appear.
Who can run a hard credit check on you?
Only an organisation with a legitimate reason, usually because you applied to it. Equifax says third parties cannot perform a hard credit search without your permission. The ICO explains that data protection law does not always require consent, but the organisation needs a lawful basis and must tell you the search will happen.
Will a dental finance search show on all three credit reports?
Not necessarily. The lender chooses which credit reference agency to use, and the ICO notes there is no requirement to use all three. The agencies’ joint information notice says each one only records searches made against its own records. Ask the clinic which agency the lender uses if you want to check the right report.
Is a quotation search the same as a soft search?
In practice, yes. MoneyHelper treats a quotation search and a soft search credit check as the same thing: a lender looks at your credit record to see whether you qualify or to give you a quote, without it affecting your credit report. If you are comparing dental finance options, ask for one by name before any full application.
Paying for treatment with Chrysalis Finance
You apply for our finance at a registered UK clinic or practice, usually during your consultation. The application takes under 60 seconds and starts with a soft search that shows the likelihood of acceptance without affecting your credit score. A full credit check happens only if you go ahead. Terms run from 3 months to 5 years, depending on the plans the clinic offers. The clinic is paid directly once the agreement is signed, and you repay in fixed monthly instalments by Direct Debit. You can read how our soft-search payment plans work, or find a registered practice with the clinic finder.
Finance is subject to status and affordability. Chrysalis Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 631193).
Sources
- Experian, Searches on your report: soft and hard credit checks, 2026 (accessed 28 Sep 2026)
- Experian, CRAIN Data Retention Periods, 2026 (accessed 28 Sep 2026)
- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, Credit Reference Agency Information Notice (CRAIN) version 1.2, 2024
- Equifax, Soft credit searches vs hard credit searches, 2022
- Equifax, CRAIN Data Retention Periods, 2026 (accessed 28 Sep 2026)
- TransUnion, CRAIN Data Retention Periods, version 1.3, 2023
- TransUnion, Support and FAQs: how long does information stay on my credit report, 2026 (accessed 28 Sep 2026)
- MoneyHelper, How to check your credit report for free, 2026 (accessed 28 Sep 2026)
- MoneyHelper, How to improve your credit score, 2026 (accessed 28 Sep 2026)
- Information Commissioner’s Office, Credit, 2026 (accessed 30 Sep 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 157: duty to disclose name etc. of agency
- legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 159: correction of wrong information (accessed 30 Sep 2026)
- Cifas, Protective Registration, 2026 (accessed 30 Sep 2026)
- Financial Conduct Authority, FCA Handbook, CONC 5.2A Creditworthiness assessment, 2018
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