Once logged in, Consumer Reports can be accessed by selecting ‘Credit & Risk’ from the left-hand menu and then selecting 'Consumer Search'.

Main Applicant - Personal Details and Current Address

In order to carry out any consumer search, you need to enter at least an individual’s Title, Forename, Surname, D.O.B, Gender, & Address & a Reason for Search. If the individual has any joint accounts and you have permission to include these accounts in your search, you can select the 3rd Party opt-in option which charges 1 additional credit.

Previous Address

You have the option of entering 2 previous addresses (at a charge of 1 extra credit each) by selecting the "Add previous address" button.

Both Applicants – Address Link Search

In “(Both Applicants) Address Link Search”, using the drop-down menu, you can select 2, 5 or 10 linked addresses which are not declared at the point of search. You can also set the default number of address link searches in Settings.

Reason for Search

You will be required to specify how you are using the product over the course of your contract with us by selecting the ‘Reason for Search’.

Previous Name

You have the option of entering a previous name at this stage by expanding the box using the ^ arrow on the right hand side of "(Main Applicant) Consumer Previous Name".

Once all relevant information has been entered, click the green 'Validate' button and the system will begin the search. 

Summary Page

When the search results are returned, you will see the "Search Details" on the left and the "Confirmed Match Applicant" details on the right along with the "Score" attained. These are visible on every page of our reports. 

The "Summary" tab displays a snapshot on what information is available on the target individual along with sections dedicated to datasets such as Insolvencies, CCJ Information and Undeclared links.

To access the linked pages, select the dataset you want more information on using the tab headings at the top. For example, the screenshots below shows the information available for Address, Links and Insolvency.

Address Tab

The Address tab shows how addresses are linked showing if the address listed is:

• Forwarding Address
• Previous Address
• Concurrent Address
• Miscellaneous Address
• Intermediate Address

Links Tab

The Links tab includes more details around Addresses – these are addresses that we are able to link using sources such as banks, building societies, leasing companies etc.

The Alias section shows current name and/or a known name.

Insolvency Tab

The Insolvency tab shows whether any bankruptcy is currently restricted. 3 new fields have recently been added which include:

• Restriction Type (Bankruptcy Restriction Order (BRO) / Bankruptcy Restriction Undertaking (BRU) or Debt Relief Restriction Undertaking (DRRU))
• Start Date
• End Date

Search History

A record of all the searches that have been carried is held within the ‘History’ section, which is accessible at the bottom left of the Consumer search page.

The History can be generated by searching between specific dates, keyword or reference. History records now also include the Consumer Reference, which can be searched for via the Keyword box.

You can also download the report as a .csv file using the "Download Report (.csv)" button at the bottom of the results on the left.

Picklist Functionality

If there is any ambiguity with the name of the individual or the address entered, a ‘picklist’ screen will be returned from which you will be able to select the correct details to match the applicant you are searching.

The example below shows an Address Picklist that has been returned due to the applicant’s address not being specific enough and returning multiple addresses for the address entered.

Within the Confirm Applicant Address component, there will be a list of possible addresses that match the Name and Postcode entered as part of the search, in this instance ‘MR TERRY CURTIS, X9 9JD’.

 You would then be required to select the correct name and address and press Select.

The following example shows an Individual Picklist that has been returned due to the applicant’s name being similar to other individuals at the same address. In this instance, the search details entered were ‘MR HENRY BULLDOG, X9 9TA’.

If none of the suggested Names or Addresses are correct, there is an option to select ‘None Of The Above’. If this option is selected, a report will be displayed stating ‘No Match Found’.

Data disputes for unsuccessful searches can be raised via help@creditsafeuk.com providing that the exact input details are provided in order for an investigation to be conducted.