Credit reporting agencies collect and organize information about you and your repayment history, and make it available to those who are considering granting you credit. Landlords, employers, government licensing agencies, and insurance underwriters can also obtain your credit report. If they find a history of late payments, bankruptcies or other collection activities, too many accounts, too much indebtedness, maxed out lines of credit, or multiple inquiries in the past 12 months, this could negatively impact your ability to get credit.
Positive information stays on indefinitely.
Inquiries stay on for 6 months to 2 years, depending on the type of inquiry. A Sample Credit Profile can be viewed by visiting Equifax's web site . Other credit reporting agencies use different formats.