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We're the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. government agency that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly.

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Does my history of paying utility bills, like telephone, cable, electricity, or water, go in my credit report?

Answer:

It might. Most utility companies don’t report to the big three consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) whether or how regularly you pay on time. However, if you fail to pay a bill and it is sent to a collection agency, that debt could show up on your credit reports from any of the big three CRAs.

At least one specialty consumer reporting agency, the National Cable, Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE), shares information about new accounts and payment histories among the over sixty large telecommunications, pay TV, and utility companies that are members. A NCTUE member may use this information to decide whether to offer you services. It may also use this information to decide whether to require you to pay a deposit before receiving services.

We’ve put together a list of some specialty consumer reporting agencies, including NCTUE, along with some information about how you can obtain copies of your reports.

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The content on this page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance. The CFPB updates this information periodically. This information may include links or references to third-party resources or content. We do not endorse the third-party or guarantee the accuracy of this third-party information. There may be other resources that also serve your needs.

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