Reading your credit report: the 10-point checklist.

The data copy is in front of you, but nobody has explained how to read it? This checklist goes through it point by point — your ticks stay saved until you are done. Afterwards you know what is right, what is missing and what can be challenged.

The checklist

Ten points in this order: personal details, every contract attributable, ended contracts removed, settled markers, deletion periods recalculated, duplicates marked, amounts and dates checked, disputed claims recognised, enquiries of the last twelve months counted, unclear items noted.

The five most common mistakes when reading

Looking only at the score, confusing the paid product with the free data copy under Article 15 GDPR, confusing settled with deleted, checking only SCHUFA, objecting by telephone instead of in writing.

Or you have it checked

FIAON obtains the data copies from SCHUFA, KSV and CRIF, checks every line against Section 31 BDSG and the deletion periods and prepares the correspondence for everything challengeable — with an action plan in plain language.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get my credit report for free?

Via the data copy under Article 15 GDPR — informally or via the credit bureaus' forms, free by law and as often as you like. Our free tool prepares the request for SCHUFA, KSV and CRIF. The bureaus have one month; it usually arrives sooner.

What is the difference between a self-disclosure and a data copy?

Colloquially both mean the same thing: the report about your own data. Legally precise is the data copy under Article 15 GDPR — complete and free. The bureaus' paid products (credit certificate) are shortened versions for showing, not for checking.

In which order is it best to read the report?

Exactly in the order of the checklist above: first master data, then contracts, then claims including markers and deadlines, then enquiries — and the score last. Anyone who reads the other way round looks for the cause at the wrong end.

What do I do with an entry I cannot attribute?

Do not ignore it: ask the credit bureau in writing who reported it and on what basis (some of this is already in the data copy). If you still do not know the matter, object and demand evidence. Unknown entries can point to a mix-up or misuse.

How often should I check my report?

Once a year as routine — and additionally before every big step: flat hunting, financing, self-employment. Your own enquiry is neutral, it does not change your score and is not shown to others.

Does FIAON take over this check completely?

Yes — that is the credit report with check: FIAON obtains the data copies from all three bureaus, explains every line in plain language and holds every entry against Section 31 BDSG and the deletion periods. You get the list you would draw up by hand here — finished and with an action plan.

Read on

Requesting your credit report — free or reviewed. – The free route under Art. 15 GDPR and the reviewed FIAON route for €74 compared: obtaining, plain-language explanation, a check of every entry.
Understanding the SCHUFA score: what your number really means. – The new SCHUFA score since March 2026: a scale from 100 to 999, five classes, twelve criteria with points — as a table, with the levers behind it.
The credit glossary: every term explained. – From enquiry to payment history: the credit glossary explains every term in plain language – score class, data copy, deletion period, court payment order.
Three countries, three sets of rules — one overview. – Who stores what in Germany, Austria and Switzerland — rights, deletion deadlines and differences between SCHUFA, KSV1870, CRIF and the Swiss register.