Credit Access Act Allows Rent and Utility Payments to Boost Credit Scores—But You Can Opt Out

The new Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2025 is a big deal for anyone who’s ever struggled with a “thin” credit file—that’s policy speak for not having enough debt history to generate a good score. This bill changes the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to allow credit reporting agencies (CRAs) to include your on-time rent, utility, and telecom payments in your credit file. Think of it as finally getting credit for paying the bills that keep the lights on and a roof over your head.

The New Scoreboard: Rent and Bills Count

Under this Act, landlords, utility companies (gas and electric), and telecom providers (phone, cable, internet) can now report your payment history directly to the CRAs. For a 30-year-old who has rented for a decade but never carried a credit card balance, this is huge. Suddenly, those ten years of timely rent payments can start building a positive credit history, making it easier to qualify for a car loan or a mortgage down the road. The bill specifically allows reporting of rent payments, even for those receiving assistance from HUD, leveling the playing field for many consumers.

Fine Print for Utilities and Telecom

While this opens up new data streams, there are important limits. Utility and telecom firms can only report information related to whether you paid, or terms like service deposits or shut-off conditions. They can’t report details about how much bandwidth you used or how many kilowatts you burned—it’s strictly about the payment itself. Crucially, if you fall behind on your gas or electric bill but set up a payment plan with the utility and stick to it, the utility is barred from reporting that outstanding balance as “late” to the CRAs. This is a practical safeguard for people managing temporary financial stress.

Your Right to Opt-Out

The bill understands that not everyone wants their landlord or utility company tracking their data for credit purposes. If you want to keep this information off your credit report, the Act guarantees you the right to opt-out. You just need to send a written request to the furnisher—the landlord, utility, or telecom company—telling them not to report your payment history. This is a critical detail: the system is opt-in by default if the furnishers choose to report, but you have the power to stop it. If you’re worried about potential negative reports (say, if you sometimes pay rent a day or two late), you need to be proactive about exercising this opt-out right.

The Trade-Off: Liability and Oversight

To encourage landlords and utility companies to participate, the bill includes a technical change that limits the liability of those reporting this new information, referencing a specific subsection of the FCRA. While this might ease the administrative burden on furnishers, it's worth noting. Any time you introduce a massive new stream of data into the credit system, accuracy is key, and reducing accountability for mistakes is something to watch out for. To keep tabs on the real-world effects, the law requires the Comptroller General to study and report back to Congress within two years on how this new reporting is actually affecting consumer credit scores. This built-in check should give us a clearer picture of whether the promise of wider credit access is actually delivered.