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UK Law Reference
All sections of Consumer Credit Act 1974
1974 c. 39, s.158

Section 158 — Duty of agency to disclose filed information.

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

This version in force from 2016-01-01

Snapshot: 2026-08-24

Reproduced from legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). Amendments made after 2026-08-24 may not be reflected — always check the official text .

(1) A credit reference agency, within the prescribed period after receiving,—

(a) [F1 a request in writing to that effect from a consumer,]

(b) such particulars as the agency may reasonably require to enable them to identify the file, and

(c) a fee of [F2 £2],

shall give the consumer a copy of the file relating to [F3 it] kept by the agency.

(2) When giving a copy of the file under subsection (1), the agency shall also give the consumer a statement in the prescribed form of [F4 the consumer’s] rights under section 159.

(3) If the agency does not keep a file relating to the consumer it shall give [F4 the consumer]notice of that fact, but need not return any money paid.

(4) If the agency contravenes any provision of this section it commits an offence.

(4A) [F5 In this section ‘consumer’ means—]

(a) [F5 a partnership consisting of two or three persons not all of whom are bodies corporate; or]

(b) [F5 an unincorporated body of persons which does not consist entirely of bodies corporate and is not a partnership.]

(5) In this Act “file ”, in relation to an individual, means all the information about him kept by a credit reference agency, regardless of how the information is stored, and “copy of the file ”, as respects information not in plain English, means a transcript reduced into plain English.

Amendment notes

  1. F1 S. 158(1)(a) substituted (6.4.2007) by Consumer Credit Act 2006 (c. 14), ss. {5(5)}, 71(2); S.I. 2007/123, art. 3(2), Sch. 2 (as amended by S.I. 2007/387, art. 2(3)(a))
  2. F2 "£2" substituted (1.5.1998) in s. 158(1) by S.I. 1998/997, art. 3, Sch.
  3. F3 Word in s. 158(1) substituted (1.3.2000) by 1998 c. 29, s. 62(1)(a)(ii) (with Sch. 14 para. 20); S.I. 2000/183, art. 2
  4. F4 Words in s. 158(2)(3) substituted (1.3.2000) by 1998 c. 29, ss. 62(1)(b)(c) (with Sch. 14 para. 20); S.I. 2000/183, art. 2
  5. F5 S. 158(4A) inserted (6.4.2007) by Consumer Credit Act 2006 (c. 14), ss. {5(6)}, 71(2); S.I. 2007/123, art. 3(2), Sch. 2 (as amended by S.I. 2007/387, art. 2(3)(a))