How to Check Credit Reports for Delinquent Mortgage Payments

Every consumer has three different credit reports, compiled and maintained by national credit reporting companies called TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. These reports list detailed information on credit cards, loans and other accounts, including mortgages. They show items like the account opening date, original balance, current balance and payment history. Delinquent mortgage payments are listed and are perceived as negative information by other creditors who review the reports. Consumers are entitled to regularly check their reports for such items so they know their credit status, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Instructions

1

Log on to the Internet. If possible, use a computer with anti-spyware software because credit report orders require your Social Security number and other sensitive data. Malicious programs can capture this information and transmit it to identity thieves on unprotected computers.

2

Visit the government's official website for free credit reports, annualcreditreport.com. You can buy reports from the credit bureaus, but the FTC explains that federal law requires them to give you one free copy annually.

3

Select the credit reports you wish to check. All three credit bureaus should have your mortgage information, but their data could vary because they maintain separate databases. The government's free credit report website lets you choose one, two or all three reports.

4

Read through the data on each credit report until you locate your mortgage account information. It will be readily identifiable because it lists the mortgage holder's name and other relevant data.

5

Scrutinize the payment history when you find the mortgage account entry. An account with on-time payments will have a "paid as agreed status." Late payments will have a notation about the length of the delinquency. For example, the report may state that the payments in question were 30, 60 or 90 days behind.