What a -9999 credit score means

Have you ever ran a tenant credit report and received a -9999 FICO score?  The FICO score range is between 300 and 850 but according to TransUnion a consumer would get a score of -9999 when the consumer has 2 or fewer trade lines for evaluation available.  If the consumer currently does not possess enough active credit accounts then TransUnion can not generate a positive score.  Also, please review our guide on how to read a TransUnion Credit Report.

Q. When does a -9999 FICO score usually appear?

A.In most cases we see a -9999 FICO score when a credit report is run on someone under the age of 20 and who has not yet applied for auto or student loans and who has not yet used a credit card or other line of credit. In other cases a -9999 can be generated for someone who has all their accounts in collections and two or less active tradelines.

Q. What can I do if my applicant receives a -9999 FICO score?

A. First you can review the credit report to see why the applicant received the score.  Are they a young adult without established credit or are they an adult who had filed for bankruptcy, has closed accounts, or has all their accounts in collections?