HR5402-119

What This Bill Does

The Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2025 lets more non-loan payment history flow into consumer credit files. It allows a person or HUD to furnish consumer reporting agencies with information about a consumer's performance under a dwelling lease, including HUD-subsidized housing, or under a utility or telecommunications service contract. Utility usage information may be reported only to the extent it relates to payment or terms of service such as deposits, discounts, interruption, or termination conditions. Energy utility firms may not report an outstanding balance as late when the consumer is in and complying with a payment plan, deferred payment agreement, arrearage management program, or debt forgiveness program. Consumers may opt out by written request. The policy aim is to help consumers with thin or invisible credit histories build credit from rent, utility, and telecom payments, while adding limits around utility usage and payment-plan status.

Who Benefits and How

Consumers with thin credit files benefit because timely rent, utility, and telecommunications payments can be reported to credit bureaus. Renters in HUD-assisted housing benefit because HUD-subsidized lease payment performance can be included in credit reporting. Consumer reporting agencies benefit from access to additional rent, utility, and telecommunications payment data. Utility customers on payment plans benefit because compliant payment plans cannot be reported as late balances by energy utility firms.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Landlords furnishing rent data must manage opt-outs and accuracy obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Utility firms must limit reporting to payment-related data and honor written opt-out requests. Energy utility firms must withhold late reporting when consumers comply with payment plans. Consumer protection attorneys may see disputes over reporting accuracy, opt-outs, and payment-plan compliance.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes reporting of dwelling lease payment performance, including HUD-assisted leases.
• Authorizes reporting of utility and telecommunications service payment performance.
• Limits utility usage reporting to payment-related or service-term information.
• Protects compliant energy-utility payment plans from being reported as late.
• Allows consumers to opt out through a written request to the furnisher.