In this article we look at different types of behaviour as shown in the repayment history.
Good behaviours
Maintaining low credit utilisation demonstrates responsible financial management. This shows lenders that you can access credit without overspending or becoming dependent on borrowed funds.
In this example, the applicant has a credit card limit of £2,750 but has consistently kept their balance well below this limit. They've also actively reduced their debt, bringing their balance down to under £500
The example below shows an unsecured loan balance decrease over time. The account status has remained up to date:
Trending towards good behaviours
In this example the budget account was in 3 - 6 months arrears back in October. As a result the creditor reduced the limit to £0. However, the applicant repaid the arrears and has got back on track.
In November the account was repaid in full and the limit increased over time. Now the account has remained consistently below the limit since February.
In the example below the applicant defaulted on a current account. Since then they have been repaying £20 per month to clear the balance, although the default remains unsatisfied:
Trending towards bad behaviours
This credit card was taken out in May 2025. Within three months, the balance has almost reached its limit. This is known as 'high velocity' and may indicate that the credit card is being used as a replacement for income, suggesting a lack of affordability.
In the example below an applicant's credit card limit has been increased from £400 to £480. Interestingly, this may have been a proactive response by the creditor as the borrower reached the £400 balance, to prevent the borrower from exceeding their limit. Conversely it could also be seen as the borrower using this new limit almost immediately. The balance has reduced, but only probably by the minimum payment.
Risky behaviours
This credit card has remained close to the limit for all of the past 12 months, suggesting a lack of affordability. The status is 'OK' but there is a high likelihood of future missed payments:
In this Mail Order account the applicant missed payments, breached their limit and is now in a payment arrangement. Given the small decreases in the balance between December and July, this is likely to be a token repayment:
Long-term credit risk
This account defaulted in 2022. No attempt has been made to repay the balance:
Other payment behaviours to note
Remember for current accounts a balance indicates an overdraft, not a positive balance. In the example below the red line is an overdraft limit that was met in January but has been largely repaid by June: