Sound too good to be true? If you pay rent to a private landlord then those payments can boost your credit score and make it easier to qualify for that elusive mortgage.

In the past the mantra was; get a good job, get married, buy a house. In the intervening years the order of these life events has changed dramatically and many people now focus more on getting a foot on the property ladder than marriage, for example.

But it is more difficult than ever to get on the housing ladder, especially if you have a less than stellar credit record.

A hurdle to overcome

A poor credit score can be major obstacle to obtaining a mortgage. Lenders will not take a risk on anyone with a poor credit report while those who are willing to llend charge high fees and interest rates.

It is a similar story for those who don't have an active credit history. It's counter intuitive, but even if you have a clean payment history, a limited or 'thin' credit history will set alarm bells ringing among lenders. They much prefer to see an active history of credit with a record of regular payments.

Thankfully, if you ARE struggling to convince lenders to provide you with a mortgage, either because of a lack of credit history or a low credit score, then there is a new technique you can use to easily build your credit score and history.

OK. So what is this secret?

Actually it's no mystery. You simply pay your monthly rent as normal. Though there is a slight difference. At the moment your rent payments are not recorded on your credit report. Unlike mortgage payers you get no benefit from your payments, no matter how good your rent payment record.

Pay your rent through Credit Ladder and you can begin to build your credit simply by doing what you have always done. Paying your rent on time. The difference is your payment through Credit Ladder is registered by Experian, the UK's leading credit reference agency.

Your payments then appear on your credit report and, over time, build your credit score. What could be easier? It's a no risk, no hassle way of building your credit. What is there not to like?

To find out more about Credit Ladder visit our FAQ page or click here to register.

Remember, CreditLadder can help you improve your credit score.

CreditLadder can improve your credit position by reporting your rent payments. CreditLadder is the first way to improve your credit score and position across all three of the main Credit Reference Agencies in the UK, namely Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Building up a high credit score has a lot of benefits, including helping you access finance at better rates - this can also help save you money. CreditLadder also runs a free mortgage application service in partnership with Tembo which will tell you how much you could borrow.

Remember the content provided in this article is for information purposes only and should not be considered as advice.