SEATTLE–Zillow is offering a tool designed to let renters build credit through rent payments.
Zillow said its “CreditClimb” offering lets renters have their on-time payments reported to the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — for $20 per year. It also allows renters to monitor their credit score and add up to two years of previous rent payments to their report, helping them more quickly build credit, the company said.
“Renters have more options when they have paths to establish and strengthen their credit,” Michael Sherman, SVP-Zillow Rentals, said in a statement. “That can mean qualifying for better financing, securing their next rental or moving confidently toward homeownership. With CreditClimb, renters can use the rental payments they already make to build credit and strengthen their financial future.”
Increased Scores Seen
According to Zillow, that close to 87% of renters don’t see rent payments reflected in their credit reports, which can lower their overall scores. But renters who use programs from Esusu — Zillow’s partner in CreditClimb — have seen an average credit score increase of 45 points after consistent on-time reporting, the company said in a statement.
As the CU Daily reported earlier, TransUnion said it has already begun to factor rent payments into credit scores. The company reported the share of consumers whose rent payments are reported climbed from 11% in 2024 to 13% this year 2025.
At the same time, the number of property managers who are aware of and take part in rent payment reporting fell from 48% to 44%, the first decrease found by TransUnion said it has found in the four years it has been conducting this analysis.
