Which credit score should be used when criteria say “minimum FICO”?
Consumer bureaus and scoring models can return different numbers. How should a directory store and display a lender’s credit threshold without pretending every score is equivalent?
10 replies
We should capture the score source and model whenever the lender publishes it, not just the number.
A broker-provided estimate is not the same as a lender pull. It can route a file, but it should be labeled preliminary.
If criteria only say “minimum credit,” quote that limitation instead of inventing a bureau or model.
What should happen when the applicant has multiple owners with different scores?
The matcher needs the lender’s ownership and guarantor rule before choosing a score; otherwise mark the check unresolved.
Users should understand that a public match does not guarantee the lender will reproduce the same score.
A range may be more appropriate for public deal placement while the exact pull stays private.
Yes, and adverse credit events should remain separate criteria rather than being inferred from the score alone.
Claimed lenders can clarify bureau, model, owner selection, and whether exceptions exist.
Store the threshold with its definition, label preliminary scores, and never substitute an assumed model.