If you’ve ever applied for a loan, credit card, or store account, you’ve probably had a credit enquiry recorded on your report. Many South Africans aren’t sure how enquiries affect their credit score, and whether having “too many” can hurt their chances of being approved.
Here’s what you need to know about credit enquiries in South Africa, how they work, and how to keep your score safe.
What Is a Credit Enquiry?
A credit enquiry (sometimes called a credit check) happens when someone looks at your credit report. There are two main types:
- Hard enquiry (hard pull): This happens when you apply for credit, and the lender checks your report before approving you. Hard enquiries can lower your score slightly and stay on your report for up to two years.
- Soft enquiry (soft pull): These happen when you check your own report, or when a company does a background check for pre-approval. Soft enquiries don’t affect your credit score and are only visible to you.
Checking your credit score on your MyWealth Capital dashboard is a soft enquiry; it won’t harm your score.
How Do Hard Enquiries Affect Your Credit Score?
A single hard enquiry might only lower your score by about 5 to 10 points, and most people see their score bounce back within a few months.
But here’s where it gets tricky:
- Multiple enquiries in a short time can make it look like you’re urgently seeking credit, which may worry lenders.
- If you’re shopping around for a car loan, home loan, or student loan, credit scoring models often group enquiries within 14–45 days into a single check. That means you won’t be penalised for comparing offers.
How Many Enquiries Are “Too Many”?
There’s no fixed number, but lenders generally pay attention if they see:
- 1–2 enquiries a year: Perfectly normal and unlikely to affect your approval chances.
- 6 or more enquiries in 12 months: Considered high and may make you look risky to banks or credit providers.
Studies show that people with six or more enquiries are more likely to default, which is why too many enquiries can lower your credit score and reduce your approval odds.
How Long Do Enquiries Stay on Your Report?
- Hard enquiries: Up to two years, though only the most recent 12 months usually affect your score.
- Soft enquiries: Do not affect your score and are only visible to you.
Tips to Protect Your Score From Enquiries
You can’t avoid enquiries completely (they’re part of building credit), but you can manage them smartly:
- Apply only when needed — don’t submit multiple applications “just to see.”
- Space out applications — wait at least 90 days before applying for another credit product.
- Use pre-qualification tools — these use soft enquiries and won’t impact your score.
- Check your credit report regularly — monitor your MyWealth Capital dashboard to spot enquiries and track your progress.
- Report suspicious enquiries — if you see one you don’t recognise, it could be fraud.
Hard enquiries are a normal part of applying for credit, but too many in a short space of time can drag down your score and signal risk to lenders. The good news? Their impact is small and temporary compared to bigger factors like paying your bills on time and keeping your balances low.
Remember: Checking your own score on MyWealth Capital is always safe, it’s a soft enquiry and has no effect on your credit score.