Imagine this. You pay rent on time for years, but when you ask for a mortgage, that history barely counts. In the United States, that is starting to change. On April 22, 2026, FHFA and HUD announced the first new mortgage credit score models in decades. FHA said lenders may use VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac began an interim rollout that lets approved lenders deliver some loans using VantageScore 4.0. (fhfa.gov)
Why is this a big deal? For many years, the mortgage system mostly depended on Classic FICO. The newer models can use more kinds of information, including rent payment history when that information appears in a credit file. They also use trended data, which means they look at patterns over time, not only one snapshot. Freddie Mac says these newer models may score millions more Americans more accurately. (fhfa.gov)
But there is an important catch. Rent only helps if it is actually reported to the credit bureaus. Not every landlord reports rent. VantageScore says rent and utility payments count when they are reported to the three nationwide credit bureaus, and Experian says positive rent data is sent monthly when landlords or reporting partners provide it. (vantagescore.com)
So the message is simple. A rent payment is no longer just money gone at the end of the month. More and more, it can become proof that you are financially reliable. For renters who hope to buy a home, that could be a very meaningful change. (fhfa.gov)










