Banking and Finance Law Daily Wrap Up, FAIR CREDIT REPORTING—CHLA releases new analysis of FICO credit score increases, (Apr 3, 2026)

By Jonathan Anderson

The association of mortgage lenders raised concerns of ‘monopoly or near-monopoly status.’

The Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) released a new analysis of recent Fair Isaac (FICO) credit score price increases. CHLA found that FICO credit report costs have increased more than 10 times compared to four years ago. CHLA said it predicts another round of major price hikes in fall 2026.

Background. In January 2024, CHLA issued the “White Paper on Mortgage Credit Score Markets and Pricing.” The association has released this latest analysis, which updates the white paper based on a recent survey of the association’s IMB lender members.

Updated findings. CHLA found that credit report costs, which include credit score costs, for a conventional mortgage loan for a family have risen from approximately $50 in 2022 to $540 on average in 2026, a more than 10-fold increase.

FICO foundational prices increased from $1.80 for a tri-merge in late 2022 to $10.50 in April 2024, representing a 400% increase. At present, FICO charges $30 for a tri-merge, an increase of 1,567% from 2022, according to CHLA. “The scale of these price hikes is unusual in American industry and can only occur when a producer has monopoly or near-monopoly status,” the association wrote.

CHLA added that foundational FICO price increases have grown at a more rapid pace by percentage than “street level” increases to mortgage originators and their customers. This disparity signals that although credit bureaus and resellers have raised their prices, the price additions occurred less rapidly than the foundational FICO increases, according to the report.

Updated analysis. CHLA predicted “another round of major price hikes” in fall 2026, noting that the association accurately predicted price hikes in 2025. In support of its prediction for 2026, CHLA alleged that FICO’s CEO said the price of a mortgage credit score is “less than the value we offer.” CHLA claimed that if FICO did not increase its prices, the credit bureaus and resellers may not follow with their own price hikes.

CHLA argued that FICO is an “outdated and inferior product” compared to VantageScore and FICO’s own 10T, and urged there be no delay in making VantageScore available for homebuyers.

Finally, CHLA recommended that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac use their own data to establish their own subsidiaries that evaluate the creditworthiness of borrowers. Such subsidiaries could then be sold off as independent firms.

Companies: Community Home Lenders of America

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