The change to comprehensive consumer credit reporting, which is likely to be the biggest development in the retail financial services industry this year, started today. Too bad no one told the consumers.Research from data analytics and credit reporting company Experian found 74% of consumers were not aware of the changes to the credit reporting regime.Experian also found 85 per cent of consumer had never applied for a copy of their credit report. Of those who received a credit report in the last two years, only 37 per cent were given any guidance on how to read the information.Experian's findings were in line with research commissioned by the Australian Retail Credit Association last year, which found 59 per cent of people had not heard the term "credit reporting".Research from Veda found 80 per cent of people had never checked their credit history, while 53 per cent were not aware that they could ask for a copy of their credit file.The new comprehensive reporting scheme will allow credit reporting agencies to add the following information to credit files: the date a credit account was opened; the type of credit account opened; the date a credit account was closed; the current limit of each open credit account; and repayment performance history.Under the current credit reporting rules, a credit reporting agency can include the following information in a credit file: payment on a credit contract is at least 60 days overdue; a cheque for $100 or more has been dishonoured twice; a bankruptcy order has been made against the individual; a credit provider considers that the individual has committed "a serious credit infringement"; and details of recent credit inquiries.The most controversial part of the new rules is the grace period before a late payment is recorded in the repayment performance history. Credit providers will be permitted to disclose that a consumer credit payment is overdue five days after the due date.Credit providers have been writing to their customers to alert them to the changes but, judging by the survey results, the message did not get through.This lack of awareness meant consumers would not realise the new rules gave them additional rights. In return for access to more comprehensive credit files, lenders would have to inform their customers they were providing credit information to a credit bureau. Consumers also had the rights to gain access to the information and have details corrected.Experian Credit Services managing director Andy Sheehan said the low level of awareness presented credit providers with an opportunity to build customer loyalty through education.