Experian vs. Equifax

In my experience more lenders use Experian than Equifax for credit searches.

To back this up (or refute it) I was wondering if anyone who has access to reports from both Equifax and Experian could send me details of who used which one (purely for searches).

Rather than posting too many details of who you hold accounts with you can send me a private message if you prefer, I'll collate the information then delete your message.

Online applications for statutory reports (£2 each):

Equifax: https://www.econsumer.equifax.com/consumer/uk/forward.ehtml?forward=consumerletter

Experian: http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/index.html

RESULTS SO FAR

Equifax:-
credit/charge cards:
American Express *
Barclaycard *
Cahoot
Capital One *
HFC (Marbles and others)
Halifax (one report only, all others with Experian)
RBS (one report only, all others with Experian)

others:
3
Cahoot
ebay
Intelligent Finance *
Northern Rock
One Account *
O2
Telewest

Experian:-

Credit Cards:
Amex
Bank of Scotland
Capital 1
Co-op
Egg
First Direct
HBoS (Hfx One, NSPCC etc)
HSBC
MBNA (incluing A&L, abbey, virgin etc..)
Nationwide
RBS (Mint and others)

Others:
Admiral Insurance
ING
Lombard Direct
Orange
RedCats
Royal & Sun Alliance
«13456712

Comments

  • fiobee
    fiobee Posts: 39 Forumite
    I don't know if this is useful to you or not but... the last time I used Equifax was some time last year (I have subsequently moved home). I applied for my credit report from Equifax and Experian at around the same date. Experian had no problems sending it out; Equifax couldn't identify my address! After sending proof of address, they finally produced a couple of pages along the lines of "address not confirmed so we don't want to put anything on file, here's your empty worthless report".

    This being the case, I can only assume that HBOS, Capital One, Egg, Smile, Lloyds TSB, Orange, etc are all happy to rely solely on Experian as, according to Equifax, my (previous) address did not exist! Btw, I did in fact give them the address in the exact format used by Royal Mail, as checked on the Royal Mail website.
  • bpyoung
    bpyoung Posts: 3,008
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    Can we make this a sticky thread? I know it'll be very useful to me when I apply for my next card (I think it's going to be an equifax one!)
    [size=-2]Matched betting profit: ~ £30,000 since Jan 2005
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    It's only fraud if you get caught.

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  • pin
    pin Posts: 4,265
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    I think the expiran website is: http://www.uk.experian.com/

    Also you can get a one month free trial to use the Experian service, and this enables you to check your credit file.
    "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi
  • pin
    pin Posts: 4,265
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    There seems to be another credit agency around, called Callcredit: http://www.callcredit.plc.uk/corporate_scripts/index.asp.

    Has anyone had any dealings with them, or obtained a record from them? Thanks
    "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi
  • Useful but this post isnt stricktly true... ive only ever received my experian credit report and barclays have stamped my different addresses over it so its clear Barclaycard arent just using Equifax

    Cheers!

    Dave
  • Galstonian
    Galstonian Posts: 1,292 Forumite
    I've had one reply about callcredit - they had no searches whatsoever on the report. That is all I know about them, sorry.
  • Galstonian
    Galstonian Posts: 1,292 Forumite
    Useful but this post isnt stricktly true... ive only ever received my experian credit report and barclays have stamped my different addresses over it so its clear Barclaycard arent just using Equifax

    Cheers!

    Dave


    But did they search using Experian? Does the "Previous Searches" section list Barclays? If so it is the first found here. Account information routinely gets on to both Equifax and Experian. Knowing who uses which agency to search is only probably of use to those whose history is good but have relatively frequent searches, it lets you spread them out more.
  • Howdy :-)

    Nope, ive had the barclaycard for 6years so unsure where they conduct credit searches, all i know is they use experian for address details etc. Lets hope that they dont, i'd love to have a definitive proven list of which company uses which company to do searches! :-)
  • doodah
    doodah Posts: 531
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    equifax:

    three
    royal bank of scotland
    telewest
    31/12/2006 £8395, 01/10/2008 £5089.73, 19/10/2010 £835.00 31/03/2011 £0.00
    Pigsback = £9.35 (£30 claimed), Quidco = £128.24 claimed
    Official DFW Nerd No. 264

    Debt-free and Proud!
  • flip01
    flip01 Posts: 51 Forumite
    I have three to add to the list.

    BARCLAYCARD Check new appliactions with Equifax, and report payment history to both agencies.

    TEXACO Check new applications with Experian.

    TESCO check with Equifax, but is connected to the Royal Bank of Scotland, so if you have bad history from them it may show up regardless.

    I always advise that BEFORE you apply for credit, get both your credit files from the agencies to check. Sometimes one agency does not report from certain companies, so if you know who to apply for credit from and who they use, it may increase your chances of acceptance.

    Some people dont always want to give a list of all the addresses they may have lived at in the last 6 years, if thats the case with you, write a credit file application along with the words "I am Mr. X, live at X, My D.O.B. is X/X/X Please supply me with my credit file information along with any linked addresses you may have on file"

    If anyone knows anything i'm missing, or incorrect information, please follow up.
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