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Credit file & ratings

Archives for March 2019

Warning about Experian Credit Club data...it may not be what's in your Experian file!
I have my own Experian subscription, which costs £14.99 per month. It tells me I have several defaults, a CCJ and a score of 575. But the MSE Credit Club Experian data says I have no defaults, no CCJ and a score of 674! So the data feed from Experian to the Credit Club is completely screwed. And before anyone says the…
Duplicate Debt On Credit File
I had a loan taken out from 118Money which I defaulted on due to unemployment. The debt was transferred to Lowell. I'm now paying the debt off through Lowell but my credit file is showing that I still owe the same amount of money to 118 and Lowell. Both seperate entries on my file. How do I get this fixed as surely I don't…
Fraudulent Credit Applications
Someone is approaching companies and requesting a credit account in the name of my company. This has now happened twice and I am concerned that it won't be the last. The first one succeeded and got away with goods to the value of £10k, the second has not succeeded and I received a letter from the company confirming the…
Credit Rating won’t improve no matter what I do.
Hi all. Not sure what’s going on with my credit report but it will not budge from the 1 out of 5 it has been on forever. Up until 5 months ago I had a default on my account but this was cleared and my credit score jumped up around 30 points straight away. I have 1 credit card which is up to date. 2 bank accounts with…
Account Defaults
Unfortunately I have two defaults on my account. Both are settled and closed for about three years now. One is due drop off in September and the other January 2020. My question is when one drops off will it have a noticeable impact on my credit score in terms of being more appealing to lenders ?
Should i add a notice of correction?
So i am looking to apply for a mortgage this year but i have a default from 2 years ago. I was on maternity leave at the time so my income was reduced by 75%. I ended up £340 into an overdraft ehich subsequently defaulted as i couldnt afford to pay it at the time. Would it be worth putting a notice of correction to explain…
Lowells - Paying a debt off
Hi there I've had a debt with Lowells for a number of years and have been paying off the minimum amount every month for some time. They recently sent me an offer of 70% discount If I pay off in up to 3 payments. I paid off some old debt many years ago and remember sending another company a letter making sure it's a "Full…
Scottish Power default account wrongly and not answering emails
Hi, This is a moving that is going on for more than 2 years now and it is upsetting me and causing me a lot of trouble. On Jan 2016 I've moved into a property which the power and gas supplier was Scottish Power and we decided to not move into another one. Just set up the account, set up a direct debit and carry on. On Feb…
118118 searches on file, not me?
Hi there, I have two searches on my file by 118118, one listed as a ‘quotation search’ and one as ‘AF’ which I assume is anti-fraud? Does anybody know if any other businesses come under 118118 for searches? I can’t remember specifically using a comparison site, I haven’t applied for any loans recently (or ever!) but have…
ID Fraud
Looking for some advice I have a family member I have no contact with is constantly applying for loans/catologues and numerous credits search in my name. My credit score has significantly reduced and I have received loan application letters ect I have report him to the police who are not interested I was told it’s not a…
Non Existent Mortgage on Credit Report
Hi all, I'm hoping you can help. My daughter (21) is applying for a loan for her first car, and is getting declined based on that she can't provide any details on a mortgage she supposedly took out in November 2018. She has no, and never has had, a mortgage. However, in November 2018 she did sign a new letting agreement to…
Phone contract credit check
Hi everyone, I'm a recent graduate and just received my Aqua credit card. I'd like to pay my monthly phone bill with it to build credit, so I called to set up my account and they said can we have your details to perform a credit check. I said sorry I'll call back. My credit rating is obviously not too high, so will there…
Credit Rating Collapse. Unknown outstanding bill. 6 month arrears.
First time poster, throwing myself at your mercy. Advice please?? I have an otherwise faultless Credit Rating, and I'm currently looking to buy my first house (120k borrowed on a 30k deposit). But I was declined a mortgage with my bank (Halifax) this morning, when doing a pre-approval soft check. I did some digging to find…
Improving my credit worthiness
Hi all Due to landing a well paid role I am on the road to repairing my pretty shoddy credit history and wondered if there's anything I can to to improve my credit worthiness with the aim of getting a joint mortgage in 12 months or so. (Current house is in partners name, equity of £100k and joint income of around £80k so…
Experian and address changes
Hi all I've recently applied for a mortgage and despite hitting the affordability metrics and Experian score of 936 (from Barclaycard's free Experian Credit Score), I have been declined, no CCJ's etc. I signed up to Experian's CreditExpert and discovered that my address hasn't changed since I moved in 2017, I'm not on the…
Equifax very slow updating credit file
Hi. I have recently changed mortgage provider & cleared off a substantial amount of unsecured debt yet equifax have still not updated my credit file to reflect any of these changes. More than a month and a half has passed by since things were paid off. Does anyone know why credit reference agencies are so slow to update my…
Default end date?
Hi there, I am wondering does a default remove of your credit file 6 years from when the default occurred (2014) or 6 years from when it is settled (zero balance)? I am aiming to clear off the balance on a default of overdraft with Lloyds bank as quick as I can (monthly payments through a debt collection agency), so…
Australian inheritance
Hello, I am due to receive inheritance from Australia, I am a British national. Any tips on how it is best to receive this to avoid various bank fees and get the best exchange rate possible? I am aware of the collection and negotiation fees with banks, but was wondering if anyone has experience of using foreign exchange…
CIFAS Category 1, please help?
Hi all, I require some advice. My girlfriend was recently a victim of change of address fraud. Someone was able to get past the security on her Sainsbury’s bank credit card over the phone and change my address to a bogus address successfully. We do not know what personal information they have about her or how they got it.…
Advantage Finance
Hi, I had a default registered with Advantage Finance dated 01/03/2013 after losing my job. I've recently clear all my debts and I managed to make a £1000 partial settlement which they agreed to Nov 18. I expected the account to drop from my credit file on the 01/03/2019, 6 years after default. Experian this happened but…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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