Credit Rating: How it works and How to improve it discussion area

never-in-doubt

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I'd have to disagree I'm afraid. It is much better to get the Electoral Register entry updated to match the Royal Mail database entry, since this is what companies use when you fill in your address online or over the phone and they ask you:

Moggles is one of the resident experts in this area, he is also correct in what he says.... The LA (council) will use their version of address and if this is different from PAF you need to speak to PAF and report the error, PAF updates according to the LA directive - NOT the other way around.

Therefore, in order to amend any errors you need to get the exact wording of your address from Electoral Services and then notify PAF of the exact version by clicking here: http://postcode.royalmail.com/portal/rm/postcodefinder?pageId=pcaf_pc_enquiry&catId=28400668

Then the CRA's will update their records properly, but you may need to request that the council send an update to them - if they are listing the incorrect address.

This is the way to do it, i've recently done it myself and my address is hunky-dorecy now - no problems whatsoever

never-in-doubt

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

Thanks moggles, its definately our Electoral Roll entry that is wrong. And I presume it affects our entire 100+ dwelling flat development (10 year old 'new build'). When it comes to notifying a new company that you are apply for credit from of your address, it's often impossible (particularly with online applications) to modify the address suggested by the postal address database (eg to make it match the ER)

I'll see what the council say when they open up this morning.

If so the only people that can change this is your LA.

I'll explain. I moved into a new build estate and Barratt (the builder) told us our address was: 1 High Street, North Way, Leeds however our council state it is called: 1 High Street, North Way, The Green, Leeds.

As a result PAF links to the E/R database and therefore shows my address as the correct version, even though i'd been using what we were led to believe was our address. A simple note to the council to let them know there are errors with the address sorted it.....

izools

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I spoke to the Council this morning who insist it shouldn't be reported as a Flat since it is a purpose built block of apartments, rather than a conversion. They are going to double check and get back to me, but they say have had numerous complaints about Experian before and not transposing the published electoral roll data accurately.

So I went back to Experian who seem to have more competant people on the phone today than Saturday, who will try to raise a request to get the two addresses merged on their systems.

On the bright side, I reapplied for the Virgin card on Saturday, providing both variants of address (one given as a previous address for 1 month residency) and the application was accepted, I got the T&C agreement email through this morning

I'll still pursue the correction though because it shouldn't be necessary to provide a variant of your current address as a previous address.

I have a similar problem and its really p!$$ing me off...

I live in a flat conversion (converted a good 25+ years ago) but because we only have one letter box for four flats, the Royal Mail refuse point blank to list it as separate flats on the postcode database. They say the postcode database records physical letterboxes, not addresses.

Fine, but I appear as Flat X, XX Roadie Road on the ER database.

So many creditors, online shops (Dominos Pizza especially), etc, rigidly only accept entries present on the postcode database and won't let you customise the address.

Result? None of my cards authorise with on line retailers that check the address with the card provider if that retailer also uses the postcode database verbatim. Any creditor that checks Equifax with the address as it appears on the postcode gets a blank file.

Thankfully this doesn't happen with Experian.


The problem seems to come about in the fact that the royal mail will NOT add addresses to the database that don't have a unique letterbox, and they insist that the postcode database is NOT intended for use in the way that a lot of companies use it.

Obviously the companies concerned insist that the database is wrong and the fault lies with royal mail and when pointed out that they shouldn't be using the database verbatim as the royal mail specifically tells them it shouldn't be used verbatim they accuse me of lying....

*sigh*

gothmaz

Hi

I am just looking for some advice.

I posted in another part of the forum recently about some horrendous problems I'm having with my landlord. Because of this I am looking to move when the lease is up on 3rd April.
I earn a reasonable amount of money (£50k) but I have had some terrible credit problems in the past. About 4 years ago I embarked on sorting it all out, went into debt mgmt plans for the 2 credit cards and 2 loans and even though I still owe money on them I pay an amount off of them each month religiously.
I need a deposit to put down on the property (I have 2 children and a long term sick partner, so no savings left currently). I won't get back this deposit until after I move by which time it would be too late. So I need to try and borrow £2k to put down on the property. I have the months rent, but I dont have the month in advance or the admin fee spare.
After a long time of being too scared to look at my credit report, I had a look this weekend. I noticed a couple of things on there that should be removed. I'll contact the companies related and do this. I have another couple with only a small amount remaining and they will be clear in a couple of months. I paid the £5.95 to see my score and it was 744...which, considering the problems I've had in the past I felt was much better than I expected. But I have really made an effort to clear everything and keep up with repayments. So this can only improve.
However, I am not on the electoral roll. I was staying with my parents for a while before I moved to my current house. Because of the large volume of mail my landlord had coming to the house, I never changed the address on any of my mail so it all still goes to my parents. Now I am moving I am wondering what I should do. I think to improve my chances of borrowing money I need to be on the roll but I don't know if I can register at my current address even though all my post is registered at a different address. My parents aren't keen on me registering at their address.

So my question is really, should I go on the roll for my current address even though it'll only be for 2 months and it's a different address to which all my mail goes to, that my bank has etc....? It is the same road as my parents, jsut a different house number.

izools

The important thing is that the address you are on the ER at, must be the address that your credit accounts are registered to, and must the address you supply when applying for credit.

So either, register on the ER at your current address, move all your accounts to your current address, and apply there in two months or register for the ER at your parents' address and apply there.

NOTE: It takes about two months for the ER registration to appear on your file, and it takes about two months for the credit accounts to update.

So from the date you've moved your last credit account and registered on the ER, wait two months before applying for a loan / credit card at that address

Two notes:

1. Contemplate why someone on your kind of income needs to borrow a penny, why he still has outstanding debts, and what justifies borrowing more money when the old debts are still outstanding and you earn so much. I would have thought it is incredibly easy for someone on a decent income like yours to budget in a way that results in never having to use credit. I earn £15K and I repay my only credit card bill in full each month.
2. The credit score purchased from CRA's is rubbish. It means nothing. Disregard it and don't waste another £6 on one

harryhound

izools wrote: »

*sigh*

Me too, but in my case I have a postal address of (say)
"Houndhovel" Forest Chase, Parkview Street Road, West Zone, Leggonewtown, Essex Post Code Town 15 miles East.
My legal geographical address, as at the Lamd Registry is "Cozeenook", Forest Chase, Crusoe village, Depressing Town, Essex (5 miles West) Same Post code town 15 miles East.

Forest Chase is a hardcore track. Parkview Street is access to a factory estate and Man Friday probably lives 2.5 miles away. The council tax comes from about 10 miles to the west.

I have managed to get the original credit agencies to put my version of "the other" address on my record and the Land Registry to put the aka address on their records.

Experienced postmen deliver to both addresses to me, and temporary staff send me stuff for an address near Reading !

How did I ever manage to get any credit?

gothmaz

izools wrote: »

1. Contemplate why someone on your kind of income needs to borrow a penny, why he still has outstanding debts, and what justifies borrowing more money when the old debts are still outstanding and you earn so much. I would have thought it is incredibly easy for someone on a decent income like yours to budget in a way that results in never having to use credit. I earn £15K and I repay my only credit card bill in full each month.

I live in London, I have 2 children, my partner has been unable to work for the past year. He is going back to work in the next couple of months though, but that doesn't help us when the lease expires. Therefore I am the sole provider. When you are paying high London rents (£1300 per month, all of the general house bills, food shopping, petrol etc.., £250 a month on travel to work and a large portion off your debts each month, there's not alot spare. My debts are £28k, so they are taking me a while to pay off, but I am making sure I do so!

I budget monthly, I make sure the money stretches and covers everything, but there is nothing left to cover emergencies. I'm an accountant now. I've learnt how to be sensible with money the past few years, but I don't have lump sums. But my credit record these past few years is faultless. Hopefully things will change once my other half is working. The only problem I have is trying to put £3000 together in one month to move. We weren't planning to move, otherwise I would've tried to build saving something into the past 6 months. But having a carbon monoxide leak, no heating for 5 weeks, a landlord that isn't registered to sub let with her mortgage company and also not registering our deposit has forced us into a position where for the safety of the children it's best to move on. Infact it's only a short term loan I'm looking for anyway, just until the deposit comes back. But I've asked family and they can't help.

stevekranz

izools wrote: »

I have a similar problem and its really p!$$ing me off...

I live in a flat conversion (converted a good 25+ years ago) but because we only have one letter box for four flats, the Royal Mail refuse point blank to list it as separate flats on the postcode database. They say the postcode database records physical letterboxes, not addresses.

Fine, but I appear as Flat X, XX Roadie Road on the ER database.

So many creditors, online shops (Dominos Pizza especially), etc, rigidly only accept entries present on the postcode database and won't let you customise the address.

Result? None of my cards authorise with on line retailers that check the address with the card provider if that retailer also uses the postcode database verbatim. Any creditor that checks Equifax with the address as it appears on the postcode gets a blank file.

Thankfully this doesn't happen with Experian.


The problem seems to come about in the fact that the royal mail will NOT add addresses to the database that don't have a unique letterbox, and they insist that the postcode database is NOT intended for use in the way that a lot of companies use it.

Obviously the companies concerned insist that the database is wrong and the fault lies with royal mail and when pointed out that they shouldn't be using the database verbatim as the royal mail specifically tells them it shouldn't be used verbatim they accuse me of lying....

*sigh*

Hi

I had a similar problem... well sort of..

there are two properties under the same name "Swans yard" they have one gate and one letter box and the street number is 3b so we were both known as 3b. We could make up flat one and flat two if we wanted but to royal mail it would still only be listed as 3b

this has been the same here for years and other people just used the same address for the two properties.

I had issue with my last address with credit expert where it listed my street as district etc etc similar to another poster above.


When we moved to this address I was not going to go through all this hassle again of not having a full address that was listed on royal mail and the electoral role. It took six months but finally happened.

I had to go to council first and make numerous complaints I started with the council tax dept, then they started sending me to different depts... had to take them the plans for my property, they then had to make an application to royal mail to list it seperately. To do this they also have to go to the emergency services and ok it with them to ensure they would be able to find it... then they come and check that you are not using another number which is already in use.

after a couple more months of waiting royal mail finally listed it so when I buy products online the option of 3a now comes up and I am on the electoral role as 3a. I just need to go change my address with the banks and utilities now so I can start using the seperate address.

it is a pain but can be done

izools

gothmaz wrote: »

I live in London, I have 2 children, my partner has been unable to work for the past year. He is going back to work in the next couple of months though, but that doesn't help us when the lease expires. Therefore I am the sole provider. When you are paying high London rents (£1300 per month, all of the general house bills, food shopping, petrol etc.., £250 a month on travel to work and a large portion off your debts each month, there's not alot spare. My debts are £28k, so they are taking me a while to pay off, but I am making sure I do so!

I budget monthly, I make sure the money stretches and covers everything, but there is nothing left to cover emergencies. I'm an accountant now. I've learnt how to be sensible with money the past few years, but I don't have lump sums. But my credit record these past few years is faultless. Hopefully things will change once my other half is working. The only problem I have is trying to put £3000 together in one month to move. We weren't planning to move, otherwise I would've tried to build saving something into the past 6 months. But having a carbon monoxide leak, no heating for 5 weeks, a landlord that isn't registered to sub let with her mortgage company and also not registering our deposit has forced us into a position where for the safety of the children it's best to move on. Infact it's only a short term loan I'm looking for anyway, just until the deposit comes back. But I've asked family and they can't help.

OK in that case I eat my fair slice of humble pie and apologise for berrating your budgeting skills. You seem to be making the best of a not so great situation.

You may have to go to a lender that has a high "Top APR" like Black Horse if your bank turn you down.

It might also be worthwhile (no doubt you are looking into this anyway) in taking your current landlord to small claims court to cover the cost of your moving - which he is in effect forcing you to do - as he is not fixing a potentially fatal leak - outrageous. You deserve reccompence and should seek it given the time to do so

izools

stevekranz wrote: »

Hi

I had a similar problem... well sort of..

there are two properties under the same name "Swans yard" they have one gate and one letter box and the street number is 3b so we were both known as 3b. We could make up flat one and flat two if we wanted but to royal mail it would still only be listed as 3b

this has been the same here for years and other people just used the same address for the two properties.

I had issue with my last address with credit expert where it listed my street as district etc etc similar to another poster above.


When we moved to this address I was not going to go through all this hassle again of not having a full address that was listed on royal mail and the electoral role. It took six months but finally happened.

I had to go to council first and make numerous complaints I started with the council tax dept, then they started sending me to different depts... had to take them the plans for my property, they then had to make an application to royal mail to list it seperately. To do this they also have to go to the emergency services and ok it with them to ensure they would be able to find it... then they come and check that you are not using another number which is already in use.

after a couple more months of waiting royal mail finally listed it so when I buy products online the option of 3a now comes up and I am on the electoral role as 3a. I just need to go change my address with the banks and utilities now so I can start using the seperate address.

it is a pain but can be done

How did you convince Royal Mail to list one letter box as two different entries on the database? I can't get past that brick wall... I'm tempted to get a jigsaw and put another letterbox in the front door just so I can say "Fine. There's your f***ing separate letterbox! Now sort it out :mad:"