Need to face my demons but need some clarity

cristal

Okay. so i am a postgrad student. went crazy on store cards, credit cards and guaranteed a loan for a friend who went bust and so i am about 20k in the hole. Moved and did not contact anyone so i have been 'chase' letter free for the past two years. Cant continue like this and want to face the music and start clearing the amounts as sooner or later i would wnat to look at getting a property. I want to start with viewing my experian file but i am not sure if they will pass on my address to lenders if i apply for the report especially as i might be on the GAIN file.

Any advice or does anyone know if Experian will automatically pass on my address. I do not want everyone to start contacting me out of the blues as i want to work out a plan and then contact them to make an offer.

savingholmes

Welcome

I can't offer advice re experian and people finding your address. I can suggest however that you do an SOA - statement of affairs on make sense of cards to find out what you income and outgoings are, and how much you owe etc. You can then post it on here and people will give you advice.

Are you in a job now? Are you in a position to pay anything? It may also be worth contact CCCS_Sarah who is active on this board but works for a debt charity as she may be able to offer you the more technical advice you are looking for. You can send her a private message.

Sue-UU

Hi cristal and welcome to the Forum, a great place to be.

I can't help you too much with your question either I'm afraid, but if you put an SOA on for us to try to help you with it'll help you and can be found here www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

No idea about Experian, but you'll soon hear from those who can help you. Meanwhile you need to get a job (if you don't already have one) and get one fast! If you can't get enough money on one job then get another part time one so you can start getting cash together to pay back all you owe.

Well done on making that all important start to claw yourself back!

Sue

LilacPixie

If you get a copy of your credit report it will link your previous and current addresses together so technically a creditor can trace you that way, however this is also true of being on the voters roll.

AFAIK experian do not automatically pass on your new address to companies but they hold the information for other companies to assess.

chevalier

Don't know what the GAIN file is but would have thought that Experien would be covered by the Data Protection Act just like anyone else that holds your private information. Ie they can't disclose it without your permission. If you sign up to www.quidco.com you can get a free trial to Experien (as long as you remember to cancel it before the month is up)
chev

Sue-UU

chevalier wrote: »

Don't know what the GAIN file is but would have thought that Experien would be covered by the Data Protection Act just like anyone else that holds your private information. Ie they can't disclose it without your permission.

I'm glad you bought that up chev as the very same thought came to me this afternoon and surely it has to apply to them in the same way. I couldn't even get a nurse to tell me how my dear mum was doing when I rang the hospital a while ago!!! :mad: If it applies to that then surely it has to to Experian too.

Sue