False information on credit file- Help please :(

kempstar

Hello

In 2003 I took out a loan with Goldfish. I made about a years worth of payments, then settled it in full.

I recently requested a copy of my credit file, as I am hoping to start a new business soon and wanted to make sure there wasnt any incorrect information in there.

The loan I had previously taken out is showing that I still owe Goldfish £3600. I phoned them up one month ago, to ask them to correct this information. They corrected it on their systems and told me it would take a month(!) for it to update on Equifaxs files as Goldfish only pass their information once a month. I said I found this unacceptable as they had been storing false information about me. Goldfish did absolutely nothing to try and help.

One month passed and my credit file is the same- Still showing that I owe £3600. I phoned Goldfish back, and they now tell me that (and send confirmation of this by letter) that they cannot do anything at the moment because-

" We are currently experiencing some system issues relating to updates with Equifax, therefore are unable to amend your credit file. We hope to have this problem rectified as soon as possible"

Now I have complained to Equifax, and submitted an online dispute, but this can take up to 28 days. What can I do? I think it is disgraceful that Goldfish are not doing more to resolve this situation.

Any help would be very gratefully received

amosworks

I'm not sure if it applies totally in this situation but the Data Protection Act 1998 makes it a legal requirement for a Data Controller (whether that be Egg and/or Equifax in this instance) to ensure that the information on their systems is accurate and up-to-date. You, being the Data Subject, have the right to request this done and can do this free of charge.

I know sometimes the DPA doesn't apply as it's obviously a history and not claiming to be up-to-date information but I'd give it a go and see how much progress you make with it. If they don't help you can always go to the Information Commissioner's Office and maybe a browse of the FSA website could yield useful results.

However, the first route should be to contact Equifax directly also and maybe issue a Notice of Correction until Egg sort their systems out.

Good luck

kempstar

Thanks for your advice.

Thats the problem it is claiming to be up to date, it is specifically saying that I still owe them £3600.

CLAPTON

i would be inclined to phone goldfish again and try to speak to a manager to ask that they use a manual process to update your file...they must have a fall back...say you intend to complain to the bank ombudsman (and do so )

amosworks

Basically hassle their biatch asses until they do something