Equifax credit report - parents mortgage!?

Lyndsay101

My Q is about who is responsible for the data shown to you when you check your credit report. Is it the Equifax or is it the bank that releases the info?

I thought I'd check my credit report out on Equifax and found under 'Credit Agreements' details of my parents mortgage over the family home?! (i moved out 2 yrs ago). Its been flagged under my Mrs. L Surname (she has same first initial as me, I'm not married). It shows me their payments, mortgage outstanding and how much is due monthly.

I have a couple of concerns that
(a) other companies see this and think its my mortgage and that I've not disclosed details; and
(b) data protection!? Surely I shouldn't have found this info. My parents aren't impressed that I've found their financial details so easily!

Chris2000

The same happened to a friend, got full details of all credit agreements for the rest of the family including parents. They were not happy!

Equifax are responsible for the data they hold and are responsible for fixing any errors. You need to break the link with your parents' records. You can call them to explain or submit a request via their website:

Contact Us
Query information in my credit report
Type of report - probably a statutory credit file unless you signed up for online services
Category - Someone else is on my report - Credit agreements
Give details of your parent's mortgage as shown on your report and in the details box explain the circumstances.

Edit: Equifax are responsible for errors such as incorrectly reporting a financial link between people who do not have any shared financial arrangements. They are not responsible for errors in the credit data submitted by a lender, e.g. if the payment history for the mortgage was wrong then the lender is responsible for fixing their error and submitting corrected data to the agencies.