Credit File - Capquest

HJandR

I hope this is the right board, as I am not sure where to post this. I wondered if anybody can advise me about an entry on my credit file by Capquest.

Several years ago I received a letter addressed to me in my maiden name at my previous address. The letter was from Capquest attempting to collect an outstanding debt in my maiden name and from a former address. I opened the letter, naturally, as it was my maiden name, although I had never been known in my maiden name at my then address. I panicked and spoke to capquest about the letter, they confirmed the details but also said that the date of birth they had against the debt did not agree with my date of birth. I discussed with them that this was not my debt; the debt originated 4 years after I left the address which it related to, it was 4 years after I married and stopped using my maiden name, I had never to my knowledge ever purchased anything from the company in question, and the date of birth did not agree - it was not my debt. I put all of this in writing to capquest.

I then spoke to a legal helpline as I was unsure of my rights, any further implications, possible identity theft etc... I got a very unhelpful lawyer who informed me that I should not have opened the letter - as this was no longer my name, and I should simply have returned it as not known at this address. She informed me that I should do this with any further correspondence - which I did with one letter. She also said I should correspond no further with capquest - this person they were trying to contact was not me and I had no obligations.

I then moved house, and so have no idea if any further letters arrived.

I took out a capital one card - for the identity theft protection and credit file checks etc. This highlighted the fact that capquest had registered the unpaid debt on my credit file. I understand that the only way to remove this is to deal with the agency that has placed the record on my file - but this goes against the legal advice I received - any thoughts on how I can remove this from my file ? I am very wary to contact capquest again as having read a number of these boards they appear to have a very poor record.

My file also seems to have links to the person who since bought my house (as we obviously both had/ have the same address) which states that she has been linked to identity theft - is this correct that such notes should be on my file - when we have no links other than she bought a house from me ?

I hope somebody can point me in the right direction, as so far I appear to be going around in circles and not getting anything resolved.