Problem with Experian credit report system - how many does this affect?

khgibb

I recently checked my credit report by signing up to the free month's trial with Experian. My online report, however, only showed two old credit cards that were cancelled a couple of years ago, and nothing current at all.

On ringing their helpline, it turns out that for some reason their electronic system for addresses means that my report cannot be updated correctly. About 6 months ago I moved house. The new address, when I registered the change with my banks or the royal mail by entering in a post code and house number, comes up as 'XX suchandsuch close'. However, the agency I rent from and the Experian system both come up with XX nearbycourt, suchandsuch close' when entering the postcode and house number. I think its something to do with the estate that the flat were built on used to run along a 'nearbycourt', but that street name ceased to exist when the street was split into a number of smaller ones.

I was told that the bottom line was becuase of the electronic system Experian uses, there was no way they could match my old data with anything current to my address, becuase according to them my address doesn't come up. :mad: This means that anyone running a credit check on me via Experian (which I believe is the most popular company used) comes up with almost nothing. Incidentally, I have checked my report with Equifax and they don't have this problem with their system and it shows my full details, however no one has searched for me using them in the recent past, only with Experian.

I'm even more baffled as Experian were able to send me a print credit report which was up to date, but were unable to link any of my details into their electronic report.

I'm worried about this as my fiance and I are planning to buy a house in the next 6 months and don't want this to affect our chances of a decent mortgage rate.

welf_man

I've had a similar issue - but it's only the consumer-facing system that has the problem; organisations searching get the whole picture, as will you if you order a £2 report.

Mel.

borders_dude

Like everything you get what you pay for it seems!

fawinds

welf_man wrote: »

I've had a similar issue - but it's only the consumer-facing system that has the problem; organisations searching get the whole picture, as will you if you order a £2 report.

Mel.

I don't thing the point here is whether it is an online report or the £2 statutory report.

I have not just in front of me two different statutory reports from experian, ordered within a month, displaying totally different information about my credit accounts and searches.

The only difference is a small variation in how you enter my flat.

They are a mess. Same goes to equifax, although I could get them merge both reports into one.

savagej

It will always be a problem until "everyone" decides on a standard address format mainly for flats and houses with names (it is not really a problem when all you have is a front door number and a Post Code), which you would think we already have (but don't) and sticks to it. Technically you would think the Royal Mail's address database would be the definitive answer however, some companies such as Equifax cannot enter Royal Mail addresses that beginning with a 0, such as Flat position 0/1 meaning ground 1. Then when you find another database shows this same position as G/L or, Ground Flat or, Grd Flt or, 50A or GR/00 and these companies all are trying to search these addresses and reporting your monthly conduct using them, well you get the picture.