Electoral Register - Complicated question re. improving my credit rating!

skyegospel

Hi there. I am having a big problem which I think is quite a complicated one and really need help to know the right thing to do.

I need to try and get a mortgage, so began looking into my credit score. I registered with Experian. My score was bad and as I looked into it... it turns out I am not on the electoral roll (My report shows details of my previous address where I was registered until 20006).

HOWEVER... I am! The problem is we live in a caravan which we have always called one thing (The Caravan, Number 20) as the caravan is based by the house 'Number 20'. So our bank account and all our bills are under that address. BUT the house we are beside also has a name. And the council have our caravan registered as 'The Caravan, House Name' instead of using the number.

I hope that makes sense! Now, I would love to know what, in our situation, would be the resolution of this issue that is most likely to have a positive effect on our credit score??

1. Do I ask the council to change the official name of the house so that this brings my electoral register details in line with my other financial details? To me this seems the best option but I don't know if it is even possible and, if so, would it be good for my credit rating?

2. Do I change my address on all my accounts and bills to bring them into line with my Electoral Register? This worries me as I guess it will make all these officials think I have changed address again which wont help my rating. ALSO how do I alter things so that I am shown on Experian as being on the electoral register? Is that as simple as changing my registered address with Experian?

3. For a simple start I could give our caravan a name of its own - we pay separate council tax anyway. This would mean I could just accept the change of address and kind of start afresh (Part of our problem is that we live in the Scottish Highlands where the addresses are CROFT (land) numbers rather than house numbers - so, for example, there are 4 properties under the number 20 - so a completely new name would certainly help simplify things??


Many, many thanks in advance for any help - I know this is the most important next step to getting my credit rating in order but just haven't a clue what way to best go about it. :wall:

skyegospel

Sorry to bump this but am really in need of help to get this sorted - even if anyone could suggest who I could contact that might know?

Thank you

Annisele

What does the Post Office say your address is?

If you go to the address finder (http://postcode.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/addressfinder?catId=20700386) and type in your postcode, do you get "The Caravan, Number 20", "The Caravan, House Name", or something else?

skyegospel

Thanks for that. I have checked and it is coming up on that link as "The Caravan, House Name".

Stuart

Ditch_Crawler

skyegospel wrote: »

Do I ask the council to change the official name of the house so that this brings my electoral register details in line with my other financial details? To me this seems the best option but I don't know if it is even possible and, if so, would it be good for my credit rating

You certainly have nothing to lose by asking the council, so why wait?

skyegospel

My only worry is, would that not seem to lenders as if I had moved house again? I am just quite worried because I have had terrible credit history over the years and have only just last year been able to pay off my large debts so I am scared to do anything that might hint at instability. I will give the council a ring and see what they advise... thanks for your help.

Stuart

skyegospel

I have now checked and altered my addresses so that Electoral Register and Post Office versions are the same. My new problem is, having also phoned Experian, they say they can see that I am registered but because my address is so rural they cannot alter their address to put it online with my electoral register address!

They said it should be ok because people to whom I apply for credit will be able to see that i am registered with the electoral register, but I am worried: am I correct that they tend to just check with the likes of Experian?? In which case they will find all kinds of mixed reports! Exoerian said there is nothing they can do to altr this as it is just the way their computer recognises addresses.

Stuart