Quick Question

ikkle87

Hi guys,

Just a quickie really. ( I hope)

In January Lewis Group (who took over a debt from Welcome Finance) offered me a full and final settlement which I paid. I have written confirmation that the account is settled etc. However yesterday I decided to check my Credit Expert file to see what difference paying all my debts off has made. Its showing Welcome Finance as being 6 months outstanding and a balance of £5xxx still owing. I rang the Lewis Group up and they confirmed that it should have been updated as of the 13th January and that they would look into it. They rang me back and said that I needed to call Welcome Finance because as it was them who put the initial entry on my file only they can amend it. I called Welcome and they basically said they wouldn't/couldn't change it because it was a debt with the Lewis Group that I settled. Which is basically tosh because Lewis Group and Welcome are the same people.

Anyhow, if Welcome continue to say they can't do anything can I forward a copy of my written confirmation to Experian and will that suffice? As I have no outstandings except for Welcome and it shouldn't be outstanding.

fermi

Experian will not normally be able to amend an entry without permission from the creditor who placed it.

You can however ask Experian to query and dispute the info with Welcome/Lewis. They will contact them and query the entry.

The only problem with that is that if Welcome/Lewis reply that it is correct, then Experian will sit on their hands and do nothing.

So, for good measure, you need to write to Welcome/Lewis Group (whoever the entry is recorded as) and demand that they correct the info by marking the debt as settled. You need to do it in writing so that you have evidence of the complaint should you need to take the matter further.

Tell them that as the entry is in their name, they are legally responsible under the Data Protection Act to ensure that the record is accurate and up to date. And of course that you will not tolerate any further excuses from them, and if necessary you will take the matter to the Information Commissioner and FOS.

See page 19 onwards of this: http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/credit_explained_leaflet_2005.pdf