Can Credit Expert Do This?

climbintheladderouttadebt

OK, I got my credit report, noticed LOTS of repeated addresses in my linked addresses, so wrote to Credit Expert to have it sorted. There are currently more than 70 linked address entries on there!!

Well, their reply today is that I am wrong, nothing has been repeated, and that all this info will stay on there for 8 years!

In the letter I wrote, I also pointed out some mistakes ie flat numbers incorrect. They've made no mention of this at all!

The letter I sent was this:

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to you today to query some linked addresses on my credit report.

There are a total of 72 linked address entries on my report. Not all of the addresses that appear on my report are correct, and so my query is regarding the number of duplicate linked addresses that appear and the incorrect information.

I am aware that more than one company may well link to the same address and that this would create a separate linked address entry.

However, if you look at my report, you will see that:

entry B1 is exactly the same as B21, B39 and B53 (Please also note that I lived at ** Dolphin Lodge and not ** Dolphin Lodge). Repeats also include:
B2, B22, B40 and B54
B4, B24, B42 and B56 (Correct address should read: ** Lingmoor Flatlets, ** Gratwicke Road, to ** Dolphin Lodge)
B5, B25, B43 and B57 (Correct address should read: ** Lingmoor Flatlets, ** Gratwicke Road, to **D Highbury New Park)
B8, B28, B45 and B60
B9, B29, B46 and B61
B10, B30, B47 and B62
B36 and B68 are repeats, also incorrectly spelt. It is MULBERRY LANE, NOT MULBURY LANE.
B11, B32, B48 and B64
B16 is incorrect, the correct spelling being Mulberry Lane
B12, B31, B49 and B63
B13, B33 and B65
B14, B34, B50 and B66
B15, B35, B51 and B67 are repeats, with entries on B15 and B51 being incorrect, re the spelling of Mulberry Lane is not Mulbury Lane.
B17, B52 and B69
B18, B37 and B70 are repeats. Furthermore, I live at * Elm Court, not just Elm Court.
B19, B20, B38, B71 and B72 are repeats. However, the only correct entry is B72. Incorrect details on B19 and B20 should read ** Dolphin Lodge, not just Dolphin Lodge; on entries B38 and B71 * Elm Court, not * Elm Cour.

By exactly the same, I mean that the link took place on the same date and by the same company (even if I only have one service/account from them)
Please could you arrange for these duplicate link entries to be removed, if necessary?

Additionally, if these are errors, please could you inform me of how and when they will be removed and also of how they may have occurred?

I thank you for your assistance in this matter and I look forward to a satisfactory reply within 28 days.

Can Credit Expert ignore the errors and repeats and spout what they like at me?

Two9A

As far as I understand it, CE will have built your credit report from files taken at Experian and Equifax; if you've got linked addresses on your CE report, it'll be because one or both of those two reference agencies has that information against your file.

It might be worth a letter to the both of them, requesting a correction if one is necessary.

climbintheladderouttadebt

I got my Equifax report yesterday online and there were none of these linked addresses on there at all!! Credit Expert state they got the info from other companies ie banks, credit cards etc.

I think I may have to write back to CE but I really don't know how to word the letter. The issues are the incorrect addresses, which I believe is against DPA, also there are blatant repeats, I printed an extra report just to cut them all out and compare them! How on earth do I get them to see sense?! I do wonder if my report was even looked at, or my letter read properly?!

Tixy

Credit expert is experian (so its only info from experian not equifax). They only put on any information that is given to them by the lenders so I think you may need to take up the issue with your creditors/past creditors and ask them to correct the information in relation to flat numbers / house numbers / misspellings etc.

As to duplicate entries that are exactly the same it does seem odd that so many should appear on your report - one or 2 would not be unlikely but exactly how you would challenge those particular items on your report I am not entirely sure. I would perhaps try writing to them again but concentrating on the exact duplicate entries only and saying you are not happy with their reply and want to know what you can do to get your file corrected.

climbintheladderouttadebt

Tixy wrote: »

Credit expert is experian (so its only info from experian not equifax). They only put on any information that is given to them by the lenders so I think you may need to take up the issue with your creditors/past creditors and ask them to correct the information in relation to flat numbers / house numbers / misspellings etc. Thanks Tixy. Will give it a try! Just when I thought the letter writing had reduced! lol

As to duplicate entries that are exactly the same it does seem odd that so many should appear on your report - one or 2 would not be unlikely but exactly how you would challenge those particular items on your report I am not entirely sure. I would perhaps try writing to them again but concentrating on the exact duplicate entries only and saying you are not happy with their reply and want to know what you can do to get your file corrected.

I hope Credit Expert will listen, if it takes 8 years to drop off it looks awful and I intend to be ready to apply for a mortgage in a few years (with OH). 2 addresses will be gone in September and December of this year, one in May next year, which will take care of the first 3 sets of duplicates! lol :rotfl:

What a flippin' nuisance! And how annoying that they seem to be trying to tell me I am blind, or stupid, or both! :mad:

Tixy

You would 'hope' that any person looking at your file will see full well that there are actually only 4? 5? addressess showing.
If you cannot get any of them removed then it might be worth adding a notice of correction to your file. If you do that and then apply for any products they should be looked at by a person not a computer.

Frustrating though - especially as equifax don't seem to have the same problem.
Or you could try applying places that are known/believed to use equifax although thats obviously not great with mortgages as
1 a lot probably check both and
2 you want the best deal around not the best deal from half the market.

climbintheladderouttadebt

Thanks, Tixy. I'll be prepared to put a notice of correction on if another letter fails. Then I'll have to hope that Credit expert don't remove it!

Given some of the addresses are incorrect, if CE refuse to amend/remove them, and the companies who incorrectly reported the addresses are also of no use, can I complain to the ICO?

It helps reduce the stress a bit if I know what steps I need to take if I meet any barriers. I feel rubbish today because of CE's stupidity and all the time it will take me to sort it out.

Tixy

Have you seen the last FAQ on this link
http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/faq/AR4.html interesting it seems you might be able to use this to your advantage. You could quote this back at them and say you never lived ** dolphin lodge or whatever (that could get rid of some of your issues where the numbers are wrong, rather than going down the typo route just say it is incorrect.)

They don't actually mention what to do if you are not happy with their response to your query but they are registered with the ICO so I would think that would be a possibility if you really can't get anywhere with them.

As you say the amount of your time it will take in annoying, at least you are not trying to get that mortgage right now.

climbintheladderouttadebt

Tixy wrote: »

Have you seen the last FAQ on this link
http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/faq/AR4.html interesting it seems you might be able to use this to your advantage. You could quote this back at them and say you never lived ** dolphin lodge or whatever (that could get rid of some of your issues where the numbers are wrong, rather than going down the typo route just say it is incorrect.) Thanks Tixy, that's put the smile back on my face!!

They don't actually mention what to do if you are not happy with their response to your query but they are registered with the ICO so I would think that would be a possibility if you really can't get anywhere with them. I'll give them one more opportunity to correct it, and let them know that if I'm not satisfied with their next response, that I shall complain to the ICO.

As you say the amount of your time it will take in annoying, at least you are not trying to get that mortgage right now.

God if we were, I think the stress'd kill me! It's so much hassle dealing with 3 incorrectly issued defaults, paying off my remaining debt, challenging a credit card company's processing error and their gross incompetence, challenging bank charges from a very, very difficult period in my life PLUS this mess with the addresses on my report. O yea, and new baby's due in 8 weeks! Well, at least I can't get bored!!! :rotfl:

Seriously, though, thank you Tixy. The sun is shining outside and I think I feel up to making the most of today, now. Perhaps a trip to the beach, my 3 year old will be pleased!

climbintheladderouttadebt

Well, I wrote back to CE, pointed out the addresses I never lived at and asked them again to look into the duplicates.
I got a reply yesterday about the 3 incorrect addresses, which informed me that they are contacting the companies that informed them of the addresses and will only remove them if given their permission.

Do CE need the companies permission to remove addresses that I have never lived at?

They also stated they were putting their standard dispute statement on to these entries, which would appear within 7 days of the letter (dated 16 July). They weren't on there yesterday, though.
They are still not even looking into the fact that they have clearly repeated information several times, but I'll leave that part and see what is done about the incorrect addresses. I'm quite happy to write letters to the companies involved, and a warning letter to CE if they don't sort it out within a further 28 days of their next reply, then take it to the ICO if the letters are ignored. Looks like it might be a long battle but oh well!

FraudBuster

You may like to do a SAR request to National Hunter:

http://www.nhunter.co.uk/data.html