data protection advice needed

gaz77

Hi,

First of all, my apologies if this is in the wrong forum, but I couldn't find one that seemed to suit. This started with a loan application, so I've put it here.

I'll try to keep this as brief as possible:

A few years ago, I got turned down for a loan. This surprised me, as I'd never had any previous problems getting credit.

I sent off to the 3 credit reference companies to get my reports. 2 reports were as expected, but one didn't list me on the electoral roll. After various correspondence, it seems that they couldn't recognise my address.
I live in a flat in Glasgow, and the correct position of my flat is 0/1. However, it's often incorrectly been referred to as ground-left, g/l, ground-l or any other variation you can think of.

I've since standardised my address with banks etc to use 0/1, but I can't get the electoral roll corrected, which lists me at Ground-1.
When I first phoned them, they said they couldn't change it because all their address information came from the planning department. I phoned planning who told me they had the correct 0/1 version of my address.

So the next year, when my electoral roll card was received and the address was still wrong, I phoned again. They still couldn't change things for me, so I had to write to the Glasgow Electoral Registration Officer, asking her to correct my address and back-date the change to 1996 when I first moved in.

After several months, I eventually got the following response:
"I should advise you that all ground floor flats are entered in the register of electors in the same manner as your flat and I am unable to alter your entry.
"If you can call at the public counter in this office you can obtain a copy of your entry in the electoral register at a cost of £10.00. Credit companies will usually accept the copy of entry as proof of residence.

So here I am. They haven't given me a reason why the won't correct my address - just that most other flats are entered incorrectly too.
They suggest I pay for a piece of paper showing I live at an address that doesn't exist, and is useless when an automatic credit search is performed.
I haven't returned my electoral register form yet, as I'm assuming it's a criminal offence to register to vote at an address that doesn't exist - therefore I have no vote.

I'm assuming I have the right under the Data Protection Act to force them to correct this, but I don't know a lot about it. Could someone explain to me what rights I have in relation to this please? Anything I can quote in my reply would be helpful.

Also, are they committing an offence by knowingly registering voters at incorrect addresses?

Thanks,

Gareth

tomjonesrules

The ERO is correct, for ER purposes a standard formatting is used, and this is applied nationally. They will not change it just because you prefer a different format.

gaz77

But it's not a question of me preferring a different format - the different format is what is used by everything else including the post office.

For example, if I use the Royal Mail's postcode finder to look up my address (http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder), then they use the 0/1 version.

That same address information from the Royal Mail is used by every system in the UK except the ERO.

tomjonesrules

gaz77 wrote: »

But it's not a question of me preferring a different format - the different format is what is used by everything else including the post office.

For example, if I use the Royal Mail's postcode finder to look up my address (http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder), then they use the 0/1 version.

That same address information from the Royal Mail is used by every system in the UK except the ERO.

You're not going to get it changed, however you argue the point. It is a nationally used standard. If you contact the relevant credit reporting agencies, they will be able to link the two formats.

gaz77

Even their own voter registration form (https://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/electoral_registration_applica.aspx) uses the 0/1 version of my address

Are you saying that if I was registering new, they would edit this to use the incorrect naming system?

WhiteHorse

gaz77 wrote: »

"If you can call at the public counter in this office you can obtain a copy of your entry in the electoral register at a cost of £10.00.

If you request a copy of the entry pursuant to the Data Protection Act, they are entitled to charge you.

So this is the wrong way to go about it.

Access to the full electoral roll is a right. It is usually kept at the main town hall or county library (satellite copies at other libararies are now rare due to expense).

You have to visit in person to see it. Following a court case, they will no longer answer telephone enquiries.

All you have to do is go, see it, and photocopy your entry. I have done this many times when tracing people.

tomjonesrules

gaz77 wrote: »

Even their own voter registration form (https://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/electoral_registration_applica.aspx) uses the 0/1 version of my address

Are you saying that if I was registering new, they would edit this to use the incorrect naming system?

Assuming the system has not changed in the past year, that is correct, yes. Experian would be able to confirm if it has changed at all.

custardy

fairly standard for ground flats in tenements to be denoted by their position
from the 1st floor up,its easy
the 1st flat you come to is flat 1
whereas one the ground floor,it depends on where you dictate the 1st flat is