Equifax incompetence - is it legal?

davidc123_2

Hi,

I have 2 ongoing problems with my Equifax credit report.

Firstly they have a defaulted bill on my account that doesn't belong to me, and should have been removed when I resolved it in 2009 (other credit agencies removed it). Since I started querying it with them a few weeks ago they've had confirmation from the relevant companies that it should be removed (only after I had to get them actually talking to each other), but they're refusing to remove the default from my account until mid-june.

The other is my electoral roll registration. The format of my address is slightly different to the format of my equifax account, so they think i'm not registered. They managed to resolve this by changing my address in their system, but that only lasted a day. Any new reports have a different format of address, and after many attempts they seem completely clueless on how to fix it.

So basically they are knowingly providing incorrect and damaging information. I'm trying to buy my first property and want to take a first direct mortgage, but their checks are with Equifax so I'm pretty much missing out on opportunities until they pull their finger out.

So does anyone have any thoughts on whether this is even legal? Would threatening them with action be a reasonable next step to try to get this fixed immediately?

If only they'd do their checks with Experian i'd be fine, because i get top scores with that.

Thanks

The_Boss

davidc123 wrote: »

The other is my electoral roll registration. The format of my address is slightly different to the format of my equifax account, so they think i'm not registered. They managed to resolve this by changing my address in their system, but that only lasted a day. Any new reports have a different format of address, and after many attempts they seem completely clueless on how to fix it.

Do you live in a flat? I have had a similar problem but with Experian. Everything is fine with Equifax and Noddle, but address format issues with my address have resulted in Experian sending me incomplete and therefore useless credit reports that they always 'resolve' after the event but still affect me next time.

MoneySaverLog

Equifax are one of the slow CRA's to react I'm afraid. I had to get some defaults removed and found that they took 2 weeks after notifying them of the 6th year anniversary to get them to remove it.

Experian would delete after 6 years and one day. (I lived with that ;-) )

Call Credit mostly a few weeks ahead of the 6th year anniversary, though I had one that stayed for exactly 6 years with them and a complaint on the phone got it removed the same day.

Palookaville

I have found that callcredit and noddle list my address differently even though they are the same company. They list me as living in Flat 9 even though I live in a detached house
I've made numerous complaints and noddle have now listed my address correctly but callcredit insist on telling me the post office and the electoral roll have my address listed incorrectly even though they don't and noddle and experian list my address correctly!!

matttye

Palookaville wrote: »

I have found that callcredit and noddle list my address differently even though they are the same company. They list me as living in Flat 9 even though I live in a detached house
I've made numerous complaints and noddle have now listed my address correctly but callcredit insist on telling me the post office and the electoral roll have my address listed incorrectly even though they don't and noddle and experian list my address correctly!!

You should ask them exactly where they're getting their data from and who you need to contact to get it changed.

cos_2

You should ask them to verify that they're getting the address from the appropriate street naming and numbering authority, usually your local council. You might want to check with the council that you have the correct address as well They are the sole arbiters of your address.

davidc123_2

MoneySaverLog wrote: »

Equifax are one of the slow CRA's to react I'm afraid. I had to get some defaults removed and found that they took 2 weeks after notifying them of the 6th year anniversary to get them to remove it.

Experian would delete after 6 years and one day. (I lived with that ;-) )

Call Credit mostly a few weeks ahead of the 6th year anniversary, though I had one that stayed for exactly 6 years with them and a complaint on the phone got it removed the same day.

I didn't realise they get removed after 6 years. However being slow to remove an expired default seems quite different to being slow to remove a default they know is false and shouldn't ever have been there at all. I have already missed out on an ideal home because of their incorrect records.

MoneySaverLog

davidc123 wrote: »

being slow to remove an expired default seems quite different to being slow to remove a default they know is false and shouldn't ever have been there at all.

Equally both these scenarios result in inaccurate data being reported and one should not have priority over the other in terms of time to resolve issue.

Salander

I'm no legal eagle but it sounds like libel to me!
:mad:
It does seem that they get away with this stuff. I had wrong info on my account and it took 3 letters to remove it (same info each time), I don't know why I bothered! I should have gone to the small claims court instead and got damages...maybe next time

The_Boss

Salander wrote: »

I'm no legal eagle but it sounds like libel to me!
:mad:

You're right, you really are no legal eagle.

Buzby

It isn't libel (yet)! This is not a public record but a private commercial database. Mistakes are expected and if pointed out and they refuse to correct there is recourse to the Data Commissioner.