Experian - why so difficult to see statutory report?

matttye

Just ordered my statutory reports for Experian/Equifax.

Equifax; click the '£2 statutory credit report' link at the bottom, login, enter payment details and view report online instantly.

Experian; tried logging into the website as I've previously had a creditexpert free trial, but when I login it appears that it will only let me become a creditexpert member for £14.99 per month rather than order my statutory report. Spent about ten minutes trying to find the statutory report order link, eventually give up and search Google for 'Experian £2 report.' Have to put in all of my details even though they already have them, as I'm a previous member. Eventually get through all this and then get an e-mail to say that my credit report will be viewable in about 2 days, but I'll need a password that I'll receive in the post in 4 days.

Why do Experian make it so difficult?? My credit report is clearly viewable online right now, and if I paid the extortionate fees I'd be able to do that. There's no legitimate reason for withholding access to my report in this way; it's an obvious ploy to get people to buy the membership. I'm not about to pay that amount of money to see data about me that I haven't even asked them to hold.

Ridiculous.

You-kip

They make the statutory report more difficult for a reason I believe and that's because its only 200 pence.
They just hope someone can't wait 2 days and they proceed to the £14.99 one instead.

rizla_king

So if you pay £2 they make you wait? With the excuse that for security reasons you have to be sent a code through the post?

If you pay £15 then they will give you instant access with no more stringent ID checks? i.e. the extra security check of sending a code through the post goes out the window if you bung them extra cash?

If so then I would imagine that would constitute an unfair commercial practice under CPUTR, and unfairly restricting your data access rights for their own commercial gain? Certainly worth reporting to the OFT and ICO.

You-kip

rizla_king wrote: »

So if you pay £2 they make you wait? With the excuse that for security reasons you have to be sent a code through the post?

If you pay £15 then they will give you instant access with no more stringent ID checks? i.e. the extra security check of sending a code through the post goes out the window if you bung them extra cash?

If so then I would imagine that would constitute an unfair commercial practice under CPUTR, and unfairly restricting your data access rights for their own commercial gain? Certainly worth reporting to the OFT and ICO.

Not saying its true but its defiantly a bit fishy to me.

[Deleted User]

I have to say that I agree with you in regards to the reason being given, a security check is either needed, or not, not only those who want to have the statutory version.

Although it is an improvement on their older method of accessing the statutory report - you used to have to print of a form and send it off with a cheque or postal order - now that took ages!

matttye

You-kip wrote: »

They make the statutory report more difficult for a reason I believe and that's because its only 200 pence.
They just hope someone can't wait 2 days and they proceed to the £14.99 one instead.

I'm not even bothered about waiting, it's just the principle of it that bothers me.

They already know who I am because I viewed my reports using a CreditExpert free trial about three months ago. No security checks are necessary. The only difference between me viewing my statutory report and me viewing it when I've bought a membership is the price.

rizla_king wrote: »

So if you pay £2 they make you wait? With the excuse that for security reasons you have to be sent a code through the post?

If you pay £15 then they will give you instant access with no more stringent ID checks? i.e. the extra security check of sending a code through the post goes out the window if you bung them extra cash?

If so then I would imagine that would constitute an unfair commercial practice under CPUTR, and unfairly restricting your data access rights for their own commercial gain? Certainly worth reporting to the OFT and ICO.

Yes, that's exactly it. Even when I signed up for my free trial, I was granted immediate access to my credit report and didn't have to wait for anything to come in the post.

Now that I'm requesting my statutory report (and paying MORE money than I did when I signed up for the free trial), they're sending me a code in the post.

Maestro.

Doing ANYTHING on experian is a pain in the !!!!. I tried signing up for the credit expert trial and failed miserably as they wouldn't recognise my details. The "online statutory report" is a complete farce because you have to wait for a code to be posted. You might as well not even bother getting the online version and just opt for it by post. And to top it off, the statutory report tells you almost nothing that is useful; mine was a single page mainly of address details, and about 6 pages of blurb!

matttye

Maestro. wrote: »

Doing ANYTHING on experian is a pain in the !!!!. I tried signing up for the credit expert trial and failed miserably as they wouldn't recognise my details. The "online statutory report" is a complete farce because you have to wait for a code to be posted. You might as well not even bother getting the online version and just opt for it by post. And to top it off, the statutory report tells you almost nothing that is useful; mine was a single page mainly of address details, and about 6 pages of blurb!

Is it not in the usual format then? I thought it would just show me the same credit report I see on creditexpert, but only updated to the point when I ordered the report.

chanz4

just signup for privacy guard, it uses experian unlimited and even gives the score for less than they charge in fact half

wifeforlife

It took experian 3 weeks to send a pass key to me to view my statutory report online, by the time I got it and had an opportunity to get online to see it, it was past the 30 days allocated so wouldn't work. So I now need to pay another £2 to view it even though they know I haven't viewed it or accessed it.

I really hate experian, compared to noodle, and equifax they are useless, I wish more businesses would use the other two tbh

matttye

wifeforlife wrote: »

It took experian 3 weeks to send a pass key to me to view my statutory report online, by the time I got it and had an opportunity to get online to see it, it was past the 30 days allocated so wouldn't work. So I now need to pay another £2 to view it even though they know I haven't viewed it or accessed it.

I really hate experian, compared to noodle, and equifax they are useless, I wish more businesses would use the other two tbh

Agreed, I think Equifax has the cleanest looking reports by far. It's so easy to see what you need.