Can a removed Default still damage your score?

adamck

Hi All.
I have recently been checking my credit file with Experian which was showing 'Good' and a high score of >900.
After having some issues with a mortgage application, i spoke to Experian who told me i was missing a previous address which had a Default attached to me.
I have now had Default for £19 from Vodafone removed from my credit file and it shows a clean slate as the whole thing was an error.
I have lots of direct debits, 1 paid off store card, all house bills, 2 X Mobile contracts and £14,205 Hire purchase balance.
All of this info is GREEN, none of it is late or missed etc...
But my score is now showing as 'Fair' and scores 822??
The Vodafone contract was the only account added when i added the missing address.
So now that i have a satisfied, clean account from Vodafone, my score has dropped from 'Good' to 'Fair'?
Why has this caused me to have worse credit score?
Surely now it isn't defaulted and its all green, this score should be the same or higher than it was to begin with?
Any ideas?

rizla_king

It should be. Just proves how worthless the Experian credit score really is.

No lender uses it, so ignore.

adamck

Ahh good!
Just seemed really odd that it had gone down.

I did a statutory report from Equifax to confirm the Default was removed and that shows a different story to Experian.
That shows the default is gone, but shows 3 missed payment in 2013 and then settled. [1][2][3].

Do you think these will affect my credit in the future?
Or will these drop off in a month or so?
Or shall i get back onto Vodafone yet again to complain?
Thanks

rizla_king

They won't look good to any lender, so get that corrected.

adamck

I noticed on my Equifax report, my Twin sister has been added and all of her financials too!
She has a clean slate, no missed payments or defaults, and it was linked via an old address.
Shall i get her removed?
Or will this do me some favours that she has good, clean settled accounts?

I am just going through this all with a fine tooth comb as I've just been declined a mortgage submission (i failed the soft credit check due to the erroneous default).
Just don't want it to happen again as I'm very good at managing my finances and could believe i was denied!

Thanks

rizla_king

If a mortgage lender twigs that is not yours for some reason then that will ring big alarm bells as they won't know what they can trust on your report or financial info. Better to have everything 100% correct and squeaky clean, even if it does look slightly worse in the eyes of some. Wrong or misleading info can come back to bite you.

Tixy

Twins often seem to have problems with their credit files. Its obviously easy for a lender or potential lender to confuse the 2 of you having the same DOB and same last name.

Definitely worth getting this sorted and ensuring that she does not appear as an alias and her accounts do not appear on your file.

Is it just equifax she appears on? have you also checked callcredit/noddle?

Contact the credit reference agencies to get this corrected before trying to apply for a mortgage.

adamck

Not checked Noddle, only Experian and Equifax.
Yeah i had issues with my National insurance number when i was younger.
Their system wouldn't allow for 2 people sharing the same house, initials and DOB to have separate NI numbers lol.
I think i was paying her NI for a short while!
We have had similar issues like this before with other companies.
My Parents names us Adam and Aimee, so we are both A.K. :rotfl:

I'll check Noddle and see if i can get her removed from my reports.

Experian_company_representative

It's likely that your reduced Experian Credit Score is a result of the recent applications you've made. You should try to space out your applications if you can.

James

BugsyBrowne

Experian_company_representative wrote: »

It's likely that your reduced Experian Credit Score is a result of the recent applications you've made. You should try to space out your applications if you can.

James

Not that Experian's score actually matters James as lenders don't see the score.