Anyone else in Scotland have this problem?

hieveryone

I've just opened up my credit report and was shocked to see I am not listed as registered on the electoral roll :eek:

I have lived in this address for 3 years and have always shown as listed on the roll.

When I looked at the FAQ's on Equifax website, they have described something about the change in recording details within the Scottish system, but state that current registry should still be valid?

Has anyone else noticed this? My mortgage app is in and this has freaked me out :eek::eek:

Nebulous2

Have you checked the other credit reference agencies? You get Noddle for free.

There can be an issue in how the address is registered for Scottish flats, particularly Edinburgh I think. Check the electoral roll to make sure you are on it. If you are contact the Equifax and let them know. It can be a faff, but they will accept information from the electoral roll registration people.

hieveryone

Nebulous2 wrote: »

Have you checked the other credit reference agencies? You get Noddle for free.

There can be an issue in how the address is registered for Scottish flats, particularly Edinburgh I think. Check the electoral roll to make sure you are on it. If you are contact the Equifax and let them know. It can be a faff, but they will accept information from the electoral roll registration people.

Yes, I am listed on Noddle as being on the Electoral roll.

I am not in a flat, and have lived in the same address for the last 3 years.

Equifax have this blurb about the 2015 electoral roll:

https://equifaxuk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/673

Nebulous2

That shouldn't matter, as for Scotland it says:-

"In the meantime, your 2014 registration will still be considered as up to date."

I've had recent experience of this, as a friend has been at his address for the last year. He was on register, he received a voting card for the referendum, but then at some point after that he disappeared from all CRAs.

He emailed and phoned the electoral register people who sent him an email confirming he was on the register. He raised a dispute with each CRA and they all accepted it eventually, with varying degrees of difficulty in getting them to agree.

Quimoi

From another recent thread (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5149801):

Bluesdad wrote: »

From Equifax:
"The Electoral Registers are expected to be published in Scotland by 2nd March 2015. If you live in Scotland, we will update your information once the registers have been received from each of the individual local authorities and loaded to our database. We expect this to be completed by the end of March. In the meantime, your 2014 registration will still be considered as up to date."

I contacted Equifax to ask why if my 2014 registration is still considered up to date my electoral registration status at the moment is not confirmed and they claim that this section means confirmed in 2015 and there is no way they can change this section until they get the 2015 electoral registers for Scotland in March. They further stated that it was not a problem since a manual check of my credit score would show that I have been registered at my current address for the number of years shown. I could apply to add a notice of correction but that would not change the status and would only be apparent if a manual check of my credit report was done.

Not sure if that helps or adds anything here...

hieveryone

Thank you all. My main concern was that even though it stated in the faq's that last years would still remain valid, mines says 'no' at current address.

I have added a note of correction stating that I have spoken to Equifax and explaining the authorities changing the systems.

My mortgage application is in so I assume if it does go to manual underwriting then this will be picked up.

Thanks again.

Edi81

I used to live in Scotland and the way flats are addressed there can be very confusing.

Royal Mail had it as XX/Y where xx is the building and y is the flat in the building.

The council (for electoral register, council tax) had XX LFZ where L was the landing/floor, F was for Flat and Z was the number of flat on that landing which is not necessarily the same as Y.

Confusing? Totally and utterly and caused no end of issues for me and my family.

Bluesdad

I think that a manual check of your credit file will make it perfectly clear. It is the automated checks that are more likely to fail at this question.

hieveryone

Bluesdad wrote: »

I think that a manual check of your credit file will make it perfectly clear. It is the automated checks that are more likely to fail at this question.

This is what I'm worried about Hopefully will all work out in the end. Thanks again everyone.

Bluesdad

I have given Equifax details of my electoral register entry and confirmed with the registrar that the current register is valid until 27 February 2015 but all I have had from Equifax is a repeat of the explanation as to why it won't show me as being on the 2015 register until March. I have now made a complaint to the Information Commissioner that inaccurate data is being held by Equifax despite making them aware of the error. That would appear to breach the data protection act. The fact that an automated system can't cope with a change in the date the register is published is an explanation but it does not absolve them of the need to correct any inaccuracies when they are brought to their attention.

At least that's what I think. I await a reply from the Information Commissioner.