The way your name appears, does it affect your credit rating?

callumst

It's common for banks to display your name differently on banks and statements such as: MR J A Smith, MR J Smith, MR John Smith, MR John A Smith (and with or without MR).

• Does anyone have experience, or believe this has a material affect on your credit rating?
• Are there any instances your credit history for one provider has not been found as it was under a different format?
• Have any of you requested banks change it to a universal one?

Thank you

GingerBob_3

The CRAs set up so-called "aliases", which are names which you can be known by: James Albert Smith - Jim Smith, Bert Smith, Al Smith etc could all be listed as aliases on their files. When it comes to two or more people at your address with the same alias (as is the case for me), they make assumptions (in the absence of other identifying data) as to who the person in question is. This lack of quality control can be very problematic. For me, 20 years ago when I was applying for a mortgage, the d**kheads and Halifax could not reconcile my name with the CRA's version of my name on the electoral register. This was despite the fact that since one of my Christian names is quite uncommon and it was plainly obvious who I was, they initially rejected my application (computer says "no" boll***s) and didn't try to contact me about it. So does it affect your credit rating? It shouldn't, but due to the lack of proper data management and quality control at the CRAs, it might.