Equifax refusing to amend address inaccuracy

Zed555

I'm a first-time buyer hoping to get an AIP sorted over the coming weeks so that I can start flat-hunting in earnest. In preparation for this, I've been checking my statutory credit reports for errors with all of the three main companies. My CallCredit report looks fine, still waiting for my Experian report, but my Equifax report has an error in my current address. My flat number is written in the form (floor number - door number), and they've essentially just reversed the two numbers. Because I provided my correct address when registering, this incorrect address now appears as a linked address. However, Equifax still have all of my lender information registered to the incorrect address, so at first glance, I'm not on the electoral roll at my current address and I don't have any credit agreements there. To be clear, the incorrect flat number does exist as a different flat in my block.

I'm almost certain that this error has been caused by Equifax's own data entry. My correspondence from all of my lenders and my local council has always been addressed correctly, and it seems very unlikely that all of my lenders would have provided exactly the same erroneous information to Equifax but not to CallCredit. However, all I've managed to get out of Equifax so far are brainless responses from overseas customer service centres. Their first move was to change my current address back to the wrong flat-number; this meant that I got my tick on the electoral roll & had credit agreements showing at my 'current address', but essentially my whole file was registered to the wrong place. When I objected to this, they corrected the current address field, but refused to change the information on electoral registration or credit agreements, so I'm now back to square one.

So, my first question: am I right to be worrying about this? Is this sort of error likely to cause a mortgage application to be refused, or might it just be viewed as an 'address variation'?

Secondly, does anyone have any advice on how I can get Equifax customer service to understand that they've caused the error, or at least get them to elevate my complaint to someone more senior who might approach the issue more intelligently? Is there any technical language that might help me here?

Thirdly, if I really can't get any sense out of Equifax directly, which ombudsman would I need to contact: the FOS or the Information Commissioner?

Many thanks!

National_Debtline

Hi Zed

Whether this causes a mortgage lender to refuse an application or not is up to them but there’s a risk it may so it’s definitely something you should sort out.

I think it’s worth putting your issues in writing and threatening a complaint so that it’s not just their front-line call centre staff dealing with it.

You would complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office once you’ve used Experian’s own complaints process.

James
@natdebtline

fermi

Zed555 wrote: »

Thirdly, if I really can't get any sense out of Equifax directly, which ombudsman would I need to contact: the FOS or the Information Commissioner?

Many thanks!

For a complaint such as this you can actually use both.

ICO would focus more one the DPA side, while the FOS would probably look more at how fairly they dealt with the complaint and any harm you have suffered.

Zed555

Thanks very much, James & Fermi. Most of my communication with Equifax has already been in writing, but I'll give it another shot, making mention of my willingness to contact both ombudsmen if they fail to correct the error. Fingers crossed that'll get me through to someone more sensible!

National_Debtline

There are details of the Equifax complaints process here and they include contact details for their Customer Relations team so I think it’s worth writing to them. It says they’ll investigate if there’s inaccurate information on your credit report.

https://equifaxuk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/225/~/what's-the-equifax-complaints-procedure?

I also goes on to say that you can contact either the ICO, or FOS as fermi mentioned, if you need to take it further.

James
@natdebtline

Zed555

Just for the benefit of anyone else experiencing problems with Equifax's front-line customer service, using the e-mail address Customer.RelationsUK@equifax.com worked a treat for me. I sent them a fairly lengthy e-mail on Monday night outlining the problems I'd had so far & the checks I'd made to verify that the error hadn't come from my local council or any of my lenders. I decided it was worth my while phoning all of the above myself just to strengthen my argument. I then reminded them of their obligations as a Data Controller & threatened to refer my complaint to the ICO & FOS. As a result, I've just had a message from them saying that they've merged everything to the correct address & they've provided a free credit report so that I can verify this.

Thanks again to James & fermi for your help!

fermi

Good news.