CRAs sharing personal data with utility companies?

eroneo

Brock_and_Roll wrote: »

Well that's the point isn't it.

On the one hand, as a hater of Big Brother and data mission creep I am loath to give anything other than basic information to utility companies etc, however on the other hand as a consumer I want the best deal possible for my mortgage/loan/gas etc given my perfect payment record and if data sharing allows "bad payers" to be "weeded out" to make prices cheaper for me....

Thus I suspect this is why many of us we reluctantly but tacitly put up with such data sharing.

As you say, you can't have your cake and eat it.

However, if you were happy to go without credit in return for privacy, what then?

Should they still share your personal data?

MisterBaxter

If at the time of opening an account you have agreed to them sharing data with the CRA then they would use that to share in both directions so essentially by entering in to agreement you have accepted that data sharing is going to happen this would inevitably mean that they would have more information about you than you supplied when you signed up for the account. It does seem unfair, particularly for water where there is no real choice and if you don't agree to data share then you can't get an account so you are being held to ransom.

I don't have a particular issue with data sharing providing I am agreeing to it in advance, I can either choose to deal with a company that shares or not. Even when I do agree to share it shouldn't absolve the companies from incompetence or negligence which if we are being honest is where the real issues arise. If companies report a true and accurate position then there are few complaints, it's when they get it wrong that the problems start and the system seems to be stacked against the consumer.

There will always be people who are totally opposed to this or any sort of data sharing but I don't think their expectations of going back to anonymity are realistic.