Experian credit report

melbury

After being rejected by Capital One for their cashback card I went ahead and ordered a report from Experian. They say that I do not appear on the electoral role, which is rubbish as I always get my voting card.

The only thing I can think of is that my address on the electoral role gives house name and street name but no house number, whereas I always fill in applications giving the street number. Could this be the reason? If so, it is pretty stupid!

If this is the case, how can I sort it out? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Deleted User]

I had a similar problem I think experian can put a link between the two (same) addresses but the belt & braces approach may be to apply with the address exactly as it shows on the electoral role.

jonnyb

house name and rest of address = 1 address
house number and rest of address= 2nd address, different from the first.

under data protection act rules, credit ref agencies can only supply data on the address that you specify, plus and linked addresses.

what did you expect ? and why list your address on the electoral roll different to the address you use for credit applications ? it doesn't make any sense to me.

have you tried looking for your own data on 192.com ? mine shows perfectly OK.

melbury

jonnyb wrote: »

house name and rest of address = 1 address
house number and rest of address= 2nd address, different from the first.

under data protection act rules, credit ref agencies can only supply data on the address that you specify, plus and linked addresses.

what did you expect ? and why list your address on the electoral roll different to the address you use for credit applications ? it doesn't make any sense to me.

have you tried looking for your own data on 192.com ? mine shows perfectly OK.

Firstly, it isn't house number and rest of address, it is house name and then street number and rest of address - only difference is the number! Also I didn't list my address on the electoral role, this was originally done by my father when he was alive and it was his house. I guess I just didn't realize that putting in the street number would have any great impact on anything, in fact I thought it was being sensible. On all sites where you just put in the postcode and it brings up the street and number I don't even get the option to put in the house name!! So I suppose it is effectively three different addresses:eek:

When I spoke to Experian today they said that I should inform anyone who may seek a credit report that my correspondence address is different from the electoral role address - not very reassuring. I asked if they could just change their record to take the house number away and they said this wouldn't work because most of the organizations on the report have my address noted with the number. All very frustrating and I don't really know how best to resolve the matter. They seemed to think it was just about impossible to change the address on the electoral role at this stage - does anybody know if this is right?

Thanks.

jonnyb

check out www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
I have pasted some text from part of the website below.
I have just had my latest electoral registration form; they say it is happening all over the country, so now is the time to change your address if possible.
If you can't change it with the form, then as the text below says,

Between August and November each local authority will be sending an annual canvass of electors form to every household in its area. This form will list all of the people currently on the register at your address. You should add anyone who should be registered and cross-out anyone who is no longer living at your address. You should then return the form to your local authority.
You are legally required to return this form, even if there is no one elegible to vote at your address. Information should be included with the form about who you should and should not include and further information is available in the FAQs section of this website, but if you are unsure then you should contact your local elections office.
A new electoral register, including any changes made to your registration details during the annual canvass, will be published on 1 December 2007. It is not possible to change your registration details prior to this date.

Moggles_2

Originally Posted by melbury
The only thing I can think of is that my address on the electoral role gives house name and street name but no house number, whereas I always fill in applications giving the street number.

This is almost certainly the answer. You'd be surprised how often discrepancies arise because of house names. It's a pity your late father let on that there was one!

You could appeal in writing to C1 on these grounds.

Originally Posted by jonnyb
A new electoral register, including any changes made to your registration details during the annual canvass, will be published on 1 December 2007. It is not possible to change your registration details prior to this date.

Local authorities adopt the same time-table every year, so the period before new entries/amendments are added to the electoral roll varies during the calendar year.

It's possible to enrol each month from early December until mid-August, using the rolling register procedure, but there's a blind spot from mid-August till mid-October. This is because a borough-wide audit is undertaken annually in August and the register is updated in October. Amendments will not appear until 1 December 2007.

Meanwhile, if you submit another credit card application, I would enter your address exactly as it appears on the current electoral roll. Some lenders automatically decline applications that cannot be checked electronically.

melbury

jonnyb wrote: »

check out www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
I have pasted some text from part of the website below.
I have just had my latest electoral registration form; they say it is happening all over the country, so now is the time to change your address if possible.
If you can't change it with the form, then as the text below says,

Between August and November each local authority will be sending an annual canvass of electors form to every household in its area. This form will list all of the people currently on the register at your address. You should add anyone who should be registered and cross-out anyone who is no longer living at your address. You should then return the form to your local authority.
You are legally required to return this form, even if there is no one elegible to vote at your address. Information should be included with the form about who you should and should not include and further information is available in the FAQs section of this website, but if you are unsure then you should contact your local elections office.
A new electoral register, including any changes made to your registration details during the annual canvass, will be published on 1 December 2007. It is not possible to change your registration details prior to this date.

Thanks very much for all of the information, I had a good look at the site and have sent an email to them stating my case! It would really be the best solution if they can just add my house number to the electoral role.

It's amazing that such a little thing can make so much difference.

melbury

Moggles wrote: »

This is almost certainly the answer. You'd be surprised how often discrepancies arise because of house names. It's a pity your late father let on that there was one!

You could appeal in writing to C1 on these grounds.



Local authorities adopt the same time-table every year, so the period before new entries/amendments are added to the electoral roll varies during the calendar year.

It's possible to enrol each month from early December until mid-August, using the rolling register procedure, but there's a blind spot from mid-August till mid-October. This is because a borough-wide audit is undertaken annually in August and the register is updated in October. Amendments will not appear until 1 December 2007.

Meanwhile, if you submit another credit card application, I would enter your address exactly as it appears on the current electoral roll. Some lenders automatically decline applications that cannot be checked electronically.

Thanks for your advice, I did ask Experian if giving my address as it appears on the Electoral Role would do the trick and they said NO! Basically because my bank and current credit card providers etc all have the address with the house number and so it still wouldn't tie up when enquiries were made.

It is all so complicated, I am just waiting to hear back from the local authority about changing the address on the Electoral Role - bet they say no.

Moggles_2

I did ask Experian if giving my address as it appears on the Electoral Role would do the trick and they said NO! Basically because my bank and current credit card providers etc all have the address with the house number and so it still wouldn't tie up when enquiries were made.

Yes, of course. Well, thanks for letting us know.

My own Experian credit file shows the house number under Electoral Roll information and the house name plus the house number with my current account entry, so mine is not an either/or situation.

If you still want the cashback card, I would appeal in writing to C1 on these grounds.

melbury

What I really don't understand is why Morgan Stanley accepted me for their cashback card, yet C1 wouldn't, presumably they all do the same checks. Don't these credit card companies have any hard and fast rules?

melbury

Just to say that I have received a reply to my email from the local authority and they say that they will be sending out electoral register forms (as mentioned by somebody above) in the next week or so and I can just change the address on that form and send it back. Yippee!