Equifax, ClearScore, and Experian CreditExpert not recognising flat numbers

Ecologist

Equifax and Experian CreditExpert don't have my flat address when I try to sign up for an account with them. I have a slash in the middle of the flat number - 14/3, which is the format recognised by the post office, and works on the majority of websites. However, I've had problems with a couple of car insurance companies not finding my address. Noddle works fine.

For Experian CreditExpert, the sign up page doesn't allow non-numerical characters. I've tried a space, or just the building number (e.g.14), but it still can't find my actual address.

Equifax (and ClearScore that uses Equifax's data) has a variant of my address when I try to sign up. It has a dash (14-3) instead of a slash. However, a month or so ago my proper address was in there. I had a free trial, then the day I cancelled my trial I noticed that all my accounts (mobile phone, credit cards etc) were no longer on the report. I contacted Equifax, and they said I needed to sign up again to generate a report. When I tried signing up again, my proper address format was no longer in the options to select, just the variant with a dash. This may be why all my data disappeared, if they changed their address formats. I've posted on separate thread recently about this specific problem with Equifax, but I thought I should start a new one on the wider issue of flat number across the agencies (apologies if that is bad etiquette) .


If the credit reference agencies are not using correct address formats, this can cause problems. My girlfriend had problems getting a mobile phone contact a couple of years ago, and that was because none of her accounts were linked to her address, so it looked like she had no credit history. Has anyone else been having similar problems?

RedDwarf82

Yes, they are incompetent. They don't care. I have this thread to prove it:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/70500604#Comment_70500604

Ecologist

Thanks RedDwarf - that's not particularly encouraging if they haven't sorted after such a long time. I know a tiny bit of computer coding, and even I can write a bit of code that can take into account different characters in an address format. Given that these credit reference companies can help inform decisions on billions of pounds of credit, it's somewhat shocking that they can't even get the basics correct.


I've been stuck in a catch-22 situation with Experian as they keep requesting my account number before they answer my query, but I can't sign up to an account as I can't enter my address. They've now clicked and asked to phone me.


Equifax have noted that they had duplicate formats of my address, but have deleted the wrong one.


Clearscore are looking into it - they seem to be more helpful at the moment, and are understanding the nature of the problem with out the standard "computer says no" reply.

Experian_company_representative

Hi Ecologist, I hope that you have now been able to sign up for the CreditExpert service and apologise for any difficulty that you have had with this.

The address details we use come from the Post Office database, if you are not able to enter your address in your preferred format give us a call on 0800 013 88 88 or 0344 481 0800 and select option 1 (you don't need a reference number) we will be able to help you sign up and manually amend the address format if needed.

Kind regards
Neil

RedDwarf82

Ecologist wrote: »

I have a slash in the middle of the flat number - 14/3, which is the format recognised by the post office, and works on the majority of websites.

Experian_company_representative wrote: »

The address details we use come from the Post Office database

Translation: "I have not really read your message".

Experian_company_representative wrote: »

we will be able to help you sign up and manually amend the address format if needed.

Translation: "We prefer to use one time workarounds. Fixing the underlying cause of the issues is soooo much work. Notice that at no point I have even acknowledge an issue."


PS: The Postcode Address File is Royal Mail's property, not the Post Office's. "Not that we care about the correctness of the messages we copy and paste millions of times."

PS2: "Yes, RedDwarf82, I have seen you linking to the the 'Waiting for a Experian company representative' thread when I answered here. But I will never answer to your thread, NEVEEEEER. MMMMMWWWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH".