Request for advice on getting an error on my Experian report corrected

Fingerbobs

Earlier this month, I was declined for two credit cards on the same day (in both cases I was offered a card, but a lesser deal than the one I was actually applying for), so I've given the CRAs a pull to see what's up.

I think I've spotted the issue on my Experian report: in the July update, my Nationwide Credit Card shows a minimum payment flagged as a non-promotional rate. So it looks like I've fallen off the end of the 0% period but continued to only make the minimum payments to that card, which is not the case. On the August update, the promotional rate flag is back to "Y" as it should be (the 0% promotion expires in January).

Is it even possible to get this fixed? I will speak to Nationwide tomorrow, but I'm not sure what to say to them, as I assume they will either have no idea what I'm talking about or will try to fob me off.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

pogofish

You should ask in the Credit Files and Ratings Forum - a board guide will move the thread if you let them know.

chattychappy

When Nationwide made a mistake on my report a few years back, they never did fix it despite saying in a letter that they would. When I complained, they said that it was an "oversight", said they'd fix it, sent me two bottles of wine, but still didn't fix it. Well I gave up asking as I didn't need more credit at the time.

So good luck!

But I wonder if a one-off flag indicating you made a minimum payment on a non-promo rate is really so much worse than making a making the same minimum payment against a promo rate.

Perhaps in future always pay £1 more than the minimum payment so you never get a minimum payment marker. I don't use DD, so easy for me. If you use DD, then make sure you understand the interaction between DDs and manual payments.

PS I once got a "minimum payment marker" on a "non-promo" balance with, I think, Tesco. The balance was £1.22, so the minimum was £1.22. I paid £1.22... and got the marker!!

Fingerbobs

I have to admit, your story did bring a smile to my face. I know it's no laughing matter, but the way you wrote it tickled me :-)

I have a DD set up to make the minimum payments, and I think part of the problem may be that these are usually shown as promo rate, but not minimum payments. July's update was shown as minimum, and non-promo.

It does seem to be affecting me, as I can't see anything else on the report that could be seen as negative. I know it's pretty meaningless, but I get my Credit Score free through Barclaycard, and it's down at 912 this month, so it all ties in. It can only be this Nationwide error, as far as I can see.

I'll give the NW a call tomorrow anyway and see what they say.

Fingerbobs

Fingerbobs wrote: »

It does seem to be affecting me, as I can't see anything else on the report that could be seen as negative.

OK, I'm a complete muppet. I've just executed a large cash advance on my Halifax credit card haven't I. I completely forgot about that, and it would certainly explain why I'm not being offered the headline deals. I'm losing it in my old age, you know.


(Nationwide have indeed made a minor error, but I doubt it's that that's having a significant impact on my perceived credit-worthiness. Much more likely the cash advance that's screwing me.)