What's CIAS? British gas Old debt help

SarahDFW

Today I discovered I couldn't open a basic current account due to my credit rating being poor. I couldn't understand why so checked Experian and found British Gas have put me down as missing payments and owing them money for the last 3 years. Since after I notified them I had moved out of my old house.

After talking to them on the phone today the operate helped look back into and can see a few issues I had with them years back. When I notified them that I had moved out they didn't say I owed anything and hey didn't ask for new contact details or anything. It says on my Experian that I changed address without notifying them of my new one and left behind debt.

The operator said she'd open an investigation into it which should hopefully get to the bottom of it and could get it taken of my credit score. She said it was a CIAS or something?? I don't know if I trust them? I'm confused to what she was talking about. Can someone give me advice?

macman

You appear to have a CIFAS marker on your account, which means that fraud is suspected. This is bad news and means you have no chance of getting mainstream credit anywhere. So your first priority is to get a copy of your credit report and investigate.
When you move out, it is normal to give final readings, and you then get a final bill within 6 weeks-which, unless online, requires a forwarding address.

SarahDFW

macman wrote: »

You appear to have a CIFAS marker on your account, which means that fraud is suspected. This is bad news and means you have no chance of getting mainstream credit anywhere. So your first priority is to get a copy of your credit report and investigate.
When you move out, it is normal to give final readings, and you then get a final bill within 6 weeks-which, unless online, requires a forwarding address.

Thanks macman, on my equifax is doesn't say I have a CIFAS. I moved out and my ex husband remained in the property until it was sold last year. However, they did tell me it was changed to his names and all payments were made by him after that. When I notified them that I no longer lived there they never asked for a forwarding address or anything. They assured me I owed nothing.

I moved out April 2014
We continued to pay gas direct debit from joint account
Notified them I had moved in Nov 2014 and changed name to ex husbands
First 'missed payment' appeared on Credit report Feb 2015
Red Missed payment defaults every month since then on credit report

I don't know what 'CIAS investigation' she was talking about today...