Do you use Experian or ClearScore? Help our investigation.

[Deleted User]

RL11 wrote: »

The ClearScore one was absolutely useless. My score stayed exactly the same forever, despite it showing the changes in my account balances over time. I wrote twice and got a bulk standard response saying why my score would vary, despite my attempts to explain that it never, ever changed on ClearScore. I closed the account as it was useless.

You were using it wrongly. The reports aren't there for you to monitor a pretend score.

They're there to monitor your data and to ensure everything is correct.

RL11

Sorry - I was using it Rightly! Their scoring of me never changed and should have changed - all of the other ones did. It's a feature of their website that it shows the change in graphical format and the reason they are called "clear score" and not "unclear score".

I know the value is an arbitrary one and will not necessarily affect whether you get credit or not but it is meant to give an indication of whether your finances are looking better or worse than the month before.

I realise I could use it to check that the details were correct and as far as I can see they were. My score should have gone up when I paid cards off and down as my balances increased. It never, ever changed and I was with them for over two years.

[Deleted User]

RL11 wrote: »

My score should have gone up when I paid cards off and down as my balances increased.

If the score was an accurate measure, yes. But it's not. Their criteria are too far removed from the subtleties of lending critiera.

They tried calling themselves Unclearscore but not enough people used them.

The scores aren't even close to being useful or accurate, except within the limitations of chance.

[Deleted User]

takman wrote: »

You lot do realise it is free to get your data directly from every CRA by requesting a Statutory Credit Report from them.

Yes - but if you request it too many times, they can start charging for it

[Deleted User]

socceric wrote: »

I use Experian service to see my credit score, MSE Credit Club to see my Experian Credit Score and report and Clearscore to see my Equifax credit score and report (also use Noddle for CallCredit score and report).

The only way to see Equifax credit report is through Clearscore. CMA shouldn't allow the merger unless it guarantees that people can still see their Equifax credit report for free.

From my experience, the 3 credit score services have some rubbish data such as incorrect or wrong formatted addresses. Also, it's not easy for a user to change the data.

I have heard occasions when people that had perfect credit score but the credit check failed because Experian provided the address in the wrong format (Flat number in the second line, building number in first line etc). This is silly and the users should have the power to correct things themselves rather than been victims of credit scores companies incompetence. Also, the response from Experian was very slow as it took weeks to respond.

Experian report also differs between the hard copy report and the one available at MSE Credit Club. I enquired why and the excuse they gave is due to the search returning different results. This inconsistency should be fixed.

So if the merger is to be approved there should be clauses that:
1) both Experian and Equifax reports should remain freely accessible
2) users will have full and easy control of their data
3) all systems should be in sync and show accurate information eliminating excuses of the likes 'the search was different'. Each individual should have only 1 report.
4) support should be readily available and able to help with issues such as failed credit check on the same day

As they say " With great power, comes great responsibility". Please CMA, help to make these firms responsible.

If you're using the services to monitor the scores and ratings, then you're using it wrong.

The scores and ratings are made up and are to be completely ignored.

With regards to giving users the rights to control/change the data - that's just plain silly.

[Deleted User]

RL11 wrote: »

Sorry - I was using it Rightly! Their scoring of me never changed and should have changed - all of the other ones did. It's a feature of their website that it shows the change in graphical format and the reason they are called "clear score" and not "unclear score".

I know the value is an arbitrary one and will not necessarily affect whether you get credit or not but it is meant to give an indication of whether your finances are looking better or worse than the month before.

I realise I could use it to check that the details were correct and as far as I can see they were. My score should have gone up when I paid cards off and down as my balances increased. It never, ever changed and I was with them for over two years.

No - you're using it wrongly by looking at the made up number and thinking it should change.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

It is only a made up number!

RL11

Nope - I'm still using it Rightly! The idea is that you log in and look at a score and that's what I'm doing - that's not wrong. I'm not bothered if it goes up or down but it should change - whether it's meaningless, is irrelevant to my point. If my score never changes, their algorithm is clearly faulty.

[Deleted User]

RL11 wrote: »

their algorithm is clearly faulty.

No argument there!

[Deleted User]

RL11 wrote: »

Nope - I'm still using it Rightly! The idea is that you log in and look at a score and that's what I'm doing - that's not wrong. I'm not bothered if it goes up or down but it should change - whether it's meaningless, is irrelevant to my point. If my score never changes, their algorithm is clearly faulty.

Still wrong.

You shouldn't be looking at the score at all