Do you use Experian or ClearScore? Help our investigation.

JayD

I use Clearscore and I check once a month when they remind me with an email. I feel it is wise to keep an eue in case my credit is being eroded by a 3rd party without my knowledge and it is good to see where I stand as a whole and within my local community. However, they do not hold all the information that should be there and getting it change is a hassle. In order to do so, they have to forward your 'enquiry' to Equifax, as that is the source of their information anyway. I joined Clearscore because the service is free. I feel very strongly that all information about us should be freely accessible to us and free of any charges.

RG2015

socceric wrote: »

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.

You can also see your Equifax credit report free of charge via Capital One. Therefore, it will not be an issue if Clearscore changes from Equifax data to Experian data.

https://www.capitalone.co.uk/web/free-credit-score.jsf

katiejayne1985

I use ClearScore which is quite good but always says that one of the negative factors is that I’m not on the electoral roll for my current address and I know that I am.

[Deleted User]

Check with Equifax that you are. It may just be a linking problem between the two.

If not, raise a dispute.

Are you showing on the ER with the other two CRAs? It can take some months for councils to update.

takman

JayD wrote: »

I feel very strongly that all information about us should be freely accessible to us and free of any charges.

Like i said earlier in the thread it is free to get a Statutory Credit Report from any CRA to see what information that have about you. It's even free to get a copy of the information any organisation holds about you using a Subject Access Request.

consumer23

• Why do you use Experian or ClearScore's services?

I use Experien, Clearscore & noddle as I am intending to make a mortgage application in the near future, so need to make sure my credit file is all in place and that there are no surprises on there that shouldn’t be there, which could kill off a mortgage application.

• What do you think about the services they provide?

I think the service Experian provided is first class, you can phone them up and ask about what certain numbers mean and how to improve your credit score, and they are knowledgeable staff, unfortunately this is not what I can say about clearscore. They are only reachable by phone if you leave a voicemail, then after several weeks of waiting, when you haven’t heard back you leave another voicemail, for the same process to start. You get frustrated with this as you’re intending to make a mortgage application and it becomes time critical, but you can only email them, the after X working days they reply, only for them not to answer the question and you need to write back again, only for the same process to start once again. In short, it would be faster to communicate with them by snail mail rather than wasting your time & testing your patience with their voicemail or email service.
Moving onto Equifax, you have the option of phoning them, but you only reach their far away call centre at the back end of the Philippines somewhere, with a delay in hearing what they are saying, then there is a delay (presumably) in what you are saying (as they take a long moments pause to answer you). They are not helpful people, and just try to palm you off back to clearscore who are even less helpful, so you’re back where you started.
Experian need to stay as they are, and clearscore need to change.
Then there’s noddle, they are only reachable by email and their turnaround time in answering emails is 10 working days, yes you’ve read that correctly and I haven’t added a ‘0’ by mistake. It would be faster to contact them by snail mail. Let’s not forget 10 working days amounts to approx. 14 calendar days (or even longer if there’s a bank holiday in there as well) which is just not good enough in this day & age when you have a time critical mortgage application to make. Whatever happened to speaking to someone over the phone?

• Whether you've used one, the other, or both (and why).

I’ve used both – for a pre mortgage application spot check.

Money.Saver.2020

I use both Experian and ClearScore to keep a monthly check on my credit score and to check if there have been any changes. I've not experienced any problems with either agency.

[Deleted User]

Money.Saver.2020 wrote: »

I use both Experian and ClearScore to keep a monthly check on my credit score and to check if there have been any changes. I've not experienced any problems with either agency.

Don't check your score.

Check the data and history on the accounts listed are correct

Money.Saver.2020

Absolutely, that's exactly what I do.

bexhill

I check my credit score to check that no misinformation has been registered in my name by criminal or other means.