Warning about Experian Credit Club data...it may not be what's in your Experian file!

NickZurich

I have my own Experian subscription, which costs £14.99 per month. It tells me I have several defaults, a CCJ and a score of 575. But the MSE Credit Club Experian data says I have no defaults, no CCJ and a score of 674! So the data feed from Experian to the Credit Club is completely screwed. And before anyone says the Credit Club data might just be a little slow to update, the defaults and the CCJ have been in my Experian file for years.

I tried to find somewhere to complain about this. but complaining at MSE seems to be impossible, you just get sent round the houses. So I hope that members will read this and know not to trust what Credit Club is telling them - you need to double check it by going to Experian.co.uk and signing up. I think you get 1 month for free. The reason I have to pay is that I used my free month last year.

I might as well add that my files at the other credit reference companies don't match my Experian file completely. So if you really need the full picture I advise you to sign up with all four firms: Experian, Equifax, CallCredit and Crediva. And don't trust intermediaries, such as checkmyfile.com. In my case that's also hopelessly incorrect.

[Deleted User]

Mine matches up fine.
As do many others (read: nigh-on everyone) that’s posted on here as well.

The scores can be safely ignored.

Are the default and CCJ current or old/settled?

Willing2Learn

You can get your Experian credit report for free every month without subscribing to either CreditExpert or MSE Credit Club. You can do this by simply requesting your statutory report direct from Experian.

https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/statutory-report.html

You can save yourself £14.99 every month by getting your statutory report. That saves you an annual £179.88. (After all saving money is what MSE is all about). The credit score is pointless as lenders don't see and don't use it.

NickZurich

So they tricked me into spending £14.99! (My plan was only to subscribe for 1 month - I cancelled the payment as soon as I'd subscribed.)

NickZurich

!!! wrote: »

Mine matches up fine.
As do many others (read: nigh-on everyone) that’s posted on here as well.

The scores can be safely ignored.

Are the default and CCJ current or old/settled?

You can't know how many don't match. Anecdotal evidence isn't any use here.

The defaults aren't settled. Not sure about the CCJ. I'm ploughing through years of paperwork looking for it. The credit file gives the amount but not the name of the creditor.

[Deleted User]

The £14.99 subscription is to give you access to your “score” and then their “score improvement” products.
Neither of which are required in the real world.

How long have you had the MSE report for? More than one monthly update cycle?

NickZurich

!!! wrote: »

The £14.99 subscription is to give you access to your “score” and then their “score improvement” products.
Neither of which are required in the real world.

How long have you had the MSE report for? More than one monthly update cycle?

I realise that the so-called 'score' is a silly marketing device but in this case it's significant because it shows a data mismatch.

I joined the Credit Club on Feb 27, so I think I've had 1 update cycle.

Eta: just found the email address for Credit Club feedback, creditclub@moneysavingexpert.com, so I've asked for an explanation.

[Deleted User]

You might just need to wait another cycle.

Are you also looking under the correct sections for the CCJ and the defaulted accounts?

NickZurich

I've looked in every section. And if the credit club file just needs another cycle to become up to date it would mean that all the adverse items. which are quite old and all from different lenders/debt collectors, were not in my Experian file last month but have all been reported in the last few weeks. That's very far-fetched.

[Deleted User]

You’ll need to wait until the Credit Club team come back to you then in this instance

Verityspinelli

!!! wrote: »

The £14.99 subscription is to give you access to your “score” and then their “score improvement” products.
Neither of which are required in the real world.

How long have you had the MSE report for? More than one monthly update cycle?

Actually Gary that’s incorrect, you can get a free experian account that will only show you your ‘Score’. The £14.99 is to view the full extent of what searches have been made on you and what your lenders are reporting on you.

I agree it’s not worth paying for unless of course you are searching for something specific or want to discuss something or remove something from your report. I know you don’t have to be a member for them to do that but I think they will only talk to you on the phone if you are a member, otherwise it’s e-mails. Depends how desperate you are for action to be taken.

The problem with paying a membership fee and having constant access to these reports are that people become obsessed with the ‘score, even though they know that this is not what lenders will see or rely on when making decisions.