Current address of 8 years not in report... but that address might have a bad mark. Suggestions?

MrBigglesworth

Hello all. Hopefully someone here can help me.

I downloaded my credit report and my current address of 8 years isn't on there. This might be because (almost) all of my bills go to another address; I used to travel so much with work that I'd miss them otherwise. Probably not the best idea in hindsight... To confound things further, my address on the electoral register has been this current one all those 8 years.

The thing is, I'm looking to buy a house next year and I feel that I should add this address since I've been renting here for a long time and it shows that I can afford to live in this area.

But there is a problem; in Nov 2012 I missed payments on a utility bill after changing providers. They ended up sending the issue to Collections Direct ("FINAL DEMAND"). I subsequently paid them immediately within the 10 day deadline but I'm not sure if the damage was done.

So, my questions:

1. Is it likely that mispayment actually affected my credit rating?
2. If so, has that black mark expired by now? (I read something about years...)
3. Should I manually add that address to my credit file? Or would the appearance of something after 8 years cause any weird issues (especially surrounding this possible black mark)

... and in general do you have any advice about all this?

Many thanks!
Mr Bigglesworth

sambaird

1. Something from Nov 2012 should not be showing on your credit reports. Credit reference agencies only record data for a 6 year rolling period. If it does show on your reports, raise a dispute with the CRAs directly.

2. You cannot manually add your correct address to your credit report. You will need to update your address with the companies that report your data, and they will update the CRAs accordingly - though this can sometimes take a long time to filter through. They will also not ‘back-date’ the information - so to all intents and purposes, the new address would only show on the CRA reports from the time you made the change.

Whether or not this will affect you in the eyes of a mortgage lender - only they will be able to answer this... and they probably wouldn’t give you a specific answer anyway.

Willing2Learn

Hi MrBigglesworth and welcome to the forum

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

I downloaded my credit report and my current address of 8 years isn't on there. This might be because (almost) all of my bills go to another address; I used to travel so much with work that I'd miss them otherwise. Probably not the best idea in hindsight... To confound things further, my address on the electoral register has been this current one all those 8 years.

I hope you checked all three credit reports available from each CRA? Your Electoral Registered address should be your current address. The addresses you have recorded for all your active credit accounts need to be identical to your address recorded for you Electoral Register

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

But there is a problem; in Nov 2012 I missed payments on a utility bill after changing providers. They ended up sending the issue to Collections Direct ("FINAL DEMAND"). I subsequently paid them immediately within the 10 day deadline but I'm not sure if the damage was done.

When was the account settled and closed? When did the account default (if at all)?

[Deleted User]

Addresses don’t have “bad marks”.

Individuals and their accounts do.

MrBigglesworth

@willing2learn Thanks for those details. So should I make sure all my accounts are moved to my living address ASAP? I expect to buy something in the next year so maybe that’s not super high priority? Ie too late to be useful?. My bank accounts are linked to parents address by the way.

The request for payment was about the 20th November of that year and I paid them 2 days later. I can’t tell when the account was officially closed but it was very shortly after.

Good point about the checks. I’d not realised there was more than two. Equifax was something like AAA and the other one I checked 520 out of something like 700. Not sure if that info helps.

Willing2Learn

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

@willing2learn Thanks for those details. So should I make sure all my accounts are moved to my living address ASAP? I expect to buy something in the next year so maybe that’s not super high priority? Ie too late to be useful?. My bank accounts are linked to parents address by the way.

You want all active accounts and the ER to be at the same address (your current address preferably)

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

The request for payment was about the 20th November of that year and I paid them 2 days later. I can’t tell when the account was officially closed but it was very shortly after.

An account is automatically removed from your credit files six years after account closure. Assuming that your payment on the 20th November 2012 paid the full balance due, then the account is either closed or dormant. Is the utility account listed on any of the three credit files?

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

Good point about the checks. I’d not realised there was more than two. Equifax was something like AAA and the other one I checked 520 out of something like 700. Not sure if that info helps.

You want to check the report data held in your three files, for accuracy.

Ignore your 'credit scores', 'AAA ratings', or 'improvement guidance' as they have no meaning in the real world. Mortgage lenders or other lenders don't use your 'score' or 'rating'. They score you independently, using the data held in your three credit files, added to the data you submit in your credit application, added to any data the lender may already hold on you as an existing or returning customer.

You are looking to buy a home next year.

• Just get on the ER at the correct address.
• Make sure all your active accounts are at the same address.
• Check the data held in your three credit files for accuracy (particularly checking for that rogue utility account)

MrBigglesworth

I think I may have missed some of your info on second read - sorry for missing that later but of advice. My browser has problems showing this site for some reason and doesn’t show the whole page sometimes.

One last question; by switching my accounts to my current address, does this cause a problem in that “time at current address” seems to be a rating criterion?

MrBigglesworth

To clarify, I’m on the ER at the current address and have been so for about 7 years.

Willing2Learn

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

One last question; by switching my accounts to my current address, does this cause a problem in that “time at current address” seems to be a rating criterion?

MrBigglesworth wrote: »

To clarify, I’m on the ER at the current address and have been so for about 7 years.

As long as everything is for same address, then it is all good

MrBigglesworth

Brilliant. You’ve been great!

Time for a solid Sunday of administration duties then!

[Deleted User]

Stop looking and fretting over the “scores and ratings”.

They’re not “real things” that lenders use or see.