Credit file merged - How do I get Equifax to listen?

lauraCa11y

Background
My credit file has been merged with another persons.
This is a big sticky mess, but in short one credit company did a 'gone away' search for some debt and my address came up as a potential person, without doing any checks they amended their records to add my address to the account. As a result TransUnion then merged my credit file with this other person, whom I share a name and date of birth - this resulted in my score plummeting as this other person doesn't like paying their bills.
Both companies have admitted they are at fault, it's taken what feels like months to get them to admit liability and my complaint about TransUnion is with the financial ombudsman due to the way they've handled my complaint. They have a 4 month wait just to get it passed to a case handler, i'm now in week 7 of waiting, although I have asked them to add on this next part in their consideration so I don't have to start again with another 4 month wait.
This all came to light when we wanted to buy a house in December, which we've lost as I can't get a mortgage.
Current issue
Now Equifax have merged my file with this other person. I have complained and they keep saying its nothing to do with them, its each credit cmpany reporting it, but of course the debt is legitimate - its just being put to the wrong persons credit file. If I don't like their reply I can go to the financial ombudsman - which is all well and good but that takes months just to get the complaint heard. Meanwhile, my credit card on 0% interest has run out, I can't move my money around to a 0% card or get a loan and i'm paying over £100 a month interest.
I have provided them with letters from the credit companies, from TransUnion all showing they agree I am not the person living at this particular address.
I have sent my marriage certificate showing I got married and my name changed to my current name AFTER 4 out of the 7 debts were taken out.
I have emailed, I've contacted them on Facebook and i'm getting nowhere.
What can I do?
Should I contact this other person, tell them I know plenty of confidential financial information do to this merger and hope they kick off enough that someone takes this seriously?
If anyone knows what I can do please help

eskbanker

I'd steer well clear of the other person, there's far less incentive for them to act than for you to!

You might wish to approach this from the data protection route, as Equifax are in breach of the Data Protection Act by failing to process personal data accurately - ignore any protestations about how they're relying on data from third parties as it's their choice to merge files, so look up their published privacy policy and find out who to contact about data protection matters.  If they fail to act promptly, take it up with the ICO....