Struggling to get incorrect address history corrected on Experian credit report

zeddoh

Hi, hoping someone can offer advice on a really frustrating situation. Apologies for long post.

Since January of this year I have been trying to get incorrect address history information (I lived somewhere 2014-2015, on my report this is listed as 2014-2020) on my credit report corrected. I reported the error to Clearscore and was referred to Equifax. Two weeks after my case was opened on Equifax Online Help, I received a response stating that to update my current address on Clearscore, I needed to do this via their website. My enquiry was clearly not about my current address and it seemed the operator simply hadn't read my initial message. I pointed this out and then sent repeated messages with no responses, and eventually I opened a complaint in March via Equifax Online. I still haven't had anything other than an acknowledgement of my complaint (submitted March 16) and a message saying it needs investigation, but my 'case' on Equifax has subsequently been closed, with a note that as I am a customer of Clearscore, I need to raise the issue with them first and have them refer the enquiry to Equifax - which is EXACTLY what I did in January. I have dutifully opened another enquiry with Clearscore which has been passed, yet again, to Equifax, but frankly my expectations are low, and I haven't heard anything from Equifax for a month.

Equifax did share my full credit report with me in Feb and I can see that dates concerning two of my addresses are in fact incorrect - I have absolutely no idea why this is. I feel like I'm shouting into the void trying to work with Equifax to get the information corrected, and after reviewing the credit report guide on MSE I'm concerned about the impact of all this incorrect information on my report. Any advice for next steps would be greatly appreciated, or if anyone has had a similar situation with Experian and resolved it I would be really interested to hear how you went about it. Many thanks in advance.

As an FYI, I just tried to sign up for Credit Club but was unable to be verified, which seems like a bad omen.

penners324

Are all the institutions that provide data to Equifax upto date? Equifax can only go on the data given to them. Sounds like one of the companies you have an account with may still have your old addresses.

zeddoh

penners324 said:

Are all the institutions that provide data to Equifax upto date? Equifax can only go on the data given to them. Sounds like one of the companies you have an account with may still have your old addresses.

Thanks for your response. As far as I'm aware, everything is up to date and I don't have any old contracts / accounts linked to the former address. However I'm also not completely sure where to check - is there somewhere I can view a broad list of the kind of institutions that provide information to Equifax? Could it be caused by electoral register information for example?
The second error on the report is that it states I moved into my current address months before I did, so I can't think why that would be. 

DCFC79

zeddoh said:

penners324 said:

Are all the institutions that provide data to Equifax upto date? Equifax can only go on the data given to them. Sounds like one of the companies you have an account with may still have your old addresses.

Thanks for your response. As far as I'm aware, everything is up to date and I don't have any old contracts / accounts linked to the former address. However I'm also not completely sure where to check - is there somewhere I can view a broad list of the kind of institutions that provide information to Equifax? Could it be caused by electoral register information for example?
The second error on the report is that it states I moved into my current address months before I did, so I can't think why that would be. 

As far as I know There is no list as such.

whoever you have had dealings with eg mobile phone companies, banks etc.

I see you have checked Clearscore but what about Experian or Transunion/Credit Karma ?

As mentioned, if a bank (or whoever) is giving the wrong address to Equifax then its the bank who needs to be updated.

As for the second error I cant understand how that would happen, as I say check the other 2 agencies I mentioned and see what they report, if its ok with them 2 then its an issue with Equifax.

zeddoh

DCFC79 said:

zeddoh said:

penners324 said:

Are all the institutions that provide data to Equifax upto date? Equifax can only go on the data given to them. Sounds like one of the companies you have an account with may still have your old addresses.

Thanks for your response. As far as I'm aware, everything is up to date and I don't have any old contracts / accounts linked to the former address. However I'm also not completely sure where to check - is there somewhere I can view a broad list of the kind of institutions that provide information to Equifax? Could it be caused by electoral register information for example?
The second error on the report is that it states I moved into my current address months before I did, so I can't think why that would be. 

As far as I know There is no list as such.

whoever you have had dealings with eg mobile phone companies, banks etc.

I see you have checked Clearscore but what about Experian or Transunion/Credit Karma ?

As mentioned, if a bank (or whoever) is giving the wrong address to Equifax then its the bank who needs to be updated.

Hi, thank you for your response. I'm just looking at my report from Equifax in detail now. 
There are no outstanding accounts on it that I can see, but in the electoral roll section my former address has dates '2014-2020' against it, even though under the 'current' column it says 'false'. And my current address is listed as '2018-2020' even though I only moved there in mid-2019. It looks as though the issues are coming from the electoral roll so I will investigate there.
Regarding other providers - I have an Experian account but can't see my full report as I used the free month of Experian CreditExpert a couple of years ago. I am considering paying for it again to review. I will look into Transunion/Credit Karma now -  
thanks again!

super_saver123

I had a similar experience with Equifax after I moved 3.5 years ago.I moved from my last address in Sep 2016, but the electoral roll had me there until Dec 2018. I did inform the council I had vacated the premises for council tax purposes and they had updated their records accordingly. However the electoral roll is a seperate department and council departments do not talk to each other, so that wasn't updated until someone else moved into the property and updated the electoral register. Equifax will not change it as the info comes from the council, and the council would not change it either despite evidence that I had moved out of the property. So now my credit record shows me registered at 2 addresses for just over two years. Lesson learned - update both council tax and electoral roll if I move again.
I'd be interested to know if you manage to get it changed.

zeddoh

super_saver123 said:

I had a similar experience with Equifax after I moved 3.5 years ago.I moved from my last address in Sep 2016, but the electoral roll had me there until Dec 2018. I did inform the council I had vacated the premises for council tax purposes and they had updated their records accordingly. However the electoral roll is a seperate department and council departments do not talk to each other, so that wasn't updated until someone else moved into the property and updated the electoral register. Equifax will not change it as the info comes from the council, and the council would not change it either despite evidence that I had moved out of the property. So now my credit record shows me registered at 2 addresses for just over two years. Lesson learned - update both council tax and electoral roll if I move again.
I'd be interested to know if you manage to get it changed.

Hi, thanks for this - really interesting to hear your experience, which sounds very relevant to my situation. When I moved out of the flat in question in September 2015, I registered to vote at my new address, the only thing I can think is that I wasn't removed from the electoral roll in the former address when that happened. I don't know if I was registered there for council tax purposes unfortunately (it was a flatshare and I paid all bills including council tax to another tenant). I will try looking into my records held with the electoral roll. Will certainly come back and update if I have any success, although from your account it doesn't sound likely! 

super_saver123

I thought the electoral roll would update when you register somewhere new, but it doesn't. You have to deregister at your old address as well. I didn't know this and I lived at my last address for 9.5 years so it hadn't been a problem before.
It's quite an important thing to know, especially in terms of your credit record, but it doesn't seem to be common knowledge.

zeddoh

super_saver123 said:

I thought the electoral roll would update when you register somewhere new, but it doesn't. You have to deregister at your old address as well. I didn't know this and I lived at my last address for 9.5 years so it hadn't been a problem before.
It's quite an important thing to know, especially in terms of your credit record, but it doesn't seem to be common knowledge.

I agree, that's pretty critical info and it doesn't seem to be widely known. The former address in question is the only other place I've been registered to vote so it wouldn't have come up before. Thanks for responding, you've been really helpful!

Steve_KCS

Equifax are a joke. I can't say anything positive about them. 

I am in the process of applying for a mortgage but it's not possible because equifax refuse to show me on the electoral register. I have lifted at the same address for 5 years and up until last year equifax had me on the electoral register. It has somehow dropped off at the start of this year and despite confirming that I am on the register with my council (Edinburgh) and sharing proof with equifax they are doing nothing about it.

I have lost all hope with them and I think getting a mortgage without being on the register will be impossible. 

I have had the open dispute with them since February and we are still in the same situation. It's the exact same story with my wife. I am on the electoral register with Eperian and Transunion. 

Their systems are terrible and you can get nothing resolved. 

Equifax have said they are going to contact my council to confirm but they won't do that.

I'll be back to square one and still can't apply for my mortgage. 

My last resort is to raise a complaint with them but it sounds as this is as equally a sham of a process. 

RelievedSheff

super_saver123 said:

I had a similar experience with Equifax after I moved 3.5 years ago.I moved from my last address in Sep 2016, but the electoral roll had me there until Dec 2018. I did inform the council I had vacated the premises for council tax purposes and they had updated their records accordingly. However the electoral roll is a seperate department and council departments do not talk to each other, so that wasn't updated until someone else moved into the property and updated the electoral register. Equifax will not change it as the info comes from the council, and the council would not change it either despite evidence that I had moved out of the property. So now my credit record shows me registered at 2 addresses for just over two years. Lesson learned - update both council tax and electoral roll if I move again.
I'd be interested to know if you manage to get it changed.

I'm currently having trouble with Equifax and my address. We moved house this time last year and updated details on the electoral roll straight away. That change went through on the register in June last year.

Equifax still have my address as the old address. I have raised a complaint with them but they are very slow to respond.

My other two credit files show the correct information and address. It is somewhat annoying to say the least.