Ex-Landlord threatening me with fraud for using his/our address for credit checking

fatboyslick

Excuse the long message: two years ago I moved out of rented accomodation and bought my first house. Since then I’ve completed new home insurance,  new mortgage and opened a new bank account.
My old landlord has been in touch claiming I have fraudulently used his property to apply for these three things. He has sent me photo proof (looks like a credit site) claiming hard and soft searches show I have done this. I’m not sure what hard and soft searches are. 

I haven’t done this. The only thing I can think is that these services had asked for previous addresses from the pay 3 years and so we provided it. 

The landlord is threatening me with legal action. I have no idea what to do....can anyone help guide me please?

Alter_ego

Tell him you've done nothing. Then ignore him.

eskbanker

Credit searches apply to an individual rather than an address, so any made by you (or on your behalf by comparison sites, etc) are only visible to you on your credit files, not to other people, so what exactly do the photos show?

colsten

Bottom line is that he has no case.

Credit reference searches are done and recorded for a person, not for an address. Unless he has - unauthorised - access to your credit reference files, he will not know what is on your files.

Can you give more information what the photo says? Does it show your name? Which credit reference agency is it from?

• If yes, he has stolen your personal information and logged into your credit reference files. In this case, you should report him to the respective company, and possibly to ActionFraud.
• If no, the searches have nothing to do with you

Although the address the person is registered at is also held by the credit reference agency. You should check the information on your files, and have them update anything that needs updating.

fatboyslick

Thank you everyone. Attached is a modified screen grab of what the landlord sent me as “proof”. I’ve obviously blanked out names etc 
it looks like it’s from an app - maybe the Experian app. They’ve told me they have reported me to Equifax?!?

Carrot007

fatboyslick said:

Thank you everyone. Attached is a modified screen grab of what the landlord sent me as “proof”. I’ve obviously blanked out names etc 
it looks like it’s from an app - maybe the Experian app. They’ve told me they have reported me to Equifax?!?

So it is in your name right?

I would be reporting the ex landlord for fraudulently signing up to a creit report in your name. Get a police report too.

bradders1983

Echo the above, if he used his own name he wouldnt see anything in your name. Call his bluff.

As an aside, it looks like the Clearscore app (hence why he has "reported" you to Equifax)

colsten

This looks most definitely as he has gained unauthorised access to your credit file. Talk to the CRA as a matter of urgency and take their advice. Report the guy to the Police.

MalMonroe

Another echo here, how on earth did that person get your personal details? What a nasty piece of work. 

It would be interesting to know exactly what kind of legal action he could take against you, though.

I'd also want to report him for fraud, as Carrot007 suggests.

Why can't he just leave you alone though, to enjoy your life now? Some people are just plain awful, especially as it's been two years since you moved from his flat.

[Deleted User]

MalMonroe said:

It would be interesting to know exactly what kind of legal action he could take against you, though.

None.           

ReThinkMoney

Could this possibly be a landlord credit check that they do on the tenant before moving in?