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

bradders1983

ReThinkMoney said:

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

I doubt it, they wouldnt see that level of detail.

fatboyslick

Thanks all
If this is a landlord check then he has to get my permission still....I moved out exactly 2 years ago.
When you say report him to CRA, what do you mean?

Carrot007

fatboyslick said:

Thanks all
If this is a landlord check then he has to get my permission still....I moved out exactly 2 years ago.
When you say report him to CRA, what do you mean?

Indeed he would. And even if the contract you signed said he can make credit checks on your behalf forever it would not be allowed. They are not allowed to ask such things, but I guess non landlord credit checks such as this often occur. However he made the mistake of telling you he has done it.

CRA = Credit reference agency. So clearscore apparently here. Though I doubt they would do much beyond close the fraundulant account (but worth it anyway). Do report to the police though, otherwise they will think they have done nothing wrong! I mean this is crazy stalker level nonsence.

Though do not be malicious. It may have been a string of really bad renters that has pushed them to this. It cannot be nice dealing with threatening letters either for the landlord or new tennants. However this is not the way to go about solving that.

colsten

ReThinkMoney said:

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

Ah - that is a possibility. But even if it is, nobody is allowed to run a credit check on you without your prior agreement

Carrot007

colsten said:

ReThinkMoney said:

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

Ah - that is a possibility. But even if it is, nobody is allowed to run a credit check on you without your prior agreement

It is not a posibility. Such a check would not show soft searches on your file. Or even hard ones. Only a report done as an individual would. Of course as a landlord he would have all the details required. However it is an abuse of power (except maybe the random checks, but some may be guessed also).

colsten

@fatboyslick You could also ask Citizens Advice on how to react to this. From all you have told us, the landlord has acted without permission, and he needs to be put right.

fatboyslick

Wow well this is a massive twist....
So, my landlord said they simply ran a credit score on Clearview and that’s why they could see my data. Obviously this is either a lie or there’s an issue with Equifax who provide clear scores data.
Therefore I created my own Equifax account and got a report....can you believe I can see all of their searches for my old property!!! A huge data breach. 

I rang Equifax who believe the crossover is because a) I have the same first name as my landlord and b) out DoBs are within a week of each other!

This explains why only credit searches showed up on his account and not my wife’s.

That being said I can see the “dispute” on my file that my landlord has raised attached to my “Previous Addresses”.

I am trying to get those removed and I have called my landlord to actually have a conversation about the mix up.

colsten

fatboyslick said:

So, my landlord said they simply ran a credit score on Clearview and that’s why they could see my data. 

What does "run a credit score" mean? Nobody is allowed to look at your credit file without your prior permission.

fatboyslick said:

.can you believe I can see all of their searches for my old property!!! A huge data breach. 

Do you mean you can see searches for names other than your own at your old address?

fatboyslick said:

I rang Equifax who believe the crossover is because a) I have the same first name as my landlord and b) out DoBs are within a week of each other!

That's a lame excuse if I have ever heard one!!! No credit reference agency should match first names at the same address (assuming your landlord actually also lived/s at the your old address) to the same individual. Not even if they have the same DoB, which in your case you haven't.


There is a complaints procedure at Equifax - sounds to me as if you should be raising a formal complaint if they have indeed merged your data with your ex-landlord's

fatboyslick

colsten said:

fatboyslick said:

So, my landlord said they simply ran a credit score on Clearview and that’s why they could see my data. 

What does "run a credit score" mean? Nobody is allowed to look at your credit file without your prior permission.

fatboyslick said:

.can you believe I can see all of their searches for my old property!!! A huge data breach. 

Do you mean you can see searches for names other than your own at your old address?

fatboyslick said:

I rang Equifax who believe the crossover is because a) I have the same first name as my landlord and b) out DoBs are within a week of each other!

That's a lame excuse if I have ever heard one!!! No credit reference agency should match first names at the same address (assuming your landlord actually also lived/s at the your old address) to the same individual. Not even if they have the same DoB, which in your case you haven't.


There is a complaints procedure at Equifax - sounds to me as if you should be raising a formal complaint if they have indeed merged your data with your ex-landlord's

In a nutshell, my credit searches were showing up on my landlords credit report and vice versa. 

So when they used ClearScore they were seeing my searches on the app. That is the photos they sent me!

And yes when I opened my credit report (sorry I keep interchanging credit score with credit report) I can see my landlords recent searches as well as my own.

we are both filing a complaint against Equifax.
The only logical conclusion is that they merged us based on lazy data capturing 

[Deleted User]

fatboyslick said:

colsten said:

fatboyslick said:

So, my landlord said they simply ran a credit score on Clearview and that’s why they could see my data. 

What does "run a credit score" mean? Nobody is allowed to look at your credit file without your prior permission.

fatboyslick said:

.can you believe I can see all of their searches for my old property!!! A huge data breach. 

Do you mean you can see searches for names other than your own at your old address?

fatboyslick said:

I rang Equifax who believe the crossover is because a) I have the same first name as my landlord and b) out DoBs are within a week of each other!

That's a lame excuse if I have ever heard one!!! No credit reference agency should match first names at the same address (assuming your landlord actually also lived/s at the your old address) to the same individual. Not even if they have the same DoB, which in your case you haven't.


There is a complaints procedure at Equifax - sounds to me as if you should be raising a formal complaint if they have indeed merged your data with your ex-landlord's

In a nutshell, my credit searches were showing up on my landlords credit report and vice versa. 

So when they used ClearScore they were seeing my searches on the app. That is the photos they sent me!

And yes when I opened my credit report (sorry I keep interchanging credit score with credit report) I can see my landlords recent searches as well as my own.

we are both filing a complaint against Equifax.
The only logical conclusion is that they merged us based on lazy data capturing 

As soon I read this thread, I thought that they created a financial association between you both - temporary joint utility bill or something basic like that like that would be sufficient.  I'm assuming the ex-LL isn't a ex-GF or ex-BF too.