Is a Notice of Correction Helpful?

Sophietherese

Hello all! This is my first time posting here.
DH and I moved here about 1.5 years ago, so we have no credit here. Due to our lack of credit history, no landlord would rent to us, and it took us both a full year before we became eligible for any credit cards. We eventually found a rental through DH's family, but we still can't get a mobile phone contract, internet service, etc. We have to have pay-as-you-go for everything. When we did finally get a credit card, we both applied for the same card, using the same income, but DH got a credit limit 50% higher than mine. The only difference I can come up with is that he is on the electoral roll and I'm not since he is a citizen and I'm not. Would putting a notice of correction on my credit files help?
Thanks in advance 

robber2

But there is nothing to correct. You've said yourself you are not on the electoral roll so it would seem that your Credit record/history is correct.

cymruchris

What exactly would you want to correct? What's the 'error'? Notices of correction are generally seen as a negative - as although it can explain an error - it means that when you apply for credit - whereas it might normally have gone straight through - it acts as a flag to the lender to say 'hang on a minute - you need to look at this' and sometimes leads to a decline. So if you did need something corrected - it's better to correct it rather than just put a notice of correction in place.

If you can't even get a pay monthly sim-only deal - then I might suggest the option of Loqbox to help build a very basic credit history. Set yourself a figure of how much you can afford to save each month - the more the better - but I think it ranges from about £10 - £250 - the figure CAN'T be changed - so it has to be a figure you can afford. 

For example -  let's say you picked £100 a month that you could save - they'd give you a loan on paper for £1200 (they wouldn't give you the money!) - then over the following 12 months - you'd pay £100 a month like a loan. At the end of 12 months - you'd have saved £1200 - and you could then open a regular current account with the TSB - and ALL of the money would go in there - and it's all yours fee free. 

The impact on your credit file is that you'd have a loan reported to the credit agencies, monthly payments made on time, and at the end of a year - a fully satisfied loan agreement. This would give you a chunk of positive credit history, which would then give you a better chance of getting a sim-only monthly phone contract, and possibly another credit card. 

Sophietherese

There is no error, but I read on all three credit bureaus sites that not being on the electoral roll looks suspicious to lenders and that I should submit a notice of correction stating why I'm not on the electoral roll and that I can prove my identity and time at address if required. But when I did a search about this, everywhere I read said that it is not a good idea, that having the notice of correction itself could hurt my credit and that not being on the electoral roll is not a big problem. Experian, Equifax, and Transunion all said without the notice, I would have little chance of getting credit. So I'm very confused about if I should add the notice or not. 

Cymruchris, thanks for the info about Loqbox! I never heard of that; I'll have to look into it.

MaryNB

Are you by any chance a commonwealth, Irish or EU citizen? The first two can vote in general elections. EU citizens can vote in local elections. You don't have to be a British citizen to get on the register. If you are living in Scotland or Wales I think you can vote in local elections regardless of where you are from as long as you have a right to live in the UK. 

Sophietherese

No, I'm an American citizen, and I live in Northern Ireland, so I'm not allowed to vote in any elections here. DH thought I might be allowed to vote in the local elections, but I'm not.