Lowell default incorrectly placed on Equifax credit report.

[Deleted User]

Would really appreciate any help on this. I’m going through a living nightmare. 

A couple of years ago I received some threatening letters from Lowell chasing payment for an account with BT. Having never held an account with BT, I was pretty confused and called them up. After speaking with someone over the phone, it became fairly obvious it was a case of mistaken identity and I never heard from them again. The default was also removed from my Experian credit report. 

Skipping ahead to the present day. I’m currently in the process of trying to buy a house, and put down a holding deposit on the property before getting a mortgage. You can probably guess what happened next. After requesting my reports from Check My File, it became clear the default was still present on the Equifax report, as was an address in Birmingham I have never lived in. 

Since then I’ve been going back and forth between Equifax and Lowell trying to get this sorted. Each blame each other and won’t take responsibility. Lowell it seems still have my former address linked to this other persons file, but say that as they didn’t link my current address to the Equifax file there’s nothing they can do. Equifax say they can’t remove the default without agreement from Lowell. 

I’m in limbo and it’s looking likely I’ll lose the holding deposit for the house and won’t be able to get a mortgage. 

I can easily obtain evidence that I was living in Milton Keynes at the time of the account (not Birmingham). I happened to be an elected councillor on Milton Keynes Council at the time, so even a simple Google search would probably give them all the proof they need. 

I’m at my wits end and would appreciate any advice. 

adamp87

Lodge a written formal complaint with Lowell get it removed ASAP otherwise you’ll head to the ombudsman and the ICO.

 

penners324

Lowell have to clean up their data about you.

Lodge a complaint with them.

[Deleted User]

adamp87 said:

Lodge a written formal complaint with Lowell get it removed ASAP otherwise you’ll head to the ombudsman and the ICO.

 

Thanks. Have tried that. They’ve closed off 2 complaints thus far saying there’s nothing they can do. 

Basically, when I speak to Lowell they tell me they didn’t create the link to my credit report so can’t remove it. 

When I speak to Equifax they tell me they need permission from Lowell to remove the entry. 

However when they contact Lowell, Lowell tell Equifax they’ll investigate and contact me direct if they plan to make amendments. They then contact me, telling me they’re reporting everything correctly and won’t be doing anything further. 

I’m going round in circles. It’s a total nightmare. 

I’ve since contacted them again making it explicit I want them to remove my old address from this other persons account. I’m also planning to send evidence I was living in Milton Keynes whilst this account was active and linked to someone in Birmingham. 

I don’t really know what more I can do. Lowell seem to be employing every trick in the book to keep this as my problem and not theirs. It’s so incredibly unfair. 

penners324

So do the second part of that suggestion and lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner Office