Equifax issues

FedUpNow23

I left the uk in 2009 to live with family in ROI, returning to the uk in December 2022. I’ve never had anything on credit in the UK so I didn’t have a UK credit report. I opened a UK Bank account, registered on the electoral register, have utilities in my name. On the 6th August 2023 my very first report was finally created. Experian has my score 819 out of 999, all information correct. However, my Equifax has my score as 48 out of 1000. It contains information for my next door neighbour who until now I didn’t know we share the same first name…. But surely she shouldn’t be linked with me because we have the same first name….? 

Anyway, from what I’ve seen she has an enormous amount of debt and I believe this is why my score is so bad on Equifax. I called Equifax and they have raised a dispute to say I’ve never lived at that address and asked for it to be removed… is this a simple process and they will just remove it? Never had to do anything like this before, never had an issue with the Irish credit system. 

Thanks

FedUpNow23

I’m just worried because I saved quite a lot of money when I was in Ireland, around €39,000, my goal was to potentially buy a house in the next year or so here in the UK but this is now giving me anxiety being linked with someone I’ve never even spoke to until last week. How can the 2 reporting agencies be so different with information? 

CliveOfIndia

You can safely ignore your score as it's not used - nor even seen - by any lender.

However, you do need to make sure that the data contained in your file are correct.  If you've contacted Equifax to raise a dispute about the incorrect address then that's the correct thing to do.  Once it's been corrected (they may ask you for some proof, not unreasonably) then you should be good to go.

It's worth checking all 3 of your credit reports - this article shows you how to do it for free: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/check-free-credit-report/

I'll reiterate - ignore the score and their view of your credit-worthiness, but do make sure that all the data are factually correct.

MrSilk

Surely this is a big security breach by Equifax and the next door neighbor should be informed? 

FedUpNow23

MrSilk said:

Surely this is a big security breach by Equifax and the next door neighbor should be informed? 

Exactly my thoughts.

I knocked on my neighbours door just to ask whether she could check her file to see if anything relating to me and my address on her file and she was raging to be fair. Not at me but the fact I could see all of her debt. There’s nothing relating to me on her file or my address so I’m hopeful they will remove her from my credit profile asap!

FedUpNow23

CliveOfIndia said:

You can safely ignore your score as it's not used - nor even seen - by any lender.

However, you do need to make sure that the data contained in your file are correct.  If you've contacted Equifax to raise a dispute about the incorrect address then that's the correct thing to do.  Once it's been corrected (they may ask you for some proof, not unreasonably) then you should be good to go.

It's worth checking all 3 of your credit reports - this article shows you how to 

I'll reiterate - ignore the score and their view of your credit-worthiness, but do make sure that all the data are factually

Today, I’ve received a notice of correction alert from Equifax. It says…

” NOTICE OF DISPUTE - THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED HAS DISPUTED THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION REGISTERED AT THIS ADDRESS AND WE HAVE NOW CONTACTED THE SUBSCRIBER CONCERNED. CARE SHOULD THEREFORE BE TAKEN WHEN USING THE DATA AT THIS ADDRESS TO ASSESS THE CREDITWORTHINESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED”

however, nothing has changed on my report. What does this mean? 

Thanks

MorningcoffeeIV

It means that a dispute has been raised re the accuracy of the data 

Lenders are advised to take care in assessing the data while it remains.

CliveOfIndia

Additionally, remember that the data you see on your free report isn't real-time (whereas the paid-for data that a lender will see is real-time).  So even when Equifax update your data, you may not see the updated version for a couple of weeks, but a lender will see the updates as soon as they're made.

PRAISETHESUN

FedUpNow23 said:

CliveOfIndia said:

You can safely ignore your score as it's not used - nor even seen - by any lender.

However, you do need to make sure that the data contained in your file are correct.  If you've contacted Equifax to raise a dispute about the incorrect address then that's the correct thing to do.  Once it's been corrected (they may ask you for some proof, not unreasonably) then you should be good to go.

It's worth checking all 3 of your credit reports - this article shows you how to 

I'll reiterate - ignore the score and their view of your credit-worthiness, but do make sure that all the data are factually

Today, I’ve received a notice of correction alert from Equifax. It says…

” NOTICE OF DISPUTE - THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED HAS DISPUTED THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION REGISTERED AT THIS ADDRESS AND WE HAVE NOW CONTACTED THE SUBSCRIBER CONCERNED. CARE SHOULD THEREFORE BE TAKEN WHEN USING THE DATA AT THIS ADDRESS TO ASSESS THE CREDITWORTHINESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED”

however, nothing has changed on my report. What does this mean? 

Thanks

This is one of the things I dislike about Equifax - any dispute results in a notice of correction being placed on your file, which they don't always automatically remove once the dispute has been resolved. You might need to put in another complaint at the end of all this to get the notice removed!

But yes, you have a right to have incorrect info removed from your file. Keep pressing Equifax to correct/remove the incorrect information. It might take a few weeks for any changes to flow through to the monthly snapshot of your files that you get to see, but eventually they will change it and provide you with confirmation that they have done so.