My Experian file and score - advice required

[ak27]

I doubt I am the only one, but for those of you that use Credit Expert from Experian on a regular basis - have you noticed that since the service has changed image that various Account Information has come off of your file?

I had a tough time two years ago incurring Defaults/ CCJs and so on - I have been paying off all the defaults monthly and have not missed a payment - CCJs have all been cleared and confirmation from the courts received.

Yet for some reason although these showed previously, since the site has had a face lift no defaults etc are showing on my file.
My credit score has increased massively and my file actually looks pretty good.

Is this because I have made an agreement and stuck to it? or has the law changed?

One last question. As I say my file looks reasonably ok is this how lenders when applying for credit would see it or do they use various other systems when finalising an application (I am not looking for credit but just wondered)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

P.S. all defaults are under 3 years old so i'm guessing they wouldn't just fall off your credit file until 6 years???

[old_andrew2007]

you could request your file from another CRA by paying the £2.00 fee you will then have the answer you seek.

Andy

[saintly_1]

Thread moved to the CRA forum

[Phonesurgeon]

same thing happened to me as well.
40 days ago i had 5 defaults (all known). on friday accessed my credit report all have fallen off... vanished into thin air...

Call me thick but i don't get it!

[knoxvillain]

wish it would happen to mine which are sadly still there!

[ak27]

God know what happened but having just read other thread about Experian and Equifax it appears that not all creditors look at both. I always thought they would both reflect the same info but they clearly dont - maybe, just maybe all my defaults have been moved to Equifax (due to the creditor) - this being the case i applied for a loan...... Ok i was rejected but on the basis that i am not on the electoral role at my present address.

When applying for credit double check before which CRA the creditor uses and based on that info go with the one that you know your credit score/ rating is better with.

In saying that - thats a thought so please dont quote me on that!!!!!!

Cheers

[knoxvillain]

depends also on the creditor that defaults you, bigger ones might only look at Experian for example when doing checks but when they default you they whack it on all 3! my HBOS default shows on all 3 so it doesn't matter what CRA a creditor used when checking.

But yeah if you only got defaulted on Equifax and the lender you were applying to only checked experian, then I guess in theory he should be unaware of the default.

As a little side note, on Friday, HBOS's 28 days to justify my default to Experian will be up and I will be pushing Experian to suppress the account from my credit file.

[ak27]

Really, so you are saying that when you are issued a defualt (the bank or whoever issuing this) only has X amount of time to pass it on to the CRA?

And that is 28days???

[ak27]

Knox

Am i right in thinking that if you are unable to see something on your credit report - this will be the same for creditors? or do they have certain powers to look deeper etc......????

Thanks

[knoxvillain]

No, I believe the general rule is the default should be issued within 6 months but there is no legislation I believe which gives a strict limit.

What I refer to is that the Information Commissioners Office says that where information held with a CRA is disputed by the consumer, the CRA should seek clarification from the creditor and the creditor should respond within a reasonable amount of time (the recommend 28 days) and if they don't then the information should be suppress (ie it's still there but no-one will see it when doing a search).

Sorry for the confusion.

I believe you should see what creditors see on your credit record. Assuming, of course, you've provided them with all your previous addresses etc when you asked for a copy of your credit record. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[ak27]

Arh in saying that i have recently moved and from looking at my credit file the only items that appear on it are the ones that i have actually changed with the creditors (hence the better score) all the defaults etc are still logged at my parents address!!!

I did inform the change of address with experian so i would have thought they would have done the neccessary? and it seems to have all my linked address on the report also - sorry i get confused!

Thanks again

[knoxvillain]

is it a paper copy you have or throught Credit Expert?

[ak27]

Credit expert!

[knoxvillain]

after you've logged in, click "My Report", then hit the "update my details" button. make sure all your previous addresses are listed there under Previous Addresses and of course that your current address is the current one rather than a previous one.

[ak27]

will these automatically show on my file when clicking the + button???

just looked and no previous addresses shown but it offer me the option to add one - also it states that under my current address i have lived there a year longer than i actually have. do you recon i should amend this?

[knoxvillain]

No those are addresses linked by your FI's. You should keep your CreditExpert profile updated too.

*edited out - ignore me, I'm posting in too many threads at once *

[ak27]

thanks

[freddyj]

Hello,

Just a little tip for those who may not know. As discussed in this thread info may not be on Experian (the main CRA, and the one most organisations use) however if you have info that is on the Equifax report only then if you challenge it through their customer services people they give the organisation concerned 28 days to get back and confirm the rights and wrongs of the info - if no reply Equifax just remove it from your file!! A quick way of getting something off that yo udont want to be there! Wont work all the time, but it worked out ok for me a couple of times over the years.