Credit File Showing Errors

[omalleyr]

Hi...

 

I have today received a copy of my credit report form Experian. The report states the following:

 

Status History: 021000000000

 

'In the last 36 months of account activity, the number of status 1-2 is 4 and the number of status 3+ is 6.'

 

The last interaction on the account was 15/8/07 and the account begun on 26/9/02. The account was settled in full with no defaults. This has been confirmed by the lender.

 

I have contacted the lender today to ask why these statuses show and have been informed that this was due to direct debits not having been paid ontime. Now their administration was a shambles and on two occasions I had problems when changing bank details and address details. One such error made by them was when I changed my bank details they carried on trying to take the DDs from the old account. As they had not updated my address details months before when I notified them of a change of address they couldn't/didn't notify me until my post was forwarded on. They acknowledged this at the time as their error and assured me it would not affect my credit rating. Only it seems it has.

 

They have now told me that there is nothing they can do about it as the Direct Debits are automated and automatically update on Experian.

 

Any advice on where I go from here? They do not have the records anymore of the administration errors and them accepting acknowledgement of these and cannot check my assertions.

 

Thanks...

[omalleyr]

There are also unsolicited searches from Lowell Portfolio 1 Ltd showing on the report in the last 6 months. I have not authorisaed these searches and have not had any contact with any lenders for over 6 years. Who are they and can they make unsolicited searches, potentially damaging my credit rating, without my knowledge/authorisation?

[spraiser]

Hello there,

I'm contacting you because I am drained of energy for reasons I shall detail below. Whilst they may have a personal slant, there are several objective points which I feel may be in the public interest following my own experience. I shall try to be brief and base the story on my own experiences: -

 

Outline - The arbitrary submission of information to credit reference agencies and the dificulties in correction (compounded by the dark arts of credit scoring), Breaches of the Data Protection Act and lack of cohesion and accountability.

My story goes something like this . . . .

 

I have not had credit for a long time and so in 2009 began efforts to improve my credit rating. A couple of unsuccessful applications for simple Bank current accounts and a credit card were declined. I signed up for my credit file from 3 providers (CreditExpert, Equifax and Call Credit).

 

I discovered several mistakes comprising: -

1.) Orange Mobile Phone reporting a missed payment. I had left orange after my contract expired. I requested a final bill. I was sent a final bill but shortly afterwards advised it was incorrect and to ignore, another would be sent in due course. I asked Orange to confirm that this would not go on my file(s) and told it definately would not. The new bill was sent and paid. The credit files showed a missed payment. I contacted Orange. Orange rectified my credit file within 1 month (The next update).

 

2.) HSBC. I had a basic bank account with HSBC. HSBC had reported on my credit file that I had missed payments. I asked HSBC which payemnts were missed and why they were reporting a basic bank account (On which no borrowing facility was ever allowed) to credit reference agencies. I asked HSBC what the purpose of credit reference agencies was. I was told that Direct Debits had not been honoured and that this was an informal request for an overdraft and that I had missed payments. I pointed out that the account that was missed was the TV Licence, that it was not in my name, that it had in fact been paid manually, that it was not a credit agreement and that had it been a credit agreement it would have been missed by the person in whos name the account was in. I further pointed out that it seemed unfair to report my account as missing a payment AND that of the actual person in whos name the account was (double whammy). I also pointed out that at no time did my account go overdrawn, I could not apply for credit on an account that offered no such facility and that I did not miss any payment. Nevertheless I was told this was correct. HSBC sent a copy of my account terms and conditions and denied that I had a Basic Bank Account or that they existed. My cheque book states ("Basic Bank Account"). My terms at the time (my account was closed in 2008) state that "On accounts on which you may borrow money we may report to CRA's .

 

. . if you do not make good your account within 28 days. As stated my account never went overdrawn? I pointed out that an entry stating DDNH or Direct Debit Not Honoured may be appropriate for current accounts as this accurately reflects the situation. However on basic bank accounts no report to a CRA should take place as THERE IS NO CREDIT. (Other Basic Bank Providers do not report accounts to CRA's). The fundamental issue (which may lead to retrospective correction of several hundred thousand accounts operated with the HSBC) is that non credit matters should not be reported to CRA's. HSBC for several months simply stated they were correct. Having raised a comprehensive set of questions to the HSBC they have now delayed their response simply stating that The HSBC legal team are investigating my complaint.

 

3.) Most serious of all Royal Bank Of Scotland. I shall try to be brief on this as it has been what can only be described as a debarcle. RBS reported that I had a loan with them with an outstanding balance. The loan was settled in 2000. RBS refused to speak with me asking that I got the CRA's to send my query. RBS failed for months to find my account details stating they would not be able to talk to me without an account number and sort code. They told me to get this from a Branch. The Branch told me they had no idea what I was talking about and to call them back. Throw in 6 hour calls, promises, hanging up, further denials, further suggestions, and what can only be described as a near perfect ability to do anything remotely resembling the faintest brush of help I began to despair. I told the RBS that they put the information on my file and that they should find my account details and correct the matter. I pointed out that the account had been settled 10 years ago but still no joy. My CRA's reported back to me that the information was correct (As stated by the RBS) and that I should contact them on the number provided. I did this to be told again and again "We cant find you. . . . We will call you back" etc etc. They did not (I did not have a feeling of great surprise). It was pot luck, one day they would find a couple of details, another they would deny me ever calling. Eventually I spoke to someone who by pure chance seemed to care about his role. He was able to find my account quite quickly and said he was rather purplexed that others had found it so dificult. I will add at this juncture a similar person had found my account 13 months prior and promised to update it - the account had been updtaed but to say that I had been paying the loan everymonth for the last 10 years at £308 per month - more incorrect information (I hadnt paid them just shy of £37,000 for a £15,000 loan that was taken over five years and settled in 2 back in December 2000!)

Anyway said person said it would be sorted. Needless to say it has not been corrected yet. Dozens of hours of my time has been lost trying to correct the mistakes of the financial institutions. It has made me unwell, my last phone bill was for £240! (Even tho spend check was on the account that should have stopped it going over £50 but that is in itself another story of despair - (turns out they(the telephone company) had applied spend check that "sometimes works and sometimes doesn't" but the level was set at £9,999,99.99 which even by my standards is a little excessive for 1 month on the phone!)

 

Whats more I have had incorrect information on my file all this time resulting in declines for even simple credit and more to the point just plain old wrong information on my files. To add insult to injury, not only have I had to pay dearly with my time and phone calls and "Bad" credit profile, I have had to pay the credit reference agencies every month in my futile bid to get my files corret (the CRA's all three of them have been absolutely wonderful in providing no assistance whatsoever with very much a "Not our problem" approach. I am aware it is not there problem, it remains very much my problem.

 

There is no help for someone of my simple nature who in an old fashioned way just wants his file to be correct. I am a victim driven to despair - picture if you will The Fugitive. I am continuing my search for the one armed man who may be able to shed light the matters above but I feel alone I will simply be swept aside as the strength to carry on abandons me.

 

I cannot be the only one, and so I throw myself on your just and impartial expertise to contact me and hear more about my plight so that together we may encourage the CRA's and financial institutions to take their responsibilities more seriously and stop riding roughshod over the DPA and the little guy like me. Just because it may affect several hundred thousand of the customers of the HSBC is not in my eyes a suitable excuse to carry on such practices.

 

Also it would be nice to know that I am entitled to reasonable costs back which I have incurred just trying to "Clear my name"!

 

If you have read this far, I thank you for your patience and feel a little better that I have been able to put in albeit ranting words my experience for at least one other to share. I hope you take the decision to look at this further, but if not remember, it was not me, it was the one armed bank!

 

Yours Faithfully

Mr Simon

Edited May 29, 2011 by citizenB
Popped some spacing in to make reading easier

[The Debt Star]

spraiser you are NOT the only one! There are hundreds of thousands of us! Reading yuor post has given me some heart in that I am not alone in going through the miseries of having a credit file put straight after it has been anhilated by mis-filings and falsehoods.

 

Barclays sent me a default notice in 2006, closed my account, sent it to colelctions and then suspended interest while I paid token payments on a DMP. They marked this as an Arrangement to Pay, something which (with Experian) NEVER gets lifted while the account is current (if paid up it only gets lifetd when the 6 years are up). HOWEVER, by cajoling, complaining, emailing Barclay's CEO direct, hours of phone calls, Final Responses galore (!) and complaints to Experian, Fos and Ico, they have, finally, filed the account as a "Default" with Experian. This means it gets shifted off my CF in 12 months rather than staying on as an AP forever.

 

The bank STILL haven't updated Equifax and Call credit. So now I have to start all over again with them - letters by post, fax, phone calls, e,ails.

 

what takes some nob at the bank seconds to put on a credit file takes us months to get put right - and all because their cartel system permits it.

[spraiser]

Update - HSBC corrected all information on my credit files and paid compensation. Eventually service excellent (You must speak to the right people).

 

RBS did not uphold complaint - offerred £50 as compensation stating that file was correct. Two years on and guess what - Its still on my file and is not correct. Court procedings under way. I will win.

 

Advice to all - ask yourself if you have the time, money and energy to fight the "Big Boys & Girls". Ask yourself if it is worth it. If it is do it. Persistance overcomes resistance. Remember also that unfortunately most of the people you will encounter are complete disinterested numpties, so when you find a diamond in the rough that cares and understands take their name and number and email address!

 

Don't let the beggers grind you down.

[The Debt Star]

I found HSBC anything but excellent. It was only when I had an adjudication fully in my favour that anything got done.

[wittsend]

my OH has a cc with lloyds they defaulted, and closed it in 2002 registering the default with the CRAs,

since 2009 they have reported it as AP and then sent another DN in late 2010, while we were waiting for them to reply to a letter sent to them in march 2010,

reduced payments were sent every month whilst we waited, so no payments were missing. on questioning them they state the account was not closed

and that the Original defalt now applies

 

my thread is under OH Lloyds tsb visa card

Edited May 29, 2011 by wittsend
missed info off

[kwaks]

Update - HSBC corrected all information on my credit files and paid compensation. Eventually service excellent (You must speak to the right people).

 

RBS did not uphold complaint - offerred £50 as compensation stating that file was correct. Two years on and guess what - Its still on my file and is not correct. Court procedings under way. I will win.

 

Advice to all - ask yourself if you have the time, money and energy to fight the "Big Boys & Girls". Ask yourself if it is worth it. If it is do it. Persistance overcomes resistance. Remember also that unfortunately most of the people you will encounter are complete disinterested numpties, so when you find a diamond in the rough that cares and understands take their name and number and email address!

 

Don't let the beggers grind you down.

 

Dealing with RBOS over this issue now. Wednesday last week a mortgage lender refused me as something had shown on my report. Cue RBOS with a default from 2006!!! Visit to branch, then on telephone (branch useless). By the Friday, after faxing them letters their lawyers had sent 4 yrs ago (when they had a court summons for a debt that had been settled 2 years before) admitting their mistake, they faxed the CRA and I assured it will be off my record by wednesday.

 

As a slightly peeved and impatient man, wednesdy will not do, to update a computer? on the phone again tomorrow, and once settled the claim for compensation will commense. 6 yrs of paying highr rates for a start, 40k minimum if I lose out on the house I am buying

[omalleyr]

Can anyone point me in the direction of some template letters I can send to both CRAs showing searches for Statute Barred debts on table one of my file unlawfully and/or to have this information removed by the CRAs themselves?

 

Thanks...

[omalleyr]

After tidying up my credit report and getting errors removed and now showing as having a good rating, dispite a couple of blips of 2 missed payments in 2007, (no default) I have gone to get a car loan today and been declined.

 

When the bank did the credit check it came back as a lfat decline dispite me having a great rating with them. They used Experian and Call Credit both of whom show me as having a good rating.

 

Why could this be? Are there 'hidden' entries on a credit report, that mean lenders searches will decline based on certain information contained within the report that would not show as a negative entry?

[The Debt Star]

might the bank you tried have its own data on you?

[omalleyr]

It's possible they have credit from my historical problems. Yet on their systems it said I was good to go. Behaviour was excellent etc. Can they use data that is over 6 years?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

There is no hidden data on the files, but often the credit reference agency data is only a small part of the

data used to assess the individuals credit worthiness, I know of a least 2 major ''lenders' who only use the CRA

data to establish electoral roll and cifas, the whole of the major decision is made using internal systems.

[The Debt Star]

There is no hidden data on the files, but often the credit reference agency data is only a small part of the

data used to assess the individuals credit worthiness, I know of a least 2 major ''lenders' who only use the CRA

data to establish electoral roll and cifas, the whole of the major decision is made using internal systems.

 

which goes a long way to explaining why folks get rejected on credit apps despite having an experian 999 credit score

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Right I have seen this week a credit card limit£16,500 issued to an individual with scores of 338 and 668'

on the main CRA's an indicator I think that some banks are going back to The '' Mr. Mannering'' days of personal banking.

[The Debt Star]

Right I have seen this week a credit card limit£16,500 issued to an individual with scores of 338 and 668'

on the main CRA's an indicator I think that some banks are going back to The '' Mr. Mannering'' days of personal banking.

 

which is bad news for Phil's long term employment prospects

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Perhaps he's gone over to a DCA better prospects???

[The Debt Star]

he was probably -in all truth - working for one anyway, as these companies are all hooked up financially one way or another

 

something for gov't to look into because if, for example, capquest and experian were owned by the same cabal of investors that would defo be a conflict of interest.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

A VERY,VERY HIGH RATE OF INTEREST TOO:loco:

[spraiser]

Having recovered from the first round of restoring my creditfile, I now need to take RBS to court for persistent incompetence. Can anyone advise me if they have successfully taken the bank to court to have information corrected and seek damages?

I would appreciate any templates or advice on the matter. Iintend to win and get compensation, but as they are based in Edinburgh I cannot use MCOL service.

The RBS are in my opinion a shining example of utter incompetence. How can they be allowed to continue to behave in this way? Like many of you I got several letters saying "we have investigated your complaint and the information is correct". It's not and never has been, my credit worthiness has been compromised since 2006 surely I am entitled to compensation

Whilst difficult to say how bad my score is affected I know that after HSBC removed their "missed payments" from 2007 my report improved substantially. None of the CRA's know how the score is worked out, nor will they do anything whatsoever to correct information that is wrong. They simply ask the "Lender" if the information is correct. The lenders obviously say yes and you've wasted your time.

Isn't it about time the CRA's were regulated?

Thanks in advance.

Edited June 9, 2011 by spraiser
spelling

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Firstly the only way I have found top get through to CRA's and banks is to Make Formal Complaint to both parties

setting out in simple terms what you believe is wrong and what you require the to do to rectify the mistakes, I usually

include the phrase ''I do not not receive a satisfactory response within xxx days I WILL seek redress through the courts

for damages and costs, your failure to rectify your errors WILL be reported as COMPLAINTS to the appropriate regulatory

authorities.