How do I sort errors in my credit report

[Graemzee]

I recently obtained online access to my credit report, I did this after being refused credit for a 0% interest loan. When refused I was totally shocked as I believed I had a very good credit history.

 

When Iread my file I saw that a loan I had with IF, which I settled in October 2005, was showing as still being current and that I still owed £1 and had not made any payments on the loan for over a year.

 

This has obviously greatly affected my credit history.

 

Can anyone give me advice on how I should go about resolving this, I was just going to write a letter to IF, but would appreciate any advice on a more effective way to deal with this.

 

Thanks

[Guest ian cognito]

I suspect IF have doen this purposefully to keep the loan open and therefore you as a customer.

 

If your credit report is incorrect you can notify the CRA, they will add a notice of correction to your file (which will pobably not be read) then they will contact IF to determine whether the information they hold is correct. If IF say it is, the CRA will take their word for it and there doesn't appear to be much you can do about it.

 

You can write to IF and ask them to ensure the account is closed and their processing of you information is correct, some lenders do the decent thing and comply with your request, while others say they must process your data for 6 years.

 

If both the above fail, you may have a bit of a battle but I wouldn't worry about that until you have written to IF.

 

Incidently, I can't see an outstanding balance of £1 having that much affect on your credit rating!

 

Good luck

[Graemzee]

Thanks, its not the amount that seems to be the problem it is the fact that my credit report shows me having failed to make payments to the loan whis is affecting my credit rating.

 

I have correspondance from IF with my settlement figure which i paid, but yet there is still £1 in the account, I have never been asked for this £1 or for payment.

 

Surely IF must have to amend my credit file when i have done everything I needed to do?

[Guest ian cognito]

The credit report will show your last 12 months payments (or more) as a number indicating whether you have paid on time late, or in default, if you get them to agree it is fully paid, they should amend it to show no late payments but if they claim you stiill owe them £1, and you subsequently pay it, it will still show that £1 as being however many months late. I would hope, for the sake of £1, they would amend the report.

[Graemzee]

Thanks, that makes sense, my credit report shows that i have made 6 late payments, where that figure comes from i have no idea as it was settled 14 months ago, however it is now close to being defaulted.

 

the thing that annoys me is that they have never asked for the £1 and I actually dispute that i owe this meger sum, however the fact that my credit report shows all these failures to pay on my behalf is really annoying.

 

I will get in touch with IF after the new year.

 

Thanks for your help

[Guest ian cognito]

Good luck, let us know how you go on.

[powelll]

Just a quick addition to the above advice - if you continue to come against a brick wall with this one you can possibly look at complaining to the CRA initially ( all in writing, recorded delivery, keep a copy etc ) then if you still get no joy from them you could look at contacting the Information Commissioner:

 

The Information Commissioner is the independent supervisory authority who administers and enforces the Data Protection Act. The Information Commissioner's Office can provide advice and guidance on the Act, and will take enforcement action in appropriate cases. The contact details are:-

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Tel: 01625 545745

Fax: 01625 524510

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

[fkerr1973]

Hi ,

I too have had errors on my credit report more than 3 times from first plus. I joined experian online because of previous concerns and i can check my report online. I wrote to the legal department and sent them a copy of the relevant part of the report. They replied and gave an excuse and promised it wouldn't happen again. When it did i wrote again and sent the copy of the report and received a reply with a contact name and number. Eventually they sorted this out but if you don't keep an eye on your credit report in the meantime you won't know if this is happening.

[Graemzee]

I spoke with IF and got put through to their credit control dept in edinburgh. They advised that it was a mistake on their part and advised me to send me a copy of the relevant part of my credit report and they would amend it.

 

I have now done this and requested that they reply in writing once the loan has been settled and my credit report updated.

 

We will see how quick they are to respond and I will post an update