Credit Reort Companies - Its like a Criminal Record.

[powerful_rogue]

Ive been giving this a lot of thought over the past few days. The more I think about it the more annoyed I get so thought Id post it on here hoping maybe there is something we could all acheive as a collective.

 

When you get into arrears the company can issue a default notice. This will stay on your account for six years. What gets to me is when I turned 18 in 2002, I applied for credit cards and a loan (foolish i know, hindsight is a wonderful thing).

Everything got too much and I defaulted on one credit card and the loan.

 

Being young and naive I ignored letters etc etc. It got to the point where I grabbed the bull by the horns, tackled the problem and set up repayment schemes.I finished paying everything back in 2003/2004.

 

What really gets to me is that my credit record is now stained for the next six years. Six years from when the account is settled.

 

Why though? When you have finished clearing the debt, why cant they close the accont, mark it as settled and remove the default. If you dont clear the debt then the default remains.

 

I now have my own house, new car, good job - but rubbish credit rating for the next six years.

 

Four months ago I started to take some action, since 2003 Barclays took my visa card and cheque book away and issued me with a lovely visa electron card. Numerous times over the years I have phoned up or attended the branch to re-apply for a visa card. I wasnt interested in a cheque book or overdraft, just wanted a visa card. Everytime the request was rejected.

When i got the house and the missus moved in, we decided to join both our barclays accounts together. She had an account with cheque book/overdraft/visa card, i still had my lovely visa electron.

 

Barclays said that if we joined them together, then she would have to hand her chequebook and visa card in and repay her overdraft at once. They would then issue her with a visa electron. We decided against this and I said just add her to my account so she can keep hers open.

 

I wrote a lovely letter off to barclays explaining my past situation, how I rectified it, my present situation. I also included a copy of my credit report to show that even though I had defaults, all accounts have been settled and all payments to mobile phone/burtons etc had been made on time for the past 2 years.

 

Low and behold, I got a Visa card and cheque book sent to me in the post. Barclays had submitted my details to the underwriters who had agreed I wasnt as much of a risk as my credit report made me look.

 

DATA PROTECTION ACT

 

• Personal data must be adequate, relevant and must not exceed what is needed for the specified purpose
  
• Personal data must be accurate and kept up to date.

I believe that keeping defaults on an account that has been cleared and settled is wrong. There is no other way to remove them other then to wait for the six years to pass.

 

I believe that the specified purpose of having a default show up on your credit file is to alert lenders that at this moment in time you are a risk as you have defaulted on one or more accounts.

If you have settled and paid in full, then you should not be shown to be a risk.

 

I do not believe that haveing a default on your account for six years after you have cleared and settled it is very accuarte. As stated it shows you to be a risk, when you are not.

 

 

 

Credit checks are used in everyday life, whether its to get a loan, bank account, car, mortgage, mobile phone, house phone, receive digital televison via sky/ntl.

Many professions also credit check potential employees. By having defaults shown on your account when account has been settled and closed can cause misery for people.

 

As stated, its just like having a criminal record (not that ive got one!) Information stays on credit records for six years. Convictions stay on PNC (police national computer). Both can stop you getting jobs etc etc

Information staying on your criminal record I can understand, but I see no reason why information that is used a lot of the time reflecting you as a person should stay when it is incorrect.

 

Is it right then information can be stored on your credit report for so long? It dosent take into account anything. You defaulted, you paid the debt, settled the account. There is no longer a default as it is settled, why keep the marker?

 

As you can probably tell, ive got a real bee in my bonnet about this and am willing to start sending letters off regarding this.

 

If anyone can quote any information to help, then this will be greatly appreciated. All ive got so far is the DPA i have quoted, but then I wanted to get thos off my chect before I started searching.

 

My apologies for the length of this post and hopefully it will all make sense. Im sure ive missed loads of points out, but im sure they will come to me and i'll add them!

[powerful_rogue]

Well heres a good start! The good old DPA.

 

Rights in relation to automated decision-taking. Section 12 DPA

An individual is entitled at any time, by notice in writing to any data controller, to require the data controller to ensure that no decision taken by or on behalf of the data controller which significantly affects that individual is based solely on the processing by automatic means of personal data in respect of which that individual is the data subject for the purpose of evaluating matters relating to him such as, for example, his performance at work, his creditworthiness, his reliability or his conduct.

 

So by contacting Equifax, Experian with the above, companies that wish to carry out a credit check will have to do it manually. They will not be able to reply on the "credit scoreing" system. At least this way they will be able to take note of when defaults have been paid/settled (in my case 2 years ago) and will be able to get an honest picture.

[powerful_rogue]

Anyone else got any views on the matter?

 

If i was to send the above record to equifax etc...im presuming there will be a delay each time I was to go for something that needed a credit check, is that correct?

[whistleblowing fairy]

hi,

 

I make amendments to customers credit files at the bank I work for. As far as I'm aware a default can only last for 6 years and will auto remove from the credit reference agencies regardless of when it was settled if at all.

[meagain]

Many professions also credit check potential employees.

 

I would have hoped that would be illegal

[powerful_rogue]

hi,

 

I make amendments to customers credit files at the bank I work for. As far as I'm aware a default can only last for 6 years and will auto remove from the credit reference agencies regardless of when it was settled if at all.

 

Thats my whole point. Six years from when the account is settled appears excessive to me.

 

Why cant the default be removed once the accoutn has been settled?

[powerful_rogue]

I would have hoped that would be illegal

 

Nope, when I applied for my job, part of the application process was a credit check. Obiviously I had to agree - however should I have refused then I doubt my application would have got much further.

[meagain]

Thats my whole point. Six years from when the account is settled appears excessive to me.

 

I believe it's six years from when the default is lodged. ICBW.

 

Incidentally, if I were asked, I'd have refused the credit check, and then considered pursuing a complaint for discrimination if it affected the outcome. After all, what bearing would my credit rating possibly have on my ability to do a job?

[Rooster-UK]

Incidentally, if I were asked, I'd have refused the credit check, and then considered pursuing a complaint for discrimination if it affected the outcome. After all, what bearing would my credit rating possibly have on my ability to do a job?

 

 

If the job entailed any connection with money then the logic might be that someone with a poor credit rating might be a risk.

 

I worked as an engineer for a large national TV rental company for 25 years, and when I joined the company I was informed that they insisted on Fidelity Bonds and that my employment would be dependant on my acceptance by the insurance company.

 

Fidelity Bonding...

"A fidelity bond or indemnity bond is a type of insurance policy that employers take out to insure themselves against their employees behaving dishonestly. The information which will be required about the employee will vary from one insurance company to another, and will depend on the type of policy the employer has taken out."

 

So I suppose it is a similar principle.

[meagain]

I suppose it could be argued that way, though to be honest I still fail to see how having a default on your record going back some years somehow indicates a lack of professional integrity.

 

The other one I don't understand: why does just having a credit check adversely affect your rating? A friend tells me that due to computer error in processing a credit check, it was filed 12 times (they successfully had the 11 erroneous check records removed), and this somehow killed his rating. I've also known someone who made enquiries about a loan at his bank and was offered a reasonable rate, went somewhere else on recommendation and was offered a slightly higher rate, when he went back to his own bank to take them up on the offer only to be refused and offered a rate higher than both previous offers.

[bradkb]

Last year I went for a contract at a Bank in London, the pay was £400 per day, it would really have gotten me back on my feet, still paying off debts from a pervious failed business (ex partner screwed business then did a runner)

 

Got the interview, then got the offer, they also offered £415 per day. I accepted, then had to do a credit check. Because of a previous default on my credit report 2 years before the offer was withdrawn!

 

I was gutted, spoke to Citizens Advice, Information Commisioner, any one that would listen, and nothing I could do. Even tried to get hold of the guy that interviewed me.. "sorry bank policy".

[Tygermoth]

I worked for an insurance company and when i gained a CCJ (later removed as it was an error - long story) I was disaplined. formally the whole kit caboodle, it was a horrible and one of the most stressfull times i have ever had at work - felt like i was a crim and because i had a CCJ i could just go suddleny mad and steal all the money.

 

I was taken off my job and made to do admin untill resolved. God knows what would have happened if it was a real CCJ.

 

It pretty much killed any promotional aspirations i had.

 

I do think this system is unfair - i have paid everything off sorted my debts and in an effort to sort out my credit i applied for a cap one credit rebuilder card, was refused.

 

However my best mate who ran up huge debts then went bankrupt got one!

 

its unjust.

 

tyger

 

happy to join the crusade against the credit rep companies

 

(if you want the full ins and outs of this sad little tale - http://www.justclaim.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?p=6094#6094 )

[powerful_rogue]

 

I do think this system is unfair - i have paid everything off sorted my debts and in an effort to sort out my credit i applied for a cap one credit rebuilder card, was refused.

 

However my best mate who ran up huge debts then went bankrupt got one!

 

its unjust.

 

tyger

 

happy to join the crusade against the credit rep companies

 

(if you want the full ins and outs of this sad little tale - http://www.justclaim.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?p=6094#6094 )

 

It is extremely unjust.

 

I just received a new copy of my credit file through. I would advise people to use www.checkmyfile.com - They charge £19 for 3 months worth of checks, which also shows you when your file is updated in those three months and covers equifax,experian and callcredit.

 

I was expecting my credit rating to have gone up since everything has been paid off, and was quite disapointed when I was given 1 star out of 5.

 

One of the credit cards I was paying off is still shown as defaulted. My final payment was in 2005. Not only did the company not bother to update my file to show the accout was settled, they made no mention that I was paying it off monthly. So due to the above thats having a very big impact on my rating.

I gave them a call and was advised he would tell the dept that update the credit files. This will take about 7 days. He was unable to tell me if they would backdate the settled date.

I was also advised that the default would be removed as it would serve no purpose being on there as the account has been settled and paid in full. Now im not getting my hopes up as I know ive got no other choise but to wait six years. Its amazing how incorrect some of the information they give you can be.

 

As all ready asked, does anyone know if credit report companies are private and public?

What would be the best course of action to tackle them?

[meagain]

All of which reminds me:

 

The other one I don't understand: why does just having a credit check adversely affect your rating?

[powerful_rogue]

Another thing that confuses me is this

 

Your position on the scale above is denoted by the blue arrow. Of your assumed available credit of £274 you are currently using £30.00.

 

The scale shows a red area to represent lower utilisation because, if in this area, lenders would be concerned that on issuing you credit, you would be unlikely to use it, which would mean that extending credit to you would lose them money.

High utilisation can be equally unattractive to some lenders, as they may be concerned that you are already over committed, this of course depends on a number of other factors, such as your income and the number of accounts on your file, each lender generally assessing this differently.[/qoute]

My credit rating is also low because im not using up all the credit i have available to me. You cant win!

[whistleblowing fairy]

Thats my whole point. Six years from when the account is settled appears excessive to me.quote]

 

it's 6 years from the date of default. some people will settle the following month, some people will never settle.

 

but depending on your circs you may still be able to get credit even if there is a default. because a settled default looks better than an unsettled one.

[whistleblowing fairy]

why does just having a credit check adversely affect your rating?

 

if a number of credit checks are done in a short space of time, lenders become paranoid that there is some sinester reason why you need the money and not that you've just shopped around, or are one of the industry 'rate tarts' (0% hoppers).

 

A search should only last 12 months.

 

Another thing lenders might tell you is 'we don't put a note on your credit file to say we declined you a card/loan etc'. Although this is true, any lendor viewing your credit file would see the search and then not see an account. To them this is a decline, even if the application was cancelled by you, it looks like a decline.

[BotB]

With a staggering trillion pounds worth of debt in this country, won't be long before people with just a default or two will be regarded as platinum customers.

[powerful_rogue]

With a staggering trillion pounds worth of debt in this country, won't be long before people with just a default or two will be regarded as platinum customers.

 

very true

[trundlecat]

Companies get around the law & justify credit checking potential employees as a bad CR apparently makes you more inclined to take bribes to commit industrial sabotage, embezzle, defraud, launder etc. It also apparently makes you a target for blackmail. Credit checks used to be the norm in the Army vetting procedure & IMO the companies have got the idea from there. I personally think it’s unjustified, unfair, discriminating & intrusive. Yet another example of how we're all at the mercy of the finance industry, they are far too powerful nowadays & something urgently needs to be done to redress the balance of power.

[Stopthethieves]

I totally agree. If we are sucessful with the banks, I hope we will next turn our attention to the Credit Reference Agencies...they have too much control.....

 

I too was checked for a job but only for CCJ's not my general file.

 

Regards

[hiro666]

Hi

 

Nope I have a settled account with a communication supplier that was settled in Jan 2007 and is not due to fall off until Jan 2013. Interestingly there is no default date, yet it shows as a default on my record. Very confusing.

 

Credit Reference Agencies are the new method for controlling the masses. Credit to those who toe the line, refusals to those who can't/don't