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How to improve your credit rating
5. Who to contact about errors on your credit report
When you have accessed your credit report and looked through it, you may well find some errors. However, who would you contact to get the errors corrected?
Below we have highlighted some of the main errors you may have found and who you will need to contact to get the information changed.
Our free template letters contain all the information that the relevant party will need. All you need to do is fill in the gaps with your relevant information, print them off and pop them in the post.
Contact credit reference agency
If you spot any of the following errors on your credit report, you will need to contact your credit reference agency to ask them to rectify the problem.
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Duplicate linked address entries
One linked address entry is exactly the same as one or more others (on the same date, by the same organisation for the same product).
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Linked address errors
Address information is either slightly wrong or you have never had a financial connection with it.
Contact lender/organisation
However, there are some errors that you need to report directly to the lender/organisation concerned. This is because there are some things that credit reference agencies cannot change without the permission of the organisation involved.
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Duplicate credit search
A lender/organisation has accidentally searched your credit file twice on the same occasion (for the same instance of credit lending).
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Incorrect information in a credit search
Information used by the lender/organisation to perform the credit search is wrong (possibly due to incorrect information on application forms)
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Unknown credit search
A lender/organisation has searched your credit report by mistake (i.e. instead of searching someone else’s) so you don’t recognise the search because you cannot recall applying for credit from that particular organisation at that particular time. This could also be a sign of someone using your name fraudulently.
Information held on the electoral roll is managed by your local authority. Your credit reference agency will pull your details from your local electoral roll but cannot change them in any way. To correct errors relating to your electoral roll information, or to register yourself on the electoral roll, you need to contact your local borough council.
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Electoral roll error
It might be that you are registered on two electoral rolls because someone at your old address has registered you to vote by mistake (or on purpose), or that the information on the published roll is currently inaccurate.
Once your local authority sends you documentation to confirm an amendment to the electoral roll, you will need to forward this to all three of the credit reference agencies who will then update your report.
Contact lender or credit reference agency
Some errors can be corrected by contacting the lender directly, or by asking your credit reference agency to contact the organisation on your behalf.
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Credit account information wrong
If any information relating to a credit account is wrong (e.g. the status codes, the name the account is in etc).
If information is incorrect because you have only just recently paid an account, it can take up to a month for lenders to amend their records. Until the lender has altered their records, the information on your credit report cannot be updated.
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Paid defaulted account off but not noted on record
If you have recently paid off a defaulted account but it is not showing up, your lender will need to be contacted. Bear in mind that defaulted accounts are kept on your report for six years from the date of the default, regardless of whether or not the debt has since been paid off.
Contact details
Contact details for the credit reference agencies can be found in the ‘Helpful contacts for credit rating information’ section.
Some credit reference agencies (Experian for one) list the names and addresses of all those organisations and lenders with which you have a financial connection. These details will be present somewhere in your credit report. Sometimes, the credit reference agency will not be able to provide the address of an organisation so it is best to check your relevant bill or credit agreement to find the company’s contact details.
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- Previous page: How to get the most from your credit report
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Please ensure that you fully read the terms & conditions of any product or policy before you decide to proceed and are fully aware of the total costs and the benefits and any exclusions or limitations applicable to the product or plan.
Please note that the product links will take you direct to the Issuer or Insurer's site direct and we cannot be held responsible for the information which they provide within their own sites. On some comparison tables we use a star rating which rates products by visitor popularity.
