Nicci

Does anyone know how long it takes a credit reference agency to update details on you?

I thought I must have a very good rating, but wondered how much this had gone down due to my other half getting himself a bad credit rating (this is what prompted me to get a report).

I ordered a report from experian, which was not laid out as I expected, but I think it said I had a good rating (nothing had a bad grade).

I was surprised (but pleased) to see my other half not mentioned in the report. We have lived together for 8 months, so I would have thought by now that we would have been linked together (as much as I don't want the credit link).

Any ideas?

Simon C

If your just living together then there won't be a financial link. You only get 1 of them if you jointly apply for credit, or similair. I could be wrong but I lived in a house share and I am not linked to them according to my records, but I did apply for a rented place with a friend and I do have a finacial link to them showing on my report.

minor_threat

I work for Experian (but don't slate me for it, I don't work in the credit reference bureau!). Nicci, your other half's poor credit rating will not affect you unless, as Simon says, you apply jointly for credit. At one time finance houses (not the credit bureaus) did like to associate people for menial reasons but thankly the law (data protection act) has put a stop to this. Addresses aren't blacklisted by finance houses any more because it is recognised that more than one person with no association to the other(s) can live at one address. Associations on credit reports have to be purely financial from 2004 onwards (due to a nice change in the law), so if this is not the case then the financial institution is breaking the law. (A financial connection is seen by lenders as a joint mortgage or joint loan.)

It is up to the lender (ie: bank, building society, insurer etc) to ensure that the credit account information on your credit report is correct. If you see incorrect information you should contact the lender concerned and they then inform Experian of the changes, or you can contact Experian who then contact the lender on your behalf and make amendments upon their instructions. I have to say, it takes most banks and building societies a month to amend their records because, one can only assume, they don't care much about it.

Also, if there's something on your credit report which you feel needs further explanation you can add a 'Notice of Correction'. This is basically a short (200 words max) explanatory note you can add to your credit report explaining any circumstances about information in the report. Anyone searching your report in the future or who has seen in it in the previous six months will see the notice of correction and take it into account.

Simon, if you have a link on your report which you feel should not be there you can fill in a 'Notice of Disassociation' form (available on Experian's website) to have yourself disassociated from that person.

If you need any more help PM me.

Nicci

I had read that a joint tennancy and joint bank account (for the bills) would link us and we have both.

Is this putting me at risk?

It was funny seeing my parents details on the report (especially as I moved out almost 4 years ago), all their info was good (thank goodness).

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

joint bank account is a financial relationship, and will link you!! I work in lending, and we have to put that you are linked financially if you have a joint bank account! good idea to put a noc on there though it makes a hell of a difference! where a decline decision may have been made a refer then usualy an accept occur.

good luck

jamo