AnUpdate: Experian hve posted a disclaimer for me and have made some headway. I still aait their response to my demand for compensation for their undoubted errors and lack of care in posting three innacurate entries on one account which is in dispute. Lowell Portfolio1, in receipt of my letter (CAG template), responded by writing that they had transfered my account to Lowell Finance to beter deal with my problem and to help resolve the issue. How kind and considerate of them. Lowell Portfolio 1 Ltd and Lowell Financial Ltd are completely separate entities in law and as such all they are doing is attempting to dodge the issue. Also, interstingly, they claim that as there was indeed an error and that the alleged debt was not a credit card as posted, but a student overdraft,(in dispute), they are not obliged to respond to the demand to prove the debt (Consumer Credit Act 1974 -(s.77 (1)). All this is now in the hands of a solicitor as I am entitled to legal aid. Lowell have written to me three times this week, the last time demanding that I pay within three days or else. I have not been so popular since it was my last round of drinks.

I went into a police station last week. The police are not interested as it is, they claim, not a police matter. They said that if the bank manager had his fingers in the till, that would be a different matter. Following orders, even if that is legally debatable is not a police matter. Personally I would argue that if the manager has taken money from your account for banking purposes, for the benefit of the bank, that is having your fingers in the till. It seems then that civil authorities see it as a criminal matter, and criminal authorities as a civil matter. In other words, as a middle class problem, benefit claimers are just working class oiks and should be grateful that such proper people are ripping them off. How dare you expect the police to look at such a frivilous matter as theft from poor, trailer park trash, you ungrateful, feckless waster. Pay your bills like people with £1000 a week plus benefits do. (Nothing has changed since Dickens really!) Doug

Martin, I just spoke to DWP supervisor. The DWWP will act if benefits are paid LATE; i.e. it is DWPs fault that the money was not in the bank. As for fighting on your side in the battle of the bank bandits, the DWP will not act on your behalf or even make the knight in white armour phone call for you. My recourse has been a begging letter to Hallifx pointing out their charge this week represents my weekly shop and they have stolen the beans from the cupboard and the food from my children's mouths. (Fat lot that will help though).

Thanks Towelie I have in fact written to them, but I am somewhat cynical about it and am preparing myself for the backside covering, "Well we just post the info it does not belong to us", line: Which is what they said on the phone. It is my concept that if I buy equipment from a shop and it does not work, then the shop cannot shove me off to the manufacturer. The same must apply to Experian. They cannot shirk responsibility for posting inaccurate information about such important and delicate matters as credit references. If they offer a credit reference service then they have a duty to ensure that it is accurate.

I have a strange one which has just come to light. I did a credit check on myself and discovered that I have three accounts on Experian with this firm, (Lowell Portfolio 1) for the same principal sum. There is only one debt and I am not sure that it was Barclays bank that are in default of contract in the first place, not me. I asked for a 28 day holiday due to unforseen circumstances and was turned down flat by Barclays, who demanded money there and then. I took the 28 days anyway as I was unable to pay that month. When I went to pay the next payment I was turned away from the counter at my branch. They had closed the account. Lowell are paid up to date, yet they have me in eight month default on all three accounts. How do I get Experian to remove the errors from my credit rating and why should I trust Lowell to upkeep the payments accurately. Lowell also fail to show payments made to them.