Equifax Electoral Roll Problem

[BoyArden]

I have looked through some of the threads and searched for this but can't find anyone that has had the same experience as me.

 

I have recently moved address for work and due to the relocation had two addresses for about six months. I applied for a mortgage for a house in the area I was moving to and decided to be open about what I was doing. Owned a house in the old location, rented a house in the new location and lived in the new location so gave that as my address. I have since been refused the mortgage due to not being on the electoral roll on an Equifax report.

 

I sent my registration form but it was never received by my local council. So, to remedy this I rushed to the council offices, completed a new form and got a letter from the council confirming that I was going to be added to the electoral roll. The problem is that they will not publish their register until October. Equifax have informed me that they will not add this to my credit report until January 2013. Maybe I am being naive but that seems to be a bit unfair that I should have to wait 5 months to be able to borrow money! I have an impeccable credit rating with the exception of the fact that Equifax do no show me being on the electoral roll at the new rented address.

 

I have disputed this with Equifax and got nowhere with it until I lost my temper enough with their Asian call centre and they passed me to an Irish call centre. When I say I got somewhere I got back to square one! I have asked for a notice of correction to be added to my file but I am not sure this will affect the lenders decision and the vendor of the house I am buying has now put the house back on the market.

 

So, my questions are:

 

- Is there anything I can do to get Equifax to update their records?

- Is it normal to have to wait 5 months for this information to be updated?

- Can a lender chose to ignore the notice of correction or do they have to take this into account?

- Would there be any possibility of Equifax paying my legal expenses if the house purchase falls through?

 

Thanks in advance

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi Welcome to CAG,

 

I'll try to answer your questions in order.

1. No Equifax must wait for the official notification.

2. Yes updating each years ER is a massive task.

3.The notice of correction/dispute is there for potential

lenders to use as they see fit.

4. No they have no control over the fact that you have not

assured that you were on the ER.

 

I would suggest that if you are still on the ER at your previous

notify your lender and they can verify you term of residence

all lenders look for a stable residential status usually for 3 years.

[BoyArden]

Thanks for your reply,

 

For the answer to Q1, why can't a letter from the council be considered as official notification? They are not going to issue that unless I am registered.

 

Q4, I have assured that I am on the ER. The problem is that because I have recently moved I will not show on the register that Equifax will see until October. I have done everything that can be expected of me to be on the ER but I don't think that Equifax have done anything to accept the fact that I have registered.

 

Many thanks,

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

It is i'm afraid down to your prospective lender to decide to accept

that you have attempted to be on the ER a letter from the council

is not in the public domain like the Register of Electors.

 

The purpose of the ER is to establish in part that an applicant has

a stable residential history, as you know a Credit Card app will ask

for a previous address if you have less than 3 years residential status.

 

Show the letter from the council to the potential lender it's

is their decision, if the decision was made ''autmatically'' you

can ask for it to be reviewed manually.