How to correct wrong information on credit file

[J.QWELYN]

I paid the early termination charges for 2 phones around feb/March this year so that I could upgrade. After I paid the ETC's a direct debit attempted to come out, which was bounced due to already being paid.

No missed payments are showing on my sky account, but my credit file show arrears for sky mobile in April 2023. This has harshly impacted my credit score and haven't been able to upgrade both phones. I think this is because of the "missed" direct debit. 

Advisors I have spoke to haven't been able to help. They have insisted there are no missed payments and I need to raise with credit agency. However credit agency says they are not the owners of my information and I need to raise with sky.

Hoping somebody can point me in the right direction. 

[SKY1992bf]

@J.QWELYN  Sky are correct, you need to log a dispute request with the credit score company that holds the information with the error, see the below link for information on how to do so 

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/credit-education/faqs/how-to-dispute-credit-report-infor...

[J.QWELYN]

Thanks for the reply. Have emailed Experian will let you know what they say.

[J.QWELYN]

@SKY1992bf  I have spoken to Equifax, all they can do is add a notice of correction. This is only to provide an explanation on my credit file and does not change or remove the information which is affecting my credit score. 

Sky are the suppliers of this information, so it is sky who have to rectify it. Is there a department which handles GPDR requests? 

[SKY1992bf]

@J.QWELYN  I'm going to tag someone who may have more knowledge of this type of thing than me 

but as things stand equifax are still responsible as it's their report that is showing the error 

sky themselves or any other company are not legally allowed to remove anything from a credit report 

@Chrisee any thoughts on this situation?

[Mark39]

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@J.QWELYN wrote:

Is there a department which handles GPDR requests? 

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Only contactable via the call centres - see Sky's guide on GDPR here: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-privacy-and-cookies-notice

Equifax's own procedures indicate that they will contact Sky to verify the data given to them, if you challenge its accuracy:

"If a consumer thinks that any personal data a credit reference agency holds about them is wrong or incomplete, the consumer has the right to challenge it. The credit reference agency will need to take reasonable steps to check the data, such as asking the organisation that supplied it to check and confirm its accuracy"

https://www.equifax.co.uk/crain

[SKY1992bf]

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@Mark39 wrote:

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@J.QWELYN wrote:

Is there a department which handles GPDR requests? 

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Only contactable via the call centres - see Sky's guide on GDPR here: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-privacy-and-cookies-notice

Equifax's own procedures indicate that they will contact Sky to verify the data given to them, if you challenge its accuracy:

"If a consumer thinks that any personal data a credit reference agency holds about them is wrong or incomplete, the consumer has the right to challenge it. The credit reference agency will need to take reasonable steps to check the data, such as asking the organisation that supplied it to check and confirm its accuracy"

https://www.equifax.co.uk/crain

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@Mark39 that's why I don't understand why equifax are telling @J.QWELYN to contact sky, once they lodge the dispute with credit report company, it's down to the company to contact sky not the other way round 

[Chrisee]

@J.QWELYN the process of correcting a credit file entry is explained here https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/guides/notice-of-correction.html the system is essentially the same for all of the agencies. 

Lenders never reveal why an application for credit was declined so while your feeling my be correct there is no way of proving that. If a direct debit was declined that is a matter of fact so adding a note saying what happened is the correct process but it does not change the fact a debit failed.  In general it is always wise to pay debits and recover the funds either through your bank or from the company as stopping debits unilaterally is a common cause of issues . The longer the period since the entry the less impact it will have on credit scoring decisions. 

While you have a right to get details of the data held on you by Sky I doubt they are under any formal obligation to change a factual report whatever the circumstances. Note I am not a lawyer 

[J.QWELYN]

@Chrisee Hi, Sky have litteraly said there are no missed payments for the period showing on my credit file. 

According to Experian and Equifax websites it says you should contact lender if you believe there to be an error:

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-can-i-remove-incorrect-information-credit-report/

[Chrisee]

@J.QWELYN do whatever you want but if a direct debit failed as you say the entry is not an error. 

[J.QWELYN]

@Chrisee I don't see why sky tried to take the DD in the first place after I paid off the contracts. 

[J.QWELYN]

@Mark39 thanks, I have already filed a notice of correction but they haven't advised what the next steps are, or if they would contact sky.

To be honest I don't know what difference it makes whether the agency informs sky of the error or I do. 

[SKY1992bf]

@J.QWELYN  is there any possibility the failed dd was for a sky mobile data plan rather than a device 

[J.QWELYN]

@SKY1992bf  I don't think so, everything is up to date. The DD amount was the same as usual for the phones. 

[J.QWELYN]

@SKY1992bf  Furthermore whenever I speak to sky they are just as confused as I am and insist the credit score shouldn't show missed payments for that period because they cannot see any missed payments on their end.