Anyone know about breaches of Data Protection Act?? Solicitors?!

[VictoriaEDT]

Despite a relatively healthy income and being v good at paying credit cards I found that I wasnt able to get any loans a year or so ago so ended up taking a higher rate loan out (rather unwillingly but a necessity!) I have also been unable to get credit cards.

Yesterday I thought this is ridiculous as I always pay everything on time so I went to creditexpert.co.uk to find I wasnt listed on the electoral role..........i thought i was!
So i ring the council whole confirmed that I was and experian was in the wrong and is a breach of the data protection act as they hold sensitive information about me that is not accurate. Experian corrected it today and suddenly my credit score goes from poor to excellent! This is the reason why I couldnt get credit cards and why I had to take a higher rate bank loan out as I was supposedly a "credit risk".

Where do i stand legally? does anyone know?!

 

[teddyt]

Against a massive company like experian i would think you wouldnt stand much chance at all! Could cost you a lot of money and stress to get not very far tbh.

Maybe ask citizens advice?

 

[ester]

They were discussing this on 'money box' at the weekend on radio 4. More under the guise that experion or similar had debts attributed to them that werent theirs and a guy who orange and another company had overcharged him and he was in dispute about it with them. But even though they knew it was in dispute it was still down as monies overdue.

I dont remember the details but might be worth seeing if you can listen again to it online?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjnv

 

[Kat]

They have put it right now though?

You would be best to exhaust non - legal avenues before turning to litigation, as that will be expensive.

First work out what this mistake has cost you in terms of extra interest and any other bits and bobs. Then write a formal letter of complaint to the person in charge of data protection (I think they will be the data protection officer but my minds gone a bit blank), explain the error and how long it went on for the financial cost and the cost of inconvenience, possible impact of lots of credit searches being on your record due to you being turned down etc. ask them to investigate and reply within 14 days.

If they don't give you a satisfactory response to your complaint, make a formal complaint to the data commissioners office. They are a bit like an ombudsman, there will be a website with their details. Only when you have had a response from them consider legal action, but to be honest unless it has cost you thousands it is unlikely to be worthwhile bothering.

Good luck!

 

[VictoriaEDT]

Thank you, I think I will write a letter and take it from there.