Serious Address Issues please help

[Mistic]

Hi guys

New here, discovered this forum through Niddy's posts on MSE and seems like I have been reading nonstop for days. Wonderful site and so pleased to have found it

I have some issues which have been dogging me for years regarding my address. I have been dutifully building green on my reports for the past several years after making a good mess of them prior to that but the address thing is destroying all the work.

I live in a building with internal flats. I am on the Voter's Registrar as a Flat number and have been for years trying to build my files. The issue is that with Royal Mail, the address is the building number and for searching purposes the flats do not exist.

Eg.

Real Address:
Flat X
X Somewhere Street
Town
Postsode

Royal Mail address:
X Somewhere Street
Town
Postcode

Because of this, whenever I apply for anything, or anyone tries to search for me, they only have the option of searching the Royal Mail address without the flat. But I am registered to vote on the flat address.

I have been reading EVERYTHING, believe me, I have been able to find regarding this, the most helpful posts from this forum on a similar thread, but the advice is to use the Royal Mail variation.

I tried to do this today, spent hours on the phone with the intention of switching everything to the Royal Mail variation and found the following issues.

Equifax. Cannot, apparently, link my flat address to my RM address. All they can do is link the RM address to the flat address because they have to follow the Voter's Reg, which they say will make my RM-only address information disappear and when I am searched there without the flar no information will be found.

Experian. Have changed my address listing from the RM to the flat address, linked my RM address to it and tell me that even should I be searched without the Flat, all my information should appear. But I am concerned now after what Equifax told me.

Electoral Registrar. Tried to get my address changed from the Flat to the RM address for consistency but was told because flats exist they cannot merge the properties and there is nothing they can do, that I should speak to RM.

RM. Back in a circle, told me again there was nothing they could do as the properties share a mail point.

I apologize for the size of the post, but I really could do with some advice here and would greatly appreciate it

The only option seems to be merging the information with the CRAs, but as mentioned above, the only way they appear to be able to do that will apparently make my file non-existent to anyone trying to search me without the flat and it is not possible to search with it.

Please help

[SA Gold]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
Do i understand correctly; the address your name appears within the credit reference agency files isn't what is used to actually deliver things to the property?

[Mistic]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Hi Missy thanks for the reply

Current addresses:

Equifax: Flat address
Experian: RM address (to become Flat address overnight, which I am beginning to feel I should stop happening)

Mail is delivered through a single mail slot then sorted by those of us in the building. My mail almost always has the Flat on it as it as I either write that when giving my address out, or alter it later after applying for something with the RM address.

The RM address, without the flat, is the only option when searching for a postcode, ie on the RM database. So anything new I apply for or give the address for has to be without the flat til it is accepted and can then be amended.

[SA Gold]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Hi Missy thanks for the reply

Current addresses:

Equifax: Flat address
Experian: RM address (to become Flat address overnight, which I am beginning to feel I should stop happening)

Mail is delivered through a single mail slot then sorted by those of us in the building. My mail almost always has the Flat on it as it as I either write that when giving my address out, or alter it later after applying for something with the RM address.

The RM address, without the flat, is the only option when searching for a postcode, ie on the RM database. So anything new I apply for or give the address for has to be without the flat til it is accepted and can then be amended.

hi,
ah, is it a relatively new block of flats by any chance?
I experienced a similar debacle a few years back when moving in to a "house" (which many authorities including Royal Mail) only knew about as
1,
The name of the road,
city

and knew nothing about the flats within it.
I am not sure of the process involved (assuming this is the case with you) but it eventually sorted itself out. I would guess its down to the builders/surveyors responsible for the property working with the local planning office but others may be along soon to clarify.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

What you must do is start using the address that tallies with PAF. Go to Royal Mail address finder and search for you. Use THAT address when you apply for credit as that is what lenders aggregate their data from so it must tally with PAF. The cra's will then update their records accordingly.

However if you're saying PAF identifies it as a house and not flats then you need to speak to the local authority planning dept to have it corrected. In any case you'd probably be best having all the CRA's singing from the same hymnbook so if they're using the flat version but PAF doesn't then ask them to add both and link them as the same address.

It's a nightmare to resolve. I have it as I'm in a new build and PAF has us in Leeds even though I have a Pontefract phone number and pay council tax to selby council but we're North Yorkshire county council.

Confused? Yep me too lol

[SA Gold]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

What you must do is start using the address that tallies with PAF.

sorry if i am being dull, but what is PAF?

[Deepie]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

sorry if i am being dull, but what is PAF?

Postcode Address File

-------> http://www.royalmail.com/marketing-s...d=paf_redirect

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Postal Address Finder

--> Postcode Finder | Royal Mail Ltd

Then click on find an address tab at the top.....

[mgfboy]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

I've had this before when trying to sort mortgages out for clients, where they either live or are buying houses in new developments. The post codes sometimes lag behind and when you try to get approval the computer says no!!!!

[Mistic]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Thanks for the replies guys. I have had such a long day trying to go through all of this I really appreciate the help

hi,
ah, is it a relatively new block of flats by any chance?
I experienced a similar debacle a few years back when moving in to a "house" (which many authorities including Royal Mail) only knew about as
1,
The name of the road,
city

and knew nothing about the flats within it.
I am not sure of the process involved (assuming this is the case with you) but it eventually sorted itself out. I would guess its down to the builders/surveyors responsible for the property working with the local planning office but others may be along soon to clarify.

It sounds like a very similar experience. The thing is, this house has been flats for something like 10 years I think. I have been here for 5 myself and it was flats before I got here. It appears something I will have to do.

What you must do is start using the address that tallies with PAF. Go to Royal Mail address finder and search for you. Use THAT address when you apply for credit as that is what lenders aggregate their data from so it must tally with PAF. The cra's will then update their records accordingly.

However if you're saying PAF identifies it as a house and not flats then you need to speak to the local authority planning dept to have it corrected. In any case you'd probably be best having all the CRA's singing from the same hymnbook so if they're using the flat version but PAF doesn't then ask them to add both and link them as the same address.

It's a nightmare to resolve. I have it as I'm in a new build and PAF has us in Leeds even though I have a Pontefract phone number and pay council tax to selby council but we're North Yorkshire county council.

Confused? Yep me too lol

According to the PAF my address does not include a flat, that's the thing. I figure now the thing is to establish the address, so I thought, if all they need is external mail points, surely I could put some sort of thing at the front door, even if I constructed something temporary myself to get the process through. So I spent the latter part of this afternoon calling through Royal Mail, then my local council and finally was directed to a department called Naming and Numbering, who I was told by Royal Mail would be the ones to speak to and who would then instruct Royal Mail, hoping to find exactly what they need to get this ball rolling.

Unfortunately the person in the department had a day off.

So 2 questions

1. Do you think the above idea has any chance of working? I know the landlord should handle something like that but knowing my landlord, unless there is something legal to lean on here I will probably have to figure something out

2. Once updated tonight, Exp will have my address as including the Flat, linked with the address without it. Will that be found by a lender searching without the flat? The woman from Equifax really has me worried now that if I connect them my entire record at the PAF address will disappear.

Is that different for Equifax or have I received some dodgy info

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

I've had this before when trying to sort mortgages out for clients, where they either live or are buying houses in new developments. The post codes sometimes lag behind and when you try to get approval the computer says no!!!!

Well yes but a protective cifas registration and/or a Notice of Correction (NoC) could bypass automated systems. Maybe the best approach here is a NoC at both addresses referring to pre-defined text clarifying the issue, for example

"The customer disputes the data provided and care should therefore be taken when assessing the individual for credit. The addresses are one and the same"

That would about do it. The CRA will argue that the NoC is defined text that cannot be altered, tell them to get fooked cos they're talking garbage, it is YOUR data and you can say anything you want so long as it is factual and not libellous, so you couldn't say "X bank scammed me and added this default"

If you get stuck give me a shout (or PM)....

[SA Gold]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Thanks to I2D and Niddy for clearing that up!

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

1. Do you think the above idea has any chance of working? I know the landlord should handle something like that but knowing my landlord, unless there is something legal to lean on here I will probably have to figure something out

2. Once updated tonight, Exp will have my address as including the Flat, linked with the address without it. Will that be found by a lender searching without the flat? The woman from Equifax really has me worried now that if I connect them my entire record at the PAF address will disappear.

Is that different for Equifax or have I received some dodgy info

1. Don't worry, leave the mail processing side as it is and use the flat version of the address, then request that all 3 CRA's also update their records to reflect that the flat and the PAF address is linked with a NoC stating (use the text above in my last post).

2. The CRA's will basically link you from the address with a flat number to the main address without the flat number which is correct. Doing so shows lenders that you're linked to the address and a simple PAF search via themselves (done via the CRA) will show the mis-match address from the CRA & PAF to that used by you and/or the ER Register.

Basically, as things stand you need to get the CRA's sorted and try ringing that contact from Naming & Numbering tomorrow. But in the meantime stop worrying, all this is easy to resolve as technically you're only having address issues not debt issues linking to the address which does cause a big problem.

So for now try and get all 3 CRA's to show your profile as address with the flat and linked to the same address without the flat.

[Mistic]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Well yes but a protective cifas registration and/or a Notice of Correction (NoC) could bypass automated systems. Maybe the best approach here is a NoC at both addresses referring to pre-defined text clarifying the issue, for example

"The customer disputes the data provided and care should therefore be taken when assessing the individual for credit. The addresses are one and the same"

That would about do it. The CRA will argue that the NoC is defined text that cannot be altered, tell them to get fooked cos they're talking garbage, it is YOUR data and you can say anything you want so long as it is factual and not libellous, so you couldn't say "X bank scammed me and added this default"

If you get stuck give me a shout (or PM)....

Cheers mate, appreciate it

I read one of your posts warning against NoCs though, as if I understood correctly it would essentially eliminate the possibility of ever having an application accepted by a system and would always refer, thereby opening the entire history to the human decision maker and affecting the result. It seemed more like something to avoid, did I misunderstand?

Incidentally, the people I spoke to, of whom there were seven over several phone calls and both CRAs, all but told me straight that I did not have access to the other report, as though it was not really mine and only one could exist. If I could put notes on both versions, does that mean I actually have access to 2 reports per CRA at the moment?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Serious Address Issues please help

Cheers mate, appreciate it

I read one of your posts warning against NoCs though, as if I understood correctly it would essentially eliminate the possibility of ever having an application accepted by a system and would always refer, thereby opening the entire history to the human decision maker and affecting the result. It seemed more like something to avoid, did I misunderstand?

Incidentally, the people I spoke to, of whom there were seven over several phone calls and both CRAs, all but told me straight that I did not have access to the other report, as though it was not really mine and only one could exist. If I could put notes on both versions, does that mean I actually have access to 2 reports per CRA at the moment?

Right, a NoC in this sense is ideal for you as it stops a computer saying no when it sees the mismatch of data (address) hence adding one means the application cannot be declined electronically and must be sent for manual processing. A human will notice that the address is the same and if this was the ONLY reason for the decline, they would reverse it. Make sense? So in your case it is probably good to have one to stop automatic declines.

As for reports, you misunderstand - a credit report is generated against a person, NOT an address so basically there could be 50 people and/or historical reports from that address - you won't know as they will only send you info relating to you. So similarly, what you want to happen is for all 3 CRA's to have the address as shown on PAF as this is what will credit score you, but as this differs from what you use as you apply for things means you need the flat address to be manually linked to the PAF version so lenders can see that the address is actually the same and not fraud.

Make sense, I hope so lol