Clearing Bad Debt from my Address

[elliejai]

Hi,
I bought a house 16 months ago. The previous owners had outstanding debts when they left and chose to leave them behind. This is now affecting my credit rating. How can I get their debt removed from my address?
Thanks Elliejai

[dasherman]

I had the same problem a few years ago when I tried to take out a credit card.

First get your credit report from Experian or Equifax - there's another one aswell but the life of me I can't remember their name! It should cost you �2.

Check to see if there's anything on there that's nothing to do with you. If so write back saying so.

[Buenchico]

You should file a 'notice of disassociation' with the credit reference agencies. You can do this online (for free) on the Experian website:
http://www.experian.co.uk/contactforms/consume r_onlinedisassociation.html

The credit reference agencies usually share such information but, for a 'belt and braces' solution, you should also complete the Equifax form. It's on a 'secure' web page, so I can't link directly to it. Instead go here
https://www.econsumer.equifax.co.uk/consumer/uk/sitepage.ehtml?forward=gb_cpo_faq
and click the 'here' link under 'Why (sic) do I do if information for other people appears on my credit report?'

The last of the 'big three' credit reference agencies is CallCredit. Their form isn't available for online submission but you can download the form here
http://www.callcredit.co.uk/download/Disassoci ationForm.pdf
and then post it to them.

Incidentally, the credit reference agencies are not permitted to base credit ratings solely on someone's address (so you shouldn't really be having this problem). However, if (for example) you share a common surname with the previous occupants (or with someone with whom they had a financial connection) the agencies can assume that you're connected with them until you tell the agencies otherwise.

Chris

[Buenchico]

Oops!

I've just spotted that the link I posted for Equifax is also on a secure server, so it won't hotlink. Use this instead:
http://tinyurl.com/2ypnvd

Chris

[elliejai]

Hi,
To those of you who replied thanks a million espcially Buenchico you were a great help. Further to what you said my soon to be exhusband has lots of unpaid debt too so maybe that is more of a problem than the previous occupants of my house. I'll have to sort that aswell.
Thanks again. Best Regards Elliejai