§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were placed on a bad creditor register as a result of incorrect information in each of the last 10 years; and what right of appeal those wrongly placed on such registers have. [147699]
§ Mr. SutcliffeThere is no register of bad creditors as such. Credit reference agencies hold details of credit accounts and payment histories. In some cases these may show late payments or defaults. Lenders use this information to make decisions regarding the suitability of lending to a particular consumer. These decisions may vary depending on individual lenders commercial decisions.
If individuals believe a particular lender has registered incorrect information about their account with a credit reference agency, they can contact either the lender or the agency to seek correction. Checks should then be made on the accuracy of the information, and corrections made where appropriate. Where individuals can show that the information on their credit file is inaccurate and the lender has refused to amend it, the matter can be referred to the Information Commissioner. Alternatively, individuals have the right to seek redress through the courts.
There are no centrally collated results to show the number of applications for corrections on credit reference files, nor the number of corrections made as a result of those applications.