TSB’s IT saga was, for me, the start of a nightmare. They resurrected a closed joint account with my ex-wife back in 2016. Four months ago I noticed that my credit score had halved from four stars to two and I discovered that this defunct TSB account was shown as open with a fictitious £317 default dated April 2017. I complained to TSB in branch.
I have successfully applied to have the account and default removed from Equifax. However I cannot with Experian or Callcredit as it is still shown as being live. This can only be rectified by TSB.
I am in a new relationship and will be applying for a mortgage. This error will cause me significant damage but my local branch no longer responds to my emails.
I’ve complained to the Financial Ombudsman, but it can’t investigate until my ex-wife consents which, so far, she hasn’t. I’ve always managed my money responsibly but TSB’s error has shattered my financial reputation and they’re not interested in putting it right.
RG, Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Predictably and depressingly it takes the bank a mere week to rectify its mistake after we get involved.
The company says the fiasco was caused by human error rather than the IT glitch, and that it was compounded by a delay in updating your credit files. It’s corrected the records.
“We’re sorry that our customer experienced some inaccuracies with his credit files, which are now rectified,” it says. “We have offered him £750 for any distress or inconvenience caused. We have also offered to cover any other costs incurred. Our customer is happy with this.”
You are, of course, far from happy and “inconvenience” is an infuriating understatement for the havoc corporate ineptitude can wreak on lives when creditworthiness is undermined.
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