Not upheld: credit file management error - merged credit files complaint against Experian Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6141836 of 2026-04-14T00:00:00+00:00. credit file management error - merged credit files complaint against Experian Limited. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6141836 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-14T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Experian Limited |
| Product | credit reporting / credit file |
| Claim type | credit file management error - merged credit files |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | No further remedy ordered. Experian's existing remedies (£150 compensation, membership fee refund, Notice of Correction, quarterly paper credit file copies, and letter for lenders) were found to fairly resolve the complaint. The ombudsman expected Experian to continue attempting to resolve the matter and communicating with Miss M. |
Summary
Miss M complained that Experian Limited had merged her credit file with a family member's, causing incorrect accounts to appear on her credit report. The family member shared her last name, date of birth, and address but had a slightly different first name. Experian determined its system could not separate the two individuals and offered mitigation measures including cancelling Miss M's online account access, adding a Notice of Correction, providing quarterly paper credit file copies, and a letter for lenders, along with £150 compensation. Miss M remained unhappy, citing ongoing financial impact and declined lending applications. The ombudsman found Experian had taken reasonable steps given the technical impossibility of separating the files and did not uphold the complaint, finding the compensation and mitigation measures fairly resolved the matter.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that while an ongoing problem existed, Experian had taken reasonable steps to mitigate harm given the technical impossibility of separating the two individuals' files due to identical key details. The ombudsman considered that cancelling online access was a reasonable temporary measure, the NOC should trigger manual review by lenders, the quarterly paper copies enabled Miss M to monitor her correct financial position, and the letter for lenders provided additional protection. The ombudsman could not hold Experian responsible for lenders' automated decision-making processes or for declined applications where another Credit Reference Agency was also referenced. The £150 compensation and membership refund were deemed fair resolution for the inconvenience caused.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Experian Limited, all decisions | 381 | 17% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website