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Work in progress - ratings and comments are still to be finalised

Notice of Correction

1.1 Stated purpose

A Notice of Correction is a piece of text that can be added to your credit report so that it may be viewed by lenders or other organisations when they use Equifax to check your information.

1.2 Episodic or relational

2.1 Statutory notification

2.2 Info validated by

Sector

4.1 Personal identifier used

Online portal

Offline alternative

1.3 Data included

Episodic

No

Financial services

Credit Reference Agency entry

Yes

Yes

Further info

Source URL

Privacy URL

Recipients

Banks/financial services

Strengths

Easy to submit either online or offline (postal address provided as an alternative). The only constraints are a 200-word limit and a requirement to be moderate in the language you use.

Weaknesses

Only relevant for credit/financial status applications, so it has limited scope and reach.

Further information
[From Equifax website:] You may wish to add a Notice of Correction if there is information on your Equifax Credit Report that is accurate but you feel requires further explanation. For example, if you missed a payment, you may wish to explain the reason for this, perhaps for the benefit of potential lenders who may view your report before making a lending decision. You should be aware that adding such a note can sometimes delay lending decisions, because a note may cause some lenders to refer your application for a manual review rather than make an automated decision. If the lender reviews your note they may not agree with it, or they may ask for additional information from you. You should also be aware that adding a note to your Equifax Credit Report will not change your credit reports at other credit reference agencies, although you can contact the other credit reference agencies and ask them to add notes also. Your Notice of Correction must be factual, relevant, and must not be longer than 200 words. It must not be defamatory (affecting someone's good name or reputation), frivolous or scandalous, or for any other reason unsuitable for publication. Equifax will help suggest some wording when you use your Online Help account to make an application to have a note added. If you’d prefer to use your own wording, you can use your Online Help account to do this also. If you wish to proceed, please click on "Add a notice of correction" below and complete the application process. You can also write to us.

Overall functional rating

3. Transparency, choice and control

3.1 Transparency

Reasonably transparent about the NOC being seen/taken into account by lenders.

3.2 Choice and control

Choice and control over what to say and which credit reference agency to send it to, but not over who might see it or what decisions they might make as a result.

4. Functionality

4.2 Structured data

4.3 Free text

Free text (max 200 words) to clarify or correct matters of fact in someone's credit report

4.4 Carer role

Not applicable

4.5 Acknowledgement of receipt

No evidence that recipients acknowledge having seen the NOC or taken it into account

4.6 Updates

System allows for updates

4.7 Access to records

This is specifically designed to correct inaccurate data, and sits within a platform that is designed to allow access to that data

5. Reach

5.1 Multi-sector acceptance

Separate NOCs required for each credit reference agency. Recipients largely limited to financial istitutions.

5.2 Recipients within orgs/services

NoC is visible to anyone viewing the overall credit record

5.3 Proactive sharing

No provision

6. Language and user experience

6.1 Language

The name is misleading. It's a Notice of Clarification/Explanation, not a Notice of Correction - the site states clearly that it doesn't change the credit record.

Otherwise uses reasonable language, but could perhaps afford to be more encouraging about the benefits of sharing a NoC.

Words to watch

6.2 Conditions vs actionable support

No requirement for diagnoses/conditions to be shared

6.3 Online UX

Clear explanation of what's required in the free text input

6.4 Offline UX

Postal address given as an alternative

7. Outcomes

7.1 Actionable support needs

N/A - not intended for this purpose

7.2 Trustworthiness

Process seems as trustworthy as the overall platform - would require the person to trust the platform enough to access and use it.

Think Local Act Personal: Data for People
Ratings against the 15 Principles

Overall

TLAP 2

TLAP 3

TLAP 4

TLAP 5

TLAP 6

TLAP 7

TLAP 8

TLAP 9

TLAP 10

TLAP 11

TLAP 12

TLAP 14

Money Advice Trust
Ratings against the 10 principles for designing vulnerable consumer data-sharing programmes

Overall

MAT 1

MAT 2

MAT 3

MAT 4

MAT 5

MAT 6

MAT 7

MAT 8

MAT 10-

Conditions/diagnoses identified
Actionable support needs identified
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