Different information across Experian, Equifax and TransUnion does not automatically mean one report is wrong. Lenders and service providers may report to different Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs), updates can arrive on different dates and each agency calculates its consumer score differently.
Why the records differ
- A lender may report to one, two or all three agencies.
- Monthly reporting dates can differ.
- Addresses or name variations can prevent accounts matching correctly.
- A correction may reach one agency before another.
- Score ranges and models are not directly comparable.
Compare data, not score numbers
Check account names, balances, limits, payment markers, default dates, searches, financial associations and public records. A larger Experian number is not automatically “better” than a smaller TransUnion number because the scales differ.
When should you investigate?
Investigate if an account is duplicated, a balance is materially wrong, a default date differs, an unfamiliar search appears, or an address mismatch hides positive history. Save all three reports before raising disputes.
How to correct a genuine difference
- Ask the provider which agencies it reports to.
- Complain directly to the provider about inaccurate data.
- Raise a dispute with the affected Credit Reference Agency (CRA).
- Supply evidence and request written confirmation.
- Escalate appropriately to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) or Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Use MoneyHelper’s free report guidance to check each agency.
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General UK information only, not personal financial or legal advice. Rules and remedies differ across the UK. Free, confidential debt advice is available through MoneyHelper’s debt-advice locator, StepChange and National Debtline.