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Hi there. I'm hoping someone could give me some advice on my situation.
Back in 2010 around May I moved out of my parents. It was all ok for around 3 or 4 months. I was stuggling a bit but was mostly dealing with things. However shortly after moving in mine and my families life got basically turned upside down. My father was arrested and charged for serious offences (family and others were victims. He received a very lengthy sentence). It was a massive bombshell. My family was in pieces and I wasn't exactly coping either. Being alone in my flat just made me feel even worse. I became quickly depressed (something oave battled on and off for years anyway). I spoke to my landlord (whom I was fortunately friends with. Told him everything and we agreed I would stay until he found someone else to move in which was around 2 weeks later). I moved back home to support my family. It was around this time my debts spiralled. I ended up eventually ignoring them. I admit that. I just couldn't and didn't feel able to deal with them. Eventually they stopped contacting me. I haven't heard from them for years. I mostly forgot about them in the end. I had always meant to sort them out when things resolved but even when the court case was over things never seemed to. For a long time.
In late 2011, I arranged to change my name. The reason was that I had the same exact name as my father. I felt he didn't deserve the honour of having his eldest son named after him. I went to the solicitors got it done and then.... Sat there with it. I know that sounds crazy. But despite doing it it felt hard to make the final steps. Writing to everyone. Getting everything updated. I just didn't feel able to do it. So I didn't. It ended up sat in a drawer. I'd told my friends and family. People who I knew personally that I'd done it but that was it. Nothing official with anyone. It was more or less became something I was called and nothing more.
Anyway. Skip forward to late last year. I finally decided that I would go through with it officially and properly. I wrote to the DVLA, who I banked with (don't report to CRA apparently) and they also informed their loan company whom I had dealings with under my previous name. I moved address earlier this year. Made sure I was on the electoral register. They asked if I had changed my name and I said yes. They then gave me the option of whether i wanted to reveal my previous name or not. I chose not to say for personal reasons. The landlord (who set up utilities) was also aware too. I looked into how the credit agencies get informed about name changes and from what I read they should have got this information from other sources such as the loan company etc so I thought 'all good. They should know then.' How wrong I was....
I applied for a credit builder credit card and got accepted. I also applied for a catalogue account. I was not asked for any previous names once during either process however I mistakenly believed these details had been updated with CRA companies. They haven't. At all I don't think. When I checked Equifax through Clearscore all I could see was the old loan company accounts now under my name and address with NO link to my previous name. Experian had nothing at all. Never checked Call Credit. So I'm now concerned I'm in a lot of trouble. I thought my files were updated but appear to not have been. Not only this but going through a load of old stuff I found a load of old letters and stuff regarding these old debts I'd pretty much forgotten about. I have asked the council to update the electoral register again and this time have my previous name attached in the hope it will force the link. It was perhaps silly of me not to have done that in the first place...
So now I don't know what to do. I would like to pay these old debts off but have no idea where to even begin. Nor do I know what to do about these new accounts I have opened. Do I tell them what has happened? Should I close them instead? I have no idea what to do and it's throughly stressing me out. It's never been my intention to do anything wrong but I now I feel like I have. Can anyone give me any advice at all?
Back in 2010 around May I moved out of my parents. It was all ok for around 3 or 4 months. I was stuggling a bit but was mostly dealing with things. However shortly after moving in mine and my families life got basically turned upside down. My father was arrested and charged for serious offences (family and others were victims. He received a very lengthy sentence). It was a massive bombshell. My family was in pieces and I wasn't exactly coping either. Being alone in my flat just made me feel even worse. I became quickly depressed (something oave battled on and off for years anyway). I spoke to my landlord (whom I was fortunately friends with. Told him everything and we agreed I would stay until he found someone else to move in which was around 2 weeks later). I moved back home to support my family. It was around this time my debts spiralled. I ended up eventually ignoring them. I admit that. I just couldn't and didn't feel able to deal with them. Eventually they stopped contacting me. I haven't heard from them for years. I mostly forgot about them in the end. I had always meant to sort them out when things resolved but even when the court case was over things never seemed to. For a long time.
In late 2011, I arranged to change my name. The reason was that I had the same exact name as my father. I felt he didn't deserve the honour of having his eldest son named after him. I went to the solicitors got it done and then.... Sat there with it. I know that sounds crazy. But despite doing it it felt hard to make the final steps. Writing to everyone. Getting everything updated. I just didn't feel able to do it. So I didn't. It ended up sat in a drawer. I'd told my friends and family. People who I knew personally that I'd done it but that was it. Nothing official with anyone. It was more or less became something I was called and nothing more.
Anyway. Skip forward to late last year. I finally decided that I would go through with it officially and properly. I wrote to the DVLA, who I banked with (don't report to CRA apparently) and they also informed their loan company whom I had dealings with under my previous name. I moved address earlier this year. Made sure I was on the electoral register. They asked if I had changed my name and I said yes. They then gave me the option of whether i wanted to reveal my previous name or not. I chose not to say for personal reasons. The landlord (who set up utilities) was also aware too. I looked into how the credit agencies get informed about name changes and from what I read they should have got this information from other sources such as the loan company etc so I thought 'all good. They should know then.' How wrong I was....
I applied for a credit builder credit card and got accepted. I also applied for a catalogue account. I was not asked for any previous names once during either process however I mistakenly believed these details had been updated with CRA companies. They haven't. At all I don't think. When I checked Equifax through Clearscore all I could see was the old loan company accounts now under my name and address with NO link to my previous name. Experian had nothing at all. Never checked Call Credit. So I'm now concerned I'm in a lot of trouble. I thought my files were updated but appear to not have been. Not only this but going through a load of old stuff I found a load of old letters and stuff regarding these old debts I'd pretty much forgotten about. I have asked the council to update the electoral register again and this time have my previous name attached in the hope it will force the link. It was perhaps silly of me not to have done that in the first place...
So now I don't know what to do. I would like to pay these old debts off but have no idea where to even begin. Nor do I know what to do about these new accounts I have opened. Do I tell them what has happened? Should I close them instead? I have no idea what to do and it's throughly stressing me out. It's never been my intention to do anything wrong but I now I feel like I have. Can anyone give me any advice at all?
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