A man bought a car using credit extended by a division of a car manufacturing company. He realised he would not be able to meet the repayments and voluntarily surrendered the car to the vendor and repaid the outstanding amount. Some time later the credit provider lodged a default against his name with a credit reporting agency. He complained to me.

The credit provider admitted that the default notice was lodged in error. At the man's request, it notified the error to the credit reporting agency and another business which had denied him credit because of the default information. The credit reporting agency's records were amended. The credit provider apologised to the man and offered an ex gratia payment of $500 in full and final settlement of the complaint.

He accepted this settlement and I discontinued my investigation.

Indexing terms: Accuracy of personal information - Credit provider - Default information disclosed to credit reporting agency in error - Settlement - Information privacy principle 8

May 1999