Data sharing

We share data with Credit Reference Agencies. We highlight this to you in privacy statements included in your bills and also here on our website.

Tell me more about data sharing

What is a Credit Reference Agency?

Credit Reference Agencies collate data on individuals or companies, about their borrowing and repayment history, which allows lenders and other organisations, such as utility companies, to make decisions about whether to lend money or what is the best method for a customer to pay based on reliable and consistent information.

The three main consumer credit reference agencies in the UK are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. They are also Fraud Prevention Agencies. We share data with all three agencies.

What is a Fraud Prevention Agency?

Fraud Prevention Agencies collect maintain and share information on known and suspected fraudulent activity.

We need to detect and prevent fraud, money laundering and crime and pass this information to the police and organisations involved in crime and fraud prevention.

We use personal data to protect ourselves and you from fraud by verifying your identity.

Why we are sharing data with Credit Reference Agencies?

We will share your personal information with Credit Reference Agencies and Fraud Prevention Agencies to better understand our customers and help:

assess creditworthiness
verify the accuracy of the data you have provided
manage your account
better tailor the services and products we provide to you
identify early sign of financial hardship so that we may extend appropriate support
assist in the prevention of over indebtedness
prevent criminal activity, fraud and money laundering
trace and recover debts
you to build a credit history.

How will data sharing affect me?

Where payments are made on time the sharing of information about the regular payment of water bills will contribute positively towards building a credit history, particularly for customers who are not financially active in other credit services. This may extend the options available to those customers for accessing mainstream credit and financial services and products.

Where payments are made outside of our payment terms this may have a negative impact on your credit score and could cause you to be refused credit.

If you are having problems paying your bill, we may be able to help, please call us on 0800 169 3630.

Can anyone access or view my personal data?

Your financial information will only be available to members of the sharing scheme administered by the Credit Reference Agencies. The information-sharing scheme is carefully regulated, by the law, and by strict rules drawn up by the organisations who share information.

The identities of the Credit Reference Agencies, their role also as fraud prevention agencies, the data they hold, the ways in which they use and share personal information, data retention periods and your data protection rights with the Credit Reference Agencies are explained in more detail in the Credit Reference Agency Information Notice (CRAIN).

How does this comply with General Data Protection Regulations(GDPR)?

Most of the personal data that we collect from or about you is needed to enable us to comply with legal obligation and to pursue our legitimate interests in a way which might reasonably be expected as part of running our business and which does not materially impact your rights, freedom or interests.

The sharing of your information with Credit Reference Agencies does not require your consent. It is done for the purposes of legitimate interests pursued by Anglian Water. The legitimate interest in data sharing is to promote responsible lending, prevention of bad / unpaid debt, prevention of fraud and money laundering, etc.

How do I get my credit report?

To obtain a copy of your credit report visit experian, transunion or equifax.

TransUnion International UK Limited

One Park Lane,Leeds LS3 1EP

Phone: 0330 024 7574

Experian Ltd

Customer Support Centre PO Box 8000, Nottingham NG80 7WF

Phone: 0844 481 8000 (please refer to Experian's website for call charge details)

Equifax Limited

Customer Service Centre PO Box 10036, Leicester LE3 4FS

Phone: 0333 321 4043 or 0800 014 2955

What should I do if I find a mistake on my credit report?

If you believe there is an error on your credit report you can contact us on 0800 169 3630 or send an email using our online enquiry form.

Alternatively you may wish to raise a dispute via TransUnion, Experian or Equifax, you can do so by visiting their website and completing an online enquiry form.

TransUnion enquiry form

Experian enquiry form

Equifax enquiry form

How can I view what personal data you have?

You can ask for copy of the personal data we hold about you and ask us to change it if it is wrong. In certain circumstances you can ask us to remove your data or stop processing it.

You can also object to certain types of processing like marketing, automated processing or profiling.

Further information

For more detailed information on how we share data with Credit Reference Agencies and what else we do with your information please see our Privacy Notice.

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Data sharing