A man is fighting to prove he exists after being WIPED from official records in an address change row.
Frustrated Graeme Smith, from Paisley, has been left in limbo after a change in the format of his flat number led to issues with credit agencies and the electoral roll.
But the 40-year-old Buddie told the Paisley Daily Express: “I can assure the world I am alive and well.”
Mr Smith has claimed blundering bureaucrats have caused him to vanish in an identity crisis.
The problem started when the council changed his flat address in Broomlands Street, from flat 1/2 to 75/2.
He is registered on council tax records and the electoral roll as being at flat 1/2.
Among other things it means his ability to get a good credit score and loans has been thrown into chaos.
Mr Smith said: “These are two different formats and this has a negative impact on my credit score because when agencies and lenders and banks try to find me they use the postal address database.
“This tells them I am not registered to vote when actually I am registered to vote and have been since 2000.
“It also means that they think I am committing fraud and they cannot verify my identity. Renfrewshire Council have in effect negated my existence by refusing to update this record.”
He added: “For some reason Renfrewshire Council decided to change my address for the Royal Mail.
“I firmly believe that this council should be held accountable and stop riding roughshod over the citizens it is there to serve.”
Mr Smith has lived in Renfrewshire for 38 years and the issue arose when he tried to take out a loan to consolidate student debt.
Renfrewshire Council has now told the university research associate it is up to him to fix the mess.
He has called on local politicians to help him after Renfrewshire Council ordered him to fix the problem.
Mr Smith, who is also studying for his PhD in analytical chemistry and electrical engineering, revealed: “When I ask the council to rectify my data they refused and say I have to get permission from all the owners of the flats to update my address so that my personal data links together on credit reports.
“Under Article 16 of the UK GDPR individuals have the right to have inaccurate personal data rectified.
“Renfrewshire Council are refusing to even engage with this topic and will not change my address even though the law states that the individual has the right.
“This has negatively impacted my credit score and my ability to get any loans because I cannot be identified due to a mistake by the council.
“The really galling thing about is a council employee told me in an email that this two address format issue is not isolated to my flat but happens all across Renfrewshire.”
It is believed the issue can impact on residents of older tenements after an upgrade to the Royal Mail computer database.
Credit agency Equifax said it means lenders received an incomplete report or draw a complete blank.
Lisa Hardstaff, head of customer experience at Equifax, says if there are different formats for the same address a reference agency will need to manually make a link between the postcode address, and an individual’s electoral register address.
She said: “This situation shows the importance of checking your credit report, before you make an application, to ensure that all the information is correct and up to date,”
A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “In line with the standard process to resolve this matter, we have advised Mr Smith that all tenants at the address must agree on a single addressing format which we and the Royal Mail will then adopt.
“We have offered to assist Mr Smith with contacting the other owner/occupiers and will continue to liaise with him to ensure this is resolved as soon as possible.”
Download the FREE Renfrewshire Live app now for all the latest news, features and sport in your area. Available on both Android and Apple. Download here:smarturl.it/RenfrewLiveSocial
