Can I pay someone to fix my credit score or credit report?
The Savvy Team love to hear from our members and get all sorts of questions asked, so we thought we would share some of the most commonly asked questions we receive.
Q. CAN I PAY SOMEONE TO FIX MY CREDIT SCORE OR CREDIT REPORT?
SHORT ANSWER:
They can’t do anything that you can’t do yourself – information can only be removed from your credit report if it has been proven incorrect. If you notice an error, you can take steps to have it corrected without having to pay a credit repair company to do it for you.
ALL THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS:
Your credit score is an indicator of your ability to repay credit and lenders can use your score to decide whether to approve or decline your application for credit. So, it makes sense that you want your credit score to be in tip top shape.
You might have come across companies that claim to be able to remove information from your credit report in return for a fee.
However, it’s important to realise a few things about credit reporting before you go down this path. In most cases, information can only be removed from your credit report if it is incorrect. For example, if you have a default on your file, that’s going to stay on your credit report for five years, even if you have repaid it.
If there is an actual mistake (e.g. a typo or an incorrect, misleading or duplicate entry), you can take steps to fix the mistake yourself! In Australia, there are requirements for credit providers and credit reporting bodies to investigate and reply to requests for corrections. If the information in your credit file is wrong, contact your credit provider and/or the credit reporting body to have the mistake investigated and corrected.
For more information, check out our article: How to fix an error on your credit report.
