What is a credit report error?
A credit report error is any piece of information that appears on your credit report and is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading.
It’s important to check your credit report carefully, as incorrect information may affect your credit score and subsequently your ability to receive credit or loans in the future. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three main credit reporting bodies in Australia (Equifax, Experian and illion) every year. You can also request a free copy if information on your credit report has been corrected or if you’ve been refused credit in the last 90 days.
It’s also a good idea to check your credit score regularly. Your credit score is based on information in your credit report. If it is lower than you expected, this may be a sign that there are items on your report that you may want to take a closer look at. You can check your credit score for free with Canstar.
When you have a copy of your credit report, some key areas to check for errors include:
| Types of errors | What to check |
|---|---|
| Loans or debts |
|
| Defaults |
|
| Serious credit infringement |
|
| Personal information |
|
It is important to note that defaults cannot be removed from your credit report unless they are incorrect. Defaults will stay on your credit report for five years, even after you have paid off the debt. However, if you pay the debt, the credit provider should update your details to show it has been paid. Lenders may look at paid defaults more favourably than unpaid defaults. However, it’s still important to remove defaults if they were incorrectly listed in the first place.
How to fix errors on your credit report
If you think there is a mistake on your credit report, then you can ask to have it changed. Incorrect listings can be changed for free and you can arrange this yourself.
Here are some steps you can take:
1. Contact the credit provider or credit reporting body
Ask the credit provider (such as your bank, telco or utility provider) or the credit reporting body (Equifax, Experian or illion) to investigate the information you think may be incorrect. If they agree it is incorrect, they can get the error removed or amended. This is free to do.
According to Moneysmart, the credit reporting body may be able to fix some errors on your report straight away or help you get them changed. For example, if your name or date or birth is incorrect, or if a debt has been listed twice.
It’s helpful to provide supporting documentation if you have it, such as payment records. This can help speed up the investigation process.
2. Get help if you need it
If you need help, you can contact a free financial counsellor or community legal centre to assist you. You can speak to a financial counsellor by calling the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. Moneysmart also provides a list of organisations that can provide free legal advice to people who are in debt.
3. If you are unhappy with the outcome, you can make a complaint
If you are unhappy with the credit provider or credit reporting body’s response, you can complain to the relevant ombudsman. This could include the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and the Energy & Water Ombudsman for your state or territory. You can contact your credit provider or credit reporting body to check what scheme it belongs to. If you are not satisfied with this, you can also complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), the Australian Government’s privacy and information regulator.
To make a request with a credit reporting body, check the website of the body to see how to raise a dispute:
| Equifax | https://www.equifax.com.au/personal/resolution-centre |
|---|---|
| Experian | https://www.experian.com.au/correction-process |
| illion | illion says you can contact the Public Access Centre or use the ‘Question This’ option when logged in to the website: https://www.creditcheck.illion.com.au/ |
Be cautious of credit repair companies that say they can “fix” or “clean” your credit report by getting negative listings removed. You cannot remove information that is correct from your credit report, even if it is negative information. Additionally, in many cases these companies charge high fees for something you can do yourself for free (such as fixing an error on the report).
How long does it take to correct a credit report error?
If the credit provider or credit reporting body is satisfied that the information is incorrect, then it must take reasonable steps to correct it within 30 days. According to the OAIC, the credit provider or reporting body must also send a written notice about the correction to you, and anyone else it has disclosed the information to, within a reasonable period.
If the provider or reporting body believes the information is correct, then it must write to you and explain its reasons, the OAIC says. It must also let you know that you can access an external dispute resolution scheme or make a complaint.
Your credit report holds a lot of your personal information, so it’s worth checking it regularly to make sure that the information is correct. Once errors on your report have been fixed, this may help to improve your credit score. Check out our tips to improve your credit score. You can also check your credit score for free with Canstar.
→ Get your free credit score
Cover image source: Song_about_summer (Shutterstock).
This article was reviewed by our Sub Editor Tom Letts and Finance and Lifestyle Editor Shay Waraker before it was updated, as part of our fact-checking process.
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