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It is possible for incorrect or outdated information to appear on your credit report. If it does, it can affect your chances of getting the loans, credit cards, and other credit products you deserve. If you find an error, take the following steps to correct the information as soon as possible.

Please note: It's important to keep a record of everything you do. If sending via post, send all correspondences return receipt requested, and make copies of any letters or documents you send. Never send original documents.

Contact the Creditor Regarding the Problem

In most cases, you should contact the appropriate creditor or lender before contacting a credit reference agency. Most large creditors have standard procedures for customers to dispute items on their account. If you have proof that the item in question is incorrect, it should be resolved quickly.

If the creditor finds that the disputed information is indeed incorrect, the creditor is required to update its records both internally and with the credit reference agencies it deals with, usually within 28 days.

Always follow up your phone calls with a letter. List each disputed item, and state how it is inaccurate, attaching copies of all relevant documents. Include your full name, account number, the amount in question, and the reason you believe the item is wrong. Be concise.

If Necessary, Contact the Credit Reference Agency

If you cannot resolve the problem with the lender, contact the credit reference agency that is reporting the item in question. You will need a printed copy of your credit report from them. There is a charge for providing you with the report.

After you send written documentation of the inaccuracy, the credit reference agency will review it. If further investigation is required, they will provide notification of your dispute, including the relevant information you submitted, to the source that furnished the disputed information to them.

The source will then review the information, conduct their own investigation, and report back. The credit reference agency will then make all appropriate changes to your credit file based on the investigation, and notify you of the update.

Contact the Other Credit Reference Agencies

If you find an inaccuracy with one credit agency, you may want to get your credit report from the other two agencies to see if their reports contain the same error. After you've corrected an error with one agency, the other agencies should eventually receive the corrected information. But for prompt correction, it's best to contact each of the three agencies yourself:

To contact Equifax click here

Equifax	Experian	Call Credit
Credit File Advice Centre	Consumer Help Service	Consumer Services Team
PO Box 1140	PO Box 8000	PO Box 491
Bradford	Nottingham	Leeds
BD1 5US	NG80 7WF	LS3 1WZ
Tel: 0844 335 0550 (Calls will be charged at 5p per min)	Tel: 0844 481 8000	Tel: 0870 060 1414

Within a month of your inquiry, the credit reporting agency should notify you of the results of its investigation.

If You Cannot Resolve a Disputed Item

You have the right to attach a 200-word statement, free of charge, explaining the nature of your disagreement. Your statement will become part of your credit file, and will be included each time your credit file is accessed.