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Credit repair

Credit repair: a careful check of your credit file.

We review your credit file, check each listing against the rules, and ask the credit provider for a correction where a listing appears incorrect or wasn’t made properly. Accurate listings stay, and we’ll tell you plainly if that’s what we find.
Answer 9 quick questionsCall 1300 351 008
Fee-based service. Fees are explained before you decide anything.
Good to know before you start
Accurate listings can’t be removed, by us or anyone else
Outcomes depend on the evidence, and some requests are refused
You can request a correction yourself, at no cost, from the credit provider or credit reporting body
A review won’t change the debts behind a listing

Is a review worth it? →

LicensedAustralian Credit Licence 390820
Registered with AFSADebt agreement administrator 1403
Since 2009Bankstown-based team
Real reviewsOn ProductReview.com.au
The basics

What is credit repair?

Your credit file is a record of your credit history: applications, accounts, repayments and any defaults. Lenders use it, and the credit score worked out from it, when they decide on an application.

Credit repair means checking that record and asking for anything incorrect to be corrected. At Debt Negotiators, that starts with a careful review. We check each listing against the credit reporting rules and the paperwork behind it. Where a listing appears incorrect, or wasn’t made properly, we ask the credit provider to correct it and send the evidence.

What credit repair can’t do is remove accurate information. If a listing is correct and was made properly, it stays on your file for its full period, no matter who asks or what they charge. Our guide to understanding your credit file explains what each part means.

Listings a review can look at
Errors in your name, address or date of birth
The same debt listed twice
A debt that isn’t yours, including identity fraud
A default listed without the required notices first
Amounts or repayment details recorded incorrectly
A paid default that isn’t shown as paid
Whether a listing can be corrected depends on the evidence.
Honest answer

Is a credit file review worth it?

A review is most useful when something on your file looks wrong. It’s much less useful when the listings are accurate.
It can make sense when
There’s a listing you don’t recognise
A default appeared without you being told about it first
A debt was listed while you were disputing it with the credit provider
Your personal details are wrong, or a debt appears twice
It usually won’t help when
The listings are accurate and were made properly
You want a correct debt agreement or bankruptcy record removed
The real issue is debts you can’t keep up with right now
You’re comfortable asking the credit provider yourself, at no cost

See the other options →

Your rights

You can request a correction yourself

You don’t need to pay anyone to correct your credit file. You can ask the credit provider that made the listing, or the credit reporting body that holds your file, to correct information that’s wrong. It costs nothing.

You’re entitled to a copy of your credit report at no cost every three months. There’s more than one credit reporting body, and each may hold slightly different information, so it’s worth checking each one. Once you make a correction request, it generally has to be dealt with within 30 days, unless you agree to more time.

Some people prefer to have us handle it. That’s a fee-based service, and you can always do it yourself instead.

If you do it yourself
Get a copy of your credit report
Check your personal details, accounts, enquiries and any defaults
Note anything that looks wrong, with any paperwork you have
Ask the credit provider or the credit reporting body to correct it
Keep copies of everything you send and receive
Never reply to unexpected emails or texts offering a credit report. They can be scams after your personal details.
How we help

How it works with Debt Negotiators

1

Answer 9 quick questions
About a minute. Then we call to hear what’s on your file and what’s going on with your debts. Start here.
2

We review your credit file
With your consent, we look at each listing and check it against the credit reporting rules and the paperwork behind it.
3

We tell you what we found
Which listings look incorrect and why, and which look accurate. If nothing looks wrong, we’ll say so.
4

We request corrections where there are grounds
We send the request and the evidence to the credit provider, then let you know the response.
What to expect

Some correction requests are accepted and some are refused. The outcome depends on the evidence and the credit provider’s response. If a request is refused, we explain the reasons and what, if anything, can still be done.

A corrected listing changes what lenders see. It doesn’t change what you owe, and lenders still look at your income, expenses and the rest of your file.

What it costs: Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service. Fees are explained before you decide, and the first conversation costs nothing.

If your file is accurate

How accurate listings affect you over time

An accurate listing can’t be removed early, but it doesn’t stay forever. Each type has a set period, and its effect usually lessens as it ages and newer, on-time repayments are recorded.

If the listings come from debts that are still hard to keep up with, the debts themselves are usually the bigger question. We can go through the options below, each with its downsides.

How long information usually stays
Credit enquiries: 5 years
Repayment history: 2 years
Defaults: 5 years, even once they’re paid
Debt agreements: usually up to 5 years, or longer in some cases
Bankruptcy: 5 years from when it starts, or 2 years after it ends, whichever is later
General information. The period depends on the type of listing and when it was made.
Other options

When the debts are the bigger issue

If your listings are accurate, or the debts behind them are still hard to manage, these are the options we work through. Some add their own listing to your credit file.

Informal arrangements
New repayment terms negotiated with each creditor, based on what you can realistically pay.
Good to know: creditors don’t have to agree, interest may keep running, and it may show on your credit report.

Learn more →

Consolidation with bad credit
One loan to pay out several debts, where a lender will approve it.
Good to know: lending criteria apply, some applications are declined, and each application adds a credit enquiry.

Learn more →

Debt agreements (Part IX)
A formal, binding agreement with your creditors to repay an affordable amount over time.
Good to know: it’s a formal insolvency option with income, debt and asset limits, and it’s listed on your credit report and the National Personal Insolvency Index.

Learn more →

Personal insolvency agreements
A formal agreement for higher debts or incomes, administered by a registered trustee.
Good to know: it’s listed on the National Personal Insolvency Index permanently.

Learn more →

Bankruptcy information
We explain how bankruptcy works and how it compares with the other options.
Good to know: it has serious, long-lasting consequences and is usually a last resort.

Learn more →

Credit repair questions

What is credit repair?

Credit repair means checking your credit file and asking for incorrect information to be corrected. We review each listing against the credit reporting rules and the paperwork behind it, and request a correction from the credit provider where a listing appears incorrect or wasn’t made properly.

Can accurate listings be removed from my credit file?

No. Accurate information that was listed properly stays for its full period, whoever asks and whatever they charge. Be wary of anyone who says they can remove correct listings.

Can I correct my credit file myself?

Yes. You can ask the credit provider or the credit reporting body to correct information that’s wrong, and it costs nothing. You’re also entitled to a copy of your credit report at no cost every three months.

What kinds of errors can be corrected?

Usually wrong personal details, debts listed twice, debts that aren’t yours (including identity fraud), defaults listed without the required notices, and amounts or repayment details recorded incorrectly. Whether a particular listing can be corrected depends on the evidence.

How long does credit repair take?

It depends on the listing and how quickly the credit provider responds. A correction request generally has to be dealt with within 30 days, unless you agree to more time. Gathering the evidence can add time before the request is made.

How much does credit repair cost?

Asking for a correction yourself costs nothing. Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service, and our fees are explained before you decide. The first conversation costs nothing.

Can you promise a listing will be removed?

No. The outcome depends on the evidence and the credit provider’s response. If a listing looks accurate, we’ll tell you plainly. If a request is refused, we’ll explain the reasons and what, if anything, can still be done.

How do I choose a credit repair business?

Check that it holds an Australian Credit Licence, get its fees in writing and make sure you understand what it will do for them. Be wary of anyone who promises to remove accurate listings, or who contacts you out of the blue offering a credit report. Debt Negotiators holds Australian Credit Licence 390820.

See whether a credit file review makes sense

Answer 9 quick questions, then we call to go through your credit file and the other options.
Answer 9 quick questionsCall 1300 351 008
Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service. The information on this page is general and doesn’t take your circumstances into account. Outcomes depend on your situation, and no outcome is guaranteed. Formal options such as debt agreements and personal insolvency agreements can affect your credit report and your ability to get credit. ACL 390820 · AFSA RDAA 1403.
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Talk to us about your options. Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service, and fees are explained before you decide.
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