Having blemishes on your credit report can hurt you when you are trying to obtain a loan and you have bad things on your record from the past. You need to know that there are steps that you can take to start fixing your credit to get your report back on track. Fixing your credit is not an overnight process, and can be done with a little time and effort so that you will be able to obtain your next line of credit.
Instructions
1. Take a look at your credit report to see if there are any errors. Sometimes the things that may be bringing your score down are of no fault of yours. Look over dates and balances, and even the number of inquiries on your credit.
2. Report any errors that you may have found. This can be done by sending a letter disputing the error to the credit reporting agency, as well as the creditor. Make sure to include any documentation you may have backing your side of the story, as you will have a better chance of it getting fixed.
3. Send a copy of the same letter to the creditor. They will want to have the same information explaining why you want the error to be corrected. The address for the creditor will be on your credit report.
4. Wait to hear back from the credit reporting agency. They can take up to 45 days before you will hear a response back in the mail. They will inform you of the decision of your request, and a new copy of your credit report will be included if there is any changes that they have made.
5. Pay down any loans you may have on your credit report, and pay them on time. Your credit score will increase with the less debt you have on your report. Lenders look at your long-term debt, and see if you have been able to make the payments on it.
