Is the information wrong, or negative but accurate?
Credit repair in Australia is mainly about correcting information that's inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, misleading or reported when it shouldn't have been. It isn't a way to remove accurate negative information just because it's hurting your credit profile.
| What you see | Can it usually be changed? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Account doesn't belong to you | Yes | Report it as an error or possible identity theft. |
| Balance, date or repayment status is wrong | Yes | Ask for a correction and provide evidence. |
| A default may not meet the reporting rules | Maybe | Ask the provider or credit reporting agency to check whether it was validly listed. |
| A valid default has been paid | Usually no | Make sure it's marked as paid. It will normally stay on the report. |
| Late-payment history is accurate | Usually no | Keep future repayments on track and let the listing run its normal course. |
| An entry should have expired | Yes | Ask for it to be corrected or removed. |
| Equifax and Experian show different information | Maybe | Check which report is out of date and raise it with the relevant provider or agency. |
What you see
Can it usually be changed?
- Account doesn't belong to you
- Yes
- Balance, date or repayment status is wrong
- Yes
- A default may not meet the reporting rules
- Maybe
- A valid default has been paid
- Usually no
- Late-payment history is accurate
- Usually no
- An entry should have expired
- Yes
- Equifax and Experian show different information
- Maybe
What to do
- Account doesn't belong to you
- Report it as an error or possible identity theft.
- Balance, date or repayment status is wrong
- Ask for a correction and provide evidence.
- A default may not meet the reporting rules
- Ask the provider or credit reporting agency to check whether it was validly listed.
- A valid default has been paid
- Make sure it's marked as paid. It will normally stay on the report.
- Late-payment history is accurate
- Keep future repayments on track and let the listing run its normal course.
- An entry should have expired
- Ask for it to be corrected or removed.
- Equifax and Experian show different information
- Check which report is out of date and raise it with the relevant provider or agency.
If your situation doesn't fit neatly into one row, that's normal. Some cases, such as an old debt that no longer appears on your reportcan involve both a credit reporting question and a separate legal question.
What should you look for on your credit report?
You’re looking for anything on your credit report that doesn’t match what actually happened. That could include accounts or credit applications you don’t recognise, duplicate entries, incorrect personal details, wrong balances or dates, repayment information that’s inaccurate, paid or closed debts still showing incorrectly, information that should no longer appear, or hardship arrangements and defaults that don’t look right.
How to fix an error on your credit report
You don't need to pay someone to fix a genuine error, as corrections are a free right. You can contact either your credit provider or a credit reporting agency. Under Australian privacy law, the organisation you contact should work with the other party rather than sending you away to work out who is responsible.
1. Identify the mistake. Be specific about what is wrong and what you want corrected.
2. Gather evidence. Pull together anything that shows what actually happened.
3. Ask for the correction. Contact your credit provider or the relevant credit reporting agency and explain the change you are asking for.
A correction request should usually be handled within 30 days, unless you agree to give them more time. It can help to provide evidence that supports your request, such as a copy of your credit report, account statements or payment receipts, confirmation that an account was closed, relevant hardship or default notices, identity-theft documents if applicable, and any previous complaint responses. Make sure you also clearly explain what you believe is wrong and what you want corrected.
Why Equifax and Experian can look different
If your Equifax report shows an entry that your Experian report doesn't have (or vice versa), it doesn't automatically mean something has gone badly wrong. The two agencies don't necessarily receive identical information from every provider. Check which report appears out of date then raise it with the relevant provider or agency.
What if the negative information is correct?
If a default is valid, paying it is still important because it settles the debt and the listing should be updated to show that it's paid. But paying it doesn't normally remove it from your credit report; a valid default generally remains for five years.
If the information is accurate, focus on making sure your credit report is up to date and managing the issue from there. Check that any paid debt is marked correctly, deal with any outstanding repayments directly with the lender, and avoid making unnecessary new credit applications for a while. Keeping future repayments on time can also help, and if you’re struggling, consider asking your lender about hardship support. Otherwise, the information will remain on your credit report for the usual reporting period.
How long does information stay on your credit report?
| Information type | Usually stays for |
|---|---|
| Hardship information | 1 year |
| Repayment history | 2 years |
| Credit applications | 5 years |
| Defaults | 5 years |
| Serious credit infringements | 7 years |
Information type
Usually stays for
- Hardship information
- 1 year
- Repayment history
- 2 years
- Credit applications
- 5 years
- Defaults
- 5 years
- Serious credit infringements
- 7 years
Bankruptcy, debt agreements and court judgments have different and more complex rules. If one applies to you, check directly with OAIC or a legal service rather than relying on these general timeframes.
Are late payments and defaults the same thing?
No. A missed payment can appear in your repayment history without becoming a formal default. A default has extra reporting requirements including a notice process. So if you see a late payment on your report but don't remember receiving a default warning, it may simply be repayment-history information rather than a default.
Will asking for financial hardship hurt my credit score?
Not directly. A hardship indicator can't be used by a credit reporting agency to calculate your score. A lender may still be able to see it for up to a year and could ask about it during an assessment.
Asking for hardship help doesn't automatically damage your score. So don't avoid contacting your provider simply because you're worried the request itself will 'wreck' your score. The National Debt Helpline can help you understand your options.
Does a debt disappear when it falls off your credit report?
Not necessarily. A default dropping off your credit report after five years doesn't necessarily mean the debt itself has disappeared. How long information stays on your report and whether a debt can still legally be pursued are separate questions.
Do you need to pay a credit repair company?
For many straightforward errors, probably not. You have the right to ask for incorrect information on your credit report to be corrected for free, and you can usually do this yourself by contacting the credit provider or credit reporting body.
If you're thinking about using a paid credit repair service, make sure you understand exactly what you're paying for. Check whether the provider is appropriately licensed or authorised, what the service includes, the total cost, and what they mean when they talk about a successful outcome. You can check credit licensees and representatives through ASIC's professional registers.
Most importantly, paying a credit repair company doesn't give it the power to remove accurate information from your credit report or guarantee that your credit score will improve. If the information is genuinely incorrect, you can request a correction yourself for free.
Should you take out a loan just to improve your credit?
Taking out a loan purely to improve your credit isn't a credit repair strategy. A new application creates a credit enquiry and a new repayment commitment. If there's an error on your report, deal with that error directly rather than treating more borrowing as the fix.
Who should you contact?
| Contact | Contact them when... |
|---|---|
| Your credit provider | You are disputing an account-specific error or asking for hardship help. |
| Equifax or Experian | You need your credit report or want to dispute report-level information. |
| AFCA | A complaint with a financial firm has not been resolved. |
| OAIC | Your issue involves privacy or credit-reporting rules. |
| Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman | The disputed reporting involves a phone or internet provider. |
| Your state utility ombudsman | The disputed reporting involves an energy or water provider. |
| National Debt Helpline | You want free financial counselling or hardship guidance. |
| Community legal service | You need help with an old debt, limitation question or identity theft. |
Contact
Contact them when...
- Your credit provider
- You are disputing an account-specific error or asking for hardship help.
- Equifax or Experian
- You need your credit report or want to dispute report-level information.
- AFCA
- A complaint with a financial firm has not been resolved.
- OAIC
- Your issue involves privacy or credit-reporting rules.
- Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
- The disputed reporting involves a phone or internet provider.
- Your state utility ombudsman
- The disputed reporting involves an energy or water provider.
- National Debt Helpline
- You want free financial counselling or hardship guidance.
- Community legal service
- You need help with an old debt, limitation question or identity theft.
Frequently asked questions
Usually not. If the information is wrong, out of date or shouldn't have been reported, you can ask for it to be corrected. But accurate negative information normally stays until its usual timeframe ends.
No. The listing should be updated to show it's paid, but a valid default generally stays on your credit report for five years.
Generally, up to 30 days, unless you agree to a longer timeframe.
No. Getting your own credit report isn't a credit application and shouldn't create a credit enquiry.
The hardship indicator itself can't be used to calculate your score, although a lender may still see it for up to a year.
Not necessarily. A credit report entry disappearing and a debt's legal status are separate issues.