International Credit Repair: for the United Kingdom

A Credit Article Contributed by Brandie King

International Credit Repair: for the United Kingdom

There is essentially no difference in credit repair strategies between the United Kingdom and the United States, with the exception of the credit reference agencies having international offices.

International Credit Repair: Get Your Credit Files

The first thing you need to do when trying to repair your credit is to contact the credit reference agencies and order copies of your credit files from all of them. To get your credit files from the credit reference agencies you will have to provide your full name, birth date, current address, and any previous addresses over the past six years.

International Credit Repair: Credit Reference Agencies Contact Information

Here is the contact information and website addresses for the international offices of these credit reference agencies, which is useful information to have when trying to repair your credit.

Experian, http://www.uk.experian.com

Telephone: 0115 976 4050

Mailing Address: Experian, Consumer Help Service, P O Box 8000, Nottingham NG1 5GX

Equifax, http://www.equifax.co.uk

Telephone: 0141 951 1100

Mailing Address: Equifax PLC, Consumer Response Centre, Department 2E, P O Box 3001, Glasgow G81 2DT

Call Credit PLC, http://www.callcredit.plc.uk

Telephone: 0113 244 1555

Mailing Address: Call Credit, Consumer Services Department, Park Row House, Leeds LS1 5JF

International Credit Repair: Examine and Dispute

Once you have received your credit files from all three of the above credit reference agencies you need to sit down and examine them. If you find any incorrect items then you need to directly contact the credit reference agencies, in writing, and dispute the incorrect information. You should also check to make sure that there isn't any information on your credit files that belongs to a person with a similar name to yours, to the person who lived at your address before you, or to somebody that is in your family or the same household as you. This type of information can also be disputed.

International Credit Repair: What the Credit Reference Agencies Have to Do

Everybody has the right to challenge the accuracy of their credit files. Once you have disputed an item or incorrect information, the credit reference agencies are required to investigate the dispute as soon as possible. If the credit reference agencies find that the disputed item is indeed incorrect or they are unable to deny or confirm it then they are required to remove it from your credit file, and they have to let you know one way or the other within 28 days.

International Credit Repair: Additional Tips

When you find more than one incorrect item you should dispute each one individually in a separate letter. You should also wait until one dispute is resolved before challenging any other incorrect items. If you have any proof that an item is incorrect then you should send it with your dispute letter for that incorrect item. Do not try to dispute any information or entries on your credit files that are accurate and correct, even if they are negative.

Nobody can remove accurate negative information or entries. Examples of accurate negative information are credit card bills that you have been paying late on and medical or legal bills that you haven't paid.