How to Clean Credit Repair Letters

Credit repair letters are an integral part of the credit report dispute process. They let you challenge harmful, mistaken items that pull down your credit score. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explains that letters are better than using the online dispute forms from TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. A letter gives you proof of delivery if you send it certified and lets you enclose supporting documents. You can easily clean up a sample credit repair letter for your own use.

Instructions

1

Locate a sample credit repair letter to use as the basis for your dispute. The FTC provides a sample on its website, and do-it-yourself credit repair sites like CreditInfocenter.com also have free form letters.

2

Insert the address of the appropriate credit bureau into each letter. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian all report their information independently, so you must send a letter to each bureau that lists errors.

3

Fill in specific information about the the items you are disputing. CreditInfocenter.com advises you to challenge every possible error, from incorrect totals and payment dates to misspellings. You can include them all in a single letter to the relevant credit bureau.

4

Add a reference to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), if your sample letter does not already mention it. The FCRA is the federal law that gives you the right to dispute credit report mistakes. It gives the credit bureaus 30 days to check your allegations, respond to you and erase information that could not be confirmed. They are more likely to take your letter seriously if they realize you know the law.

5

Attach copies of bills, receipts, statements and anything else that backs the accuracy of your challenge. Add a list of these enclosures to the bottom of your credit repair letter.

6

Proofread your credit repair letter and remedy any generic or unnecessary information. Completely tailor the sample to your specific dispute. It looks sloppy to leave in unrelated sentences or paragraphs.

7

Send your letter certified, get a receipt for the mailing and ask for a proof-of-delivery receipt. This documents submission of your dispute, and the proof of delivery shows you when the 30-day investigation period officially begins.