How Long Does the Credit Repair Process Take?

The Credit Repair timeline can vary from person to person based on a number of factors, but one thing that doesn’t change is the process that must be followed in order to achieve results.  If you understand this process, it will give you some idea of how long it can take.

Here are the steps that need to happen during credit repair and don’t worry, we guide our clients through everything to make sure it is done properly!

First, you must obtain copies of your credit report from all three major bureaus.  Once you have these, you’ll need to identify any errors and negative items.  This could take a couple hours, or even a few days, depending on number of issues found.

Second, dispute letters must be written for each negative item that needs to be removed.  The time to do this will again vary based upon the number of accounts that need to be disputed.  The more items that need to be disputed, the more time it will take to get all of the letters written.  These letters then need to be sent to the correct credit bureau via certified mail.  Obviously, you also have to allow a few additional days for the letters to be delivered.  In addition, negative items my be disputed separately with each credit bureau.

Third, once the credit bureaus receive the letters, they have 30 business days to contact the creditor to verify the information on your report.  This is at least 6 weeks and could be longer if holidays occur during the 6 week period.  So everything is put on “hold” until the creditor responds back to the credit bureau.  If the creditor does not provide sufficient documentation within 30 days, which is what normally happens, then the credit bureau must remove the negative item from the credit report.

Finally, we need to recheck the credit reports to make sure that things have been updated properly.  If not, additional correspondence with the credit bureaus may be necessary.

If there are a large number of items to dispute, this process could require multiple rounds.  A good estimate on time from start to finish is 3-6 months, but since there are so many factors at play, it is impossible for anyone to tell you EXACTLY how long the process might take for your set of circumstance.

Got questions?  We’re happy to answer them.  Just give our office a call and schedule a consultation.