How to Dispute a Credit Report Error in Australia (2026)

Quick Answer — The 4-Step Dispute Process:

1. Get your credit reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, Illion) — free at least every 3 months
2. Identify the error — incorrect amounts, wrong dates, accounts not yours, entries past retention period, defaults without proper notice
3. Dispute directly with the credit provider (the company that listed the entry) in writing — they have 30 days to respond under the Privacy Act 1988
4. Escalate to AFCA if the credit provider refuses and you have valid grounds — or engage Australian Credit Solutions for lawyer-led dispute representation

Australian Credit Solutions handles the entire dispute process on your behalf. 98% success rate. No Win No Fee. ASIC ACL 532003. Industry Excellence Award 2022, 2023 & 2024. 4.9/5 from 976+ reviews. Over 5,000 Australians helped since 2014.

You have a legal right to accurate information on your credit file in Australia. Errors are more common than most people realise — and correcting them can produce dramatic score improvements.

What Counts as a Disputable Credit Report Error?

Before investing time in a dispute, it's important to understand what is actually disputable versus what is accurate information you simply dislike.

Disputable errors include:

Not disputable:

• An accurate default that was listed correctly with proper notice
• Enquiries from credit applications you genuinely authorised
• Late payment markers that accurately record missed payments

If you're unsure whether your situation involves disputable grounds — Australian Credit Solutions offers a free assessment to tell you honestly before you pay anything.

Step 1: Get All Three Credit Reports

Your credit file may differ between bureaus. An error on your Equifax file may not appear on Experian. Get all three:

Print or save copies. Note every entry with its date, amount, provider name, and account reference number. You'll need this information for your dispute.

Step 2: Identify and Document the Specific Error

For each error you want to dispute, document:

• What the entry says (exact wording from the credit report)
• What is incorrect (specific factual or procedural error)
• Evidence you have (correspondence, payment receipts, notification records, address history)
• What outcome you're seeking (correction of amount, removal of entry)

The more specific and documented your dispute, the more likely it is to succeed. "I don't think this is right" is not a dispute. "The Section 21D notice was dated 14 March 2023 and sent to 12 Oak Street, Newtown — I moved from that address on 3 January 2023 and had updated my address with the lender on 15 January 2023 as evidenced by the attached email" is a dispute.

Step 3: Lodge Your Dispute — Two Pathways

Pathway A: Dispute Direct With the Credit Provider (Recommended First Step)

The company that listed the entry (Telstra, a bank, a lender) is called the credit provider. They are responsible for the accuracy of what they've listed. Disputing with them directly is typically faster than going through the bureau.

How to submit:

• Write a formal dispute letter (email with read receipt, or registered post)
• State: your full name, date of birth, the specific entry you're disputing, the exact grounds, and the outcome you're requesting
• Attach all supporting evidence
• Keep a copy of everything

Their obligations: Under the Privacy Act 1988, credit providers must:

• Acknowledge your dispute within 5 business days
• Investigate and respond within 30 days
• Remove or correct the entry if the dispute is upheld
• Explain their decision in writing if they decline

Pathway B: Dispute Direct With the Bureau

If you can't identify the credit provider, or the error is a bureau data issue (duplicate entry, wrong person's information), dispute directly with the bureau:

• Equifax: equifax.com.au/credit-data-corrections
• Experian: experian.com.au/contact-us/dispute-your-credit-report
• Illion: creditreport.com.au

Bureau disputes typically take 30–45 days. The bureau contacts the credit provider on your behalf.

Step 4: Escalate to AFCA If Rejected

If the credit provider rejects your dispute and you believe the grounds are valid, escalate to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA):

• Website: afca.org.au
• Phone: 1800 931 678
• Cost: Free for consumers
• Timeline: AFCA resolves most complaints within 60 days

AFCA can order credit providers to remove incorrectly listed entries. Their decisions are binding on ASIC-licensed credit providers.

Note: You must attempt to resolve the dispute with the credit provider directly before AFCA will accept your complaint — AFCA requires evidence that you've already tried.

When to Use a Professional Credit Repair Service

Self-dispute is viable for straightforward, clearly documented errors — and there are several parts of the process that are genuinely free in Australian credit repair. Consider professional assistance when:

• The credit provider is rejecting a dispute you believe is valid
• The error involves complex legal grounds (Section 21D procedural failures, Banking Code breaches, statute of limitations arguments)
• Multiple entries need disputing simultaneously
• You've already been rejected by the bureau or provider
• The stakes are high (home loan application, significant score suppression)
• You don't have time to manage the correspondence process yourself

Australian Credit Solutions handles all correspondence on your behalf. As a division of Fogarty Oliver and Rothschild law firm, we prepare disputes as legal correspondence — which carries significantly more weight than consumer self-dispute letters. We tell you honestly in the initial assessment whether grounds exist and what the realistic chances of success are.

Case Study: Amara, Sydney — Self-Dispute Failed, Professional Removal Succeeded

Amara, 41, a nurse from Parramatta, had a $1,100 Telstra default on her Equifax file. She attempted to dispute it herself — writing to Telstra's customer complaints team explaining that the default related to a period when she was overseas and the bill had been sent to an address she'd vacated. Telstra's response: "The debt is valid. Dispute declined."

Amara came to Australian Credit Solutions. We reviewed the Section 21D notice sent by Telstra — it was dated 15 August 2022. Telstra's own records showed Amara had called to update her address on 3 July 2022, six weeks before the notice was issued. The notice had been sent to the address before her update, not after — a documented failure to use her current address in their own system.

Our formal legal correspondence to Telstra cited specific Privacy Act 1988 provisions and the documentation of the address update request. Telstra removed the default within 31 days of our correspondence. Amara's score improved from 512 to 661. Home loan pre-approval followed 2 months later.

Amara paid nothing until we succeeded.

Get a free assessment from Australian Credit Solutions →

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a credit report dispute take in Australia? Credit providers have 30 days to investigate and respond to a dispute under the Privacy Act 1988. Bureau disputes typically take 30–45 days. AFCA escalations can take 30–90 days. Professional disputes handled by Australian Credit Solutions typically resolve within 30–60 days depending on the credit provider — with some completed in as little as 2–3 weeks.

Can I dispute a credit report error myself in Australia? Yes — you have the right to dispute credit report errors directly with credit providers and bureaus at no cost. Self-dispute works well for straightforward factual errors with clear documentation. More complex disputes involving legal grounds (procedural failures under Privacy Act 1988, Banking Code breaches) typically achieve better results with professional legal representation.

What happens if a credit provider refuses my dispute? If a credit provider rejects your dispute, you can escalate to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) at afca.org.au — free for consumers. AFCA can investigate and order credit providers to remove incorrectly listed entries. Their decisions are binding. You can also engage a licensed credit repair service to lodge a formal legal dispute on your behalf.

Is there a cost to dispute a credit report error in Australia? Disputing directly with credit providers and bureaus is free. AFCA escalation is free for consumers. Professional credit repair services charge fees — legitimate services on a No Win No Fee basis charge only when successful. Australian Credit Solutions charges no fees until a dispute is successfully resolved.

Can I dispute a default I genuinely owe? If the debt itself is valid but the default was listed incorrectly or without following proper procedure (wrong address on Section 21D notice, listed during hardship, listed while dispute was active), dispute grounds may exist for removal even on a genuine debt. The listing procedure must comply with Privacy Act 1988 requirements regardless of whether the underlying debt is real. Australian Credit Solutions assesses this distinction in the free initial review.

What evidence do I need to dispute a credit report error? Relevant evidence depends on the grounds: for address errors, provide address history documentation (lease agreements, utilities in your name, bank statements with address); for payment disputes, provide bank statements showing the payment was made; for procedural errors, the credit report entry itself with dates often provides sufficient evidence of the timing problem. Australian Credit Solutions advises on exactly what evidence is required in each specific case.

Get My Free Assessment → 📞 0489 265 737 🛡️ ASIC Licensed ACL 532003 | ⭐ 4.9/5 from 976+ Reviews | 🏆 Award Winner 2022–2024

Australian Credit Solutions Pty Ltd holds Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Credit repair services are subject to individual assessment. Results may vary. This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.

Related reading: Credit repair scams — what to avoid → | Default removal services → | Your Privacy Act credit rights →