Fixing a credit report begins with looking closely at this document. You can get a copy of your credit report for free online; just search for “free credit report”. You can get a free copy of your credit report once a year; also, if you are denied credit on the basis of your credit report, you may then request a free credit report from that credit reporting bureau (this must be done in writing within 30 days of the denial of credit).

One look at your credit report should give you the answers you need on why you were turned down for credit. However, how can you set things right again? Is there items on the report which are inaccurate, or ones which are correct but that you feel to be unfair?

If there are items on your credit report, you can dispute them (in writing) with the credit bureau. You have to tell them that a given item is incorrect and by law they must investigate the matter within 30 days. You should send your dispute via certified mail and include any supporting documentation (for example, canceled checks and the like).

In the course of their investigation, the credit agency has to contact the business which reported the inaccurate item. If the credit bureau does not receive a satisfactory answer within 14 days, they then remove the item from their records and send you a new copy with this item removed. You can request that they send this updated report to any creditors who have seen your previous report in the last six months. You need to ask specifically for this, since it is not done automatically.

If the item is over a year old or amounts to less than $500, many creditors will see it as not worth their time and will not respond to the credit reporting bureau. Fixing a credit report can be done, even if the items contained are accurate. If you don’t manage to have the item removed the first time, you can submit another dispute in 30 days.

If a disputed item cannot be removed, you will be allowed to add an explanation of up to 100 words to your credit report; this will be seen by anyone who sees your report. If you had a dispute over a charge, you can briefly lay out the details here.

If there is a long history of late payments and defaults, fixing a credit report can be a long term project. However, you can correct some of the problems on your report and provide an explanation for others. This will provide some improvement on your report even as you make the effort to get your credit back into good shape.