If you find incorrect details on your credit report, such as unfamiliar credit enquiries, you can ask for them to be removed. Doing so will make your credit report more accurate and can help improve your credit score.
However, it's not possible to remove correct enquiries and listings from your credit report and the details on your credit report will typically be listed for between 1 and 7 years in Australia.
For example, normal credit enquiries (like applying for a credit card) will remain on your report for 5 years, while serious infringements can stay there for 7 years.
| Type of enquiry | How long it stays on your credit report |
|---|---|
| Serious credit infringement | 7 years |
| Bankruptcy | 5 years* |
| Court judgement | 5 years |
| Credit enquiry | 5 years |
| Debt agreement | 5 years** |
| Default | 5 years |
| Current credit obligation | 2 years |
| Repayment history | 2 years |
| Financial hardship information | 1 year |
*Bankruptcies will remain on your credit report for 5 years, but will disappear after 2 years from the point you are no longer bankrupt.
**Debt agreements will be removed from your credit report 2 years after they have been terminated, declared void or ended.
See what's on your credit file by checking your free detailed credit report with Finder. You can confirm what enquiries are still on your report and the date they were added.
You can't remove a legitimate enquiry from your credit report. In most cases, credit enquiries will be listed for 5 years before they are automatically removed from your report.
You can only get incorrect or inaccurate details removed from your credit report at a different time. Some examples of when you could request a correction include:
"While you can't get genuine inquiries removed from your credit report, chances are there's an error on your credit file that could improve your credit score if you get it removed. According to Credit Repair Australia, 70% of Australian credit reports have an error. Even a simple error like an incorrect address could be stopping you from getting approved for credit."
You can get a free copy of your credit report and score through Finder every month. You can also request a copy of your credit report directly with each of the credit reporting bodies in Australia (Finder gets its details from Experian).
Go through the details on your report and note down any that are incorrect or unfamiliar. This includes soft and hard credit enquiries for loans, credit card applications and utilities that you're not aware of or haven't approved.
Contact the lender listed for an unfamiliar credit inquiry and ask it for details of the enquiry. This will help you determine if you authorised it or not.
If the lender agrees it has made a mistake, it should correct the error on your credit report.
You need to do this directly through the credit reporting body that issued your credit report. For example, if you checked your report through Finder, you'd contact Experian. Or, if you requested a copy from Equifax, you'd contact it.
The credit reporting body will review your request for a correction and contact you with an outcome.
If you are successful, the details will be removed from your credit report.
If you are unsuccessful, the listing will remain on your credit report for the required time (e.g. 5 years from when a credit enquiry was made).
A credit enquiry is a record that shows when your credit report has been accessed by you or a third party. There are 2 main types of credit enquiries:
"Soft" enquiries are recorded any time you request a copy of your credit file. This includes when your file is accessed through a separate platform, like the Finder app, and doesn't really have an impact on your credit score.
A "hard" enquiry refers to any request for your credit file that's made by a third party, such as a lender. For instance, every time you apply for a line of credit, such as a card or personal loan, the lender you've applied with will submit a request for your credit file.
This request is recorded on your credit history as a "hard credit enquiry". Too many hard enquiries can lower your credit score and your chance of approval.
Both soft and hard enquiries stay on your credit report for 5 years.
Lenders use information from your credit history to help them determine your eligibility for loan products like credit cards and personal loans.
This includes the number of credit enquiries you've made. These enquiries stay on your credit report for 5 years and are then removed automatically.
If you have too many credit enquiries on your file in a short amount of time, it can negatively impact your credit score and your ability to get a credit card or loan.
| Response | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| None of the above | 84.55% | 82.79% |
| Loan | 6.71% | 11.28% |
| Credit card | 10.77% | 9.18% |
| Phone plan | 2.03% | 2.29% |
| Other | 1.02% | 0.76% |
Once you've got your credit report, here's a list of the details you should double check:
The simplest way to keep your credit file error-free is to check it regularly. If you request your credit report through finder you can access it again at any time in your finder account. We will also notify you whenever something on your report changes so you can keep an eye out for inaccuracies.
You also need to make sure that all payments and debits actually go through, don't just rely on someone else or automatic transfers to pay your bills. Physically check to see if the money has left your account.
Your credit report is important and it should be checked regularly for accuracy. If you find a genuine mistake it is relatively simple to have it rectified by any of the credit reporting bodies. Doing so will help ensure that you're treated fairly by lenders.
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Hello,
I have just opened my credit report and I have 1 credit card that’s paid off but still on there as well as another GE money card that I was approved for but cancelled as I didn’t require it. Is there any reason they would both still be on there?
Hi Nic,
Thanks for your question.
Information is kept on file for a number of years. For instance, credit applications, enquiries, and overdue accounts are held on your file for 5 years. If you want to have a good understanding of your credit file, please read our credit report guide.
Cheers,
May
Hi, I have just received a copy of my credit file and there aren’t any enquiries/defaults on my file it is perfectly clear but a debt company is accessing my file at least once a month under accesses I don’t understand why they are doing this as I don’t have any bad debts listed against me. Any ideas?
Hi Mary,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Usually, when you apply for a credit, the creditor/lender, will most likely review your credit file. You may want to double check if you have applied for a credit with that company some time ago. If you find that a creditor did not have proper authorisation from you to access your credit file when it did, you can look forward to the removal of the given enquiry. Our guide above on removing enquiries from your file can be of help.
Cheers,
May
I have 10 enquirers in my credit file but recently I have 4 enquirers so I want to remove that so can you help me with that please
Hi Raji,
Thanks for your inquiry.
Unfortunately, we are unable to assist you on removing enquiries from your credit file as you’ve come through finder.com.au, an online comparison service and we can only provide general information about credit cards features and other benefits.
You may wish to speak directly to credit repair companies, they’ll be more happy to assist you and provide more alternate payment plans.
Cheers,
Debbie
Is there a sample letter in which we can give to the creditors to dismiss our inquiries from our credit file?
Hi Michelle, thanks for your inquiry!
Unfortunately we do not currently have a sample letter/ template to dismiss inquiries from a credit file.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi,
I got approx. 10 credit inquiry. Back in FEB 2015. I applied credit cards which were declined. I didn’t keep a track on my credit score and I am Apart from credit inquires, rest everything is clear. Is that possible to fix those inquiries. Current score is below average.
Thank you
I have 4 enquiries that have been paid out,2 have been paid out more than 3yrs ago.
Why are the enquiries still listed?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Blackbird, thanks for your inquiry!
If any enquiries are still listed on your credit file you can contact the respective financial institution whom the records are with to request them to be removed.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi Kanish,
Thanks for your inquiry!
If you have any remaining credit inquiries which are incorrect you can remove them by using a credit repair service.
Cheers,
Jonathan