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.
Millions of Aussies are clueless about one of the more important numbers in their financial lives, according to new research by Finder.
Read more…
Find out what a credit score is and what it can do for you.
Read more…
The average Australian has a "very good" credit score according to Finder analysis. Here's how credit scores are categorised in Australia, and how to check yours.
Read more…
Missing a phone bill can end up hurting your credit score, but simply having a mobile plan won't impact your credit report.
The average Australian has a "very good" credit score according to Finder analysis. Here's how credit scores are categorised in Australia, and how to check yours.
Credit reporting bureaus issue credit reports and scores to consumers and lenders. Discover how they work in this guide.
Placing a ban on your credit report can help to protect you from fraud. Here's how to request and extend bans with Experian, Equifax and ilion in Australia.
If you're planning to cancel a credit card, here's what you need to know about the impact it could have on your credit score.
Find out about different credit monitoring services that can keep you informed about changes on your credit report.
9 things you can do today to start improving your credit score.
How to remove incorrect negative listings from your report and adopt positive money habits to get your credit history back on track.
Discover how you can use a credit card to build or repair your credit history.
I have 17 credit enquires since 2009 how can i remove it?
Hi Bal.
Thanks for your question.
You may want to consider using a credit repair service. They can help you if there has been an issue with the process of listing the credit enquiry on your credit file. If the credit repair company can prove that the company listing the credit enquiry didn’t follow the required process, then the credit repair company can get the enquiry removed from your credit file. If there is no issue with the process then the credit enquiry will stay on your credit file for a number of years.
I hope this helps.
It is wrong for credit inquiries to show on credit file but they still do it why mycreditfile.com.au doesn’t remove them after seven days. How much will cost me to remove them and what if i still get the refused for credit even i spend so much for removal may as well save the money and don’t ask for credit.
Hi Sam. I’m not aware that you can have credit enquiries removed from your credit file – you have to wait the appointed time before they are removed from your credit file. Credit enquiries are how the lender sees what you have been applying for when they make a judgement about your application. Jacob.
To close a default does the default have to be paid out first?
Hi Sandra. Any default will need to be paid before the process of removing arrears from your credit file can begin. Thanks for your question.
I can not find anyone who can remove enquiries. Maybe you can tell me who can help. Regards.
Hello Chris,
Thanks for the question.
Generally the same companies that help repair bad credit can help with removing enquiries, so a quick search for these types of companies online might find something. For more information about how the process works, it may be helpful to visit our credit enquiries guide.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Marc