Disputing errors on your credit report is a free and effective way to improve your credit score before applying for a mortgage.
Pull your free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com (weekly through 2026). Review all three reports (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) for errors.
Dispute errors online with each individual bureau. Include documentation. Bureaus have 30 days to investigate. Removing errors can boost your score by 20-50 points.
How to Get Reports
Get reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the only federally authorized source for free credit reports. You can check all three bureaus weekly for free.
Dispute Process
Visit each bureau's dispute page: Experian.com/Dispute, TransUnion.com/Dispute, Equifax.com/Dispute. File disputes individually for each error. Attach supporting documentation.
What Qualifies as an Error
Errors to dispute: accounts that aren't yours, incorrect late payments (paid on time), wrong account status (should be closed but shows open), duplicate accounts, and incorrect balances.
Documentation Needed
For each dispute, provide: your name and address, the specific account and error description, and supporting documents (bank statements showing on-time payments, identity theft reports, etc.).
Timeline
Bureaus have 30 days to investigate. If they can't verify the item, it must be removed. You'll receive a response by mail or email with the results.
Expected Impact
Removing a legitimate error can boost your score. Removing an old collections account could add 30-50 points. Negative items that should have fallen off (after 7 years) are also disputable.