Your credit file is your passport to a healthy financial future. It determines whether or not you will be approved for credit cards, car loans, a mortgage, or other financing. You can’t afford to find out the hard way (being denied credit) that errors exist on your report.

The most important thing you can do to ensure an error-free credit file is to obtain a free copy of your credit report from both Veda Advantage and Dun & Bradstreet regularly. You can’t fix errors if you don’t access those credit files to find them.

You may discover errors in anything from your contact information to an unauthorised enquiry or debt or default debt statuses not updated to reflect payments made. Having credit file errors corrected takes time, so it’s a good idea to review your reports several weeks before applying for new credit cards or loans.

Each of the two major credit reporting agencies has their own procedure for disputing information on your credit file.

Veda Advantage

If you need your credit file quickly, you can apply online (for a fee) through MyCreditFile.com.au, and your file can be sent within one business day via email, post, or fax.

You are also able to apply for a free copy of your credit report from Veda Advantage, although it takes ten working days to have a free credit file sent. To order your free credit file, you can fax your request to (02) 9278 7333, or mail your request to:

Veda Advantage Public Access
PO Box 964
North Sydney NSW 2059

Your free credit file request from Veda Advantage should include your personal details such as your full name, current and past addresses, date of birth, daytime telephone number, and your driver’s licence number. You must also include details regarding your current or a previous employer and the name of the last organisation you applied for credit with. The request must be signed, and you should note whether you prefer to receive your free credit file via post, fax, or email (including your fax number or email address when necessary).

If you discover errors or outdated information on your Veda Advantage credit file, you should first contact your credit provider reporting the incorrect information. Then you can contact Veda Advantage via mail at the above address (Attn. – Investigations) or via fax or email with a written request to have details in your credit file investigated. You may need to include a filled-out “update details” form and / or proof of payment to have certain corrections considered.

Dun & Bradstreet

Dun & Bradstreet also offers a paid option for receiving your credit file quickly, called their Fast Track Service. Like Veda Advantage, this paid service will have your credit report dispatched to you within one working day, while their free request can take up to ten business days. In either case, you should download and print the “Application for Consumer Credit Report – Australia” from their website – www.DNB.com.au. That completed and signed form should be mailed to:

Dun & Bradstreet (Australia) Pty Ltd
Public Access Centre
PO Box 7405
St Kilda Rd VIC 3004

D&B offers dispute resolution services if you feel there are errors on the credit file you receive. You can find an “Update for Consumer Credit Report – Australia” form on their website, which you should mail to their Public Access Centre at the address listed above to initiate an enquiry. They will then contact your credit provider to verify the debt, default, or other information, and you will be updated after the investigation (told whether or not your credit file will be amended).

If you discover errors on your credit files, but are unable to resolve the conflicts through the credit reporting agencies, you have the right to appeal their decisions to Australia’s Federal Privacy Commission.