10 Best Credit Repair Services
Get the best Credit Repair Services!
Get the best Credit Repair Services!
Tired of struggling with bad credit? Get the help you deserve. Our expert reviews have explored the top 10 credit repair services available to help you take control of your financial life.
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I had a fraudulent inquiry on my credit report, the staff and paralegal operator walked me through how to go about dealing with my problem and how to fix it. Very helpful and professional while friendly. I would definitely recommend the service they provide to anyone that cares about their credit score and protection of their identity. Lexington Law has been very helpful in how I understand my credit and how important it truly is. In just shy of 1 year they have helped me build my credit from a score of 4 to almost 700, 750 being my year end goal.
I work as a mortgage lender so I have clients that I send to credit repair. The sign up and completion ratio is not always good. With that being said I will be sending my clients to Sky Blue from now on. You guys were awesome. Removed all the barriers and made it easy and convenient to sign up. Used technology the way it is meant to be used, to make life easier. And of course you delivered on repair my credit. The best part is I got a call to tell me it is best to take a break from repair once I reach optimal results. Most places would have tried to keep charge a client and get more money. You guys rock!
My consultation was handled most effectively and efficiently. The customer service skill, the expertise and experience all worked together to make entering this contract a comfortable safe decision. My consultant devoted all attention to my specific situation. The character of the company was transmitted clearly in demeanor and details. I appreciate very much the service I received entering this process. I hope the process itself and the result will be equally as productive and effective.
A credit repair company will act on your behalf by working with the three credit agencies: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. This is important because your credit score can be the key metric when it comes to buying a car or a home. If you have a lower credit score, these purchases can be more expensive and difficult to achieve and you may have to pay higher interest rates.
The best credit repair companies are reliable, effective, and have good customer service. You may have negative marks on your credit reports from late payments, maxing out credit cards, or debt in collections, all of which may hurt your creditworthiness. If you don’t have the time or desire to fix these credit report blemishes, you can pay someone else to do the work for you.
Credit repair takes time
It can take from three months to a year to see an improvement in your credit report.
Not all negative information can be removed
Late or missed payments, hard inquiries, charge-offs, repossessions and debt collections can only be removed if the information is inaccurate or outdated.
You should stay away from companies that guarantee they can remove accurate information from your report or promise you a new credit identity, for example. For steps on how to deal with negative items that cannot be removed, read our guide on how to repair bad credit.
Most companies have setup fees
Most credit repair companies charge an initial fee (also called setup or first work fee) that can range anywhere between $15 to $200. This fee is used to set up your account, which may involve gathering your personal and financial information and creating a strategy plan for your particular credit situation.
Credit repair companies can’t charge you in advance for their services
Once you pay the setup fee (if required), companies can’t make any additional charges unless they prove that the services offered to you in contract are being fulfilled.
Legitimate credit repair companies should include a copy of the Consumer Credit File Rights
Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), credit repair companies must give you a written contract outlining their services before receiving any payment from you. The agencies must also give you a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law,” a document that is meant to inform you of your right to order credit reports and dispute inaccurate information yourself.
You have the right to cancel any services without incurring any penalties within 3 business days
The CROA also states that you have the right to back out of a contract within three business days without any charges or cancellation fees. This is also stipulated by the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC)’s Cooling-Off Rule.
Each credit repair company has its own way of doing things, but most of them follow a four-step process:
Free Consultation.
The credit repair company will walk you through the process, pull your credit reports from all three bureaus and determine if you’d be a good candidate for credit repair.
Limited power of attorney and written consent.
The company’s representatives will inform you if they find mistakes in your file, and send you a written contract giving them limited power of attorney, that is, the legal right to act on your behalf.
Challenge items.
With your legal consent, the company goes on to dispute inaccuracies with your creditors and the major credit bureaus. Once they’re notified, credit reporting agencies must then investigate within 30 days of receiving a dispute. Once they confirm them as errors, they’ll remove them from your credit profile.
Progress reports.
A good credit repair company will track the disputes’ progress and update you on the status of each disputed item. They will usually send progress reports along with an updated copy of your credit report so you can review the changes.
Check for Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) compliance
CROA establishes clear directives that legitimate credit repair agencies should follow, and it’s important to ensure the company you choose is compliant in every step of the process.
Companies must provide a written contract explaining in detail the services they will provide, how long it will take for them to get results, any guarantees they offer and the total credit repair cost for their services.
You have the right to walk away without penalty within three days of signing the contract if it does not satisfy your requirements.
Read customer reviews
Sources like Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Yelp are useful starting points in gauging customer experience. They each have their own way of offering feedback and evaluating companies, with the BBB giving an A-to-F grading system and Yelp offering its well-known star ratings, for example.
These websites are helpful, but we recommend complementing what you read with further research — after all, most people post reviews when they’re unhappy with a service, not when they’re satisfied.
Having said that, if you read multiple reviews alleging similar types of issues, you should certainly consider it a red flag.
In our search for the best credit repair companies, we focused on those that received mostly positive consumer feedback across multiple review websites.
Check the Regulatory Agencies
The credit repair industry is tightly regulated and must abide by the provisions of multiple consumer protection laws.
One of the agencies overseeing the industry is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal organization that protects consumers from fraudulent or predatory practices by banks, lenders or any type of financial institution — including credit repair companies.
When searching for the right credit repair company, it’s a good idea to check the CFPB complaint database and check how many complaints — if any — have been filed against the company you’re considering.
Compare fees and turnaround times
Reputable credit repair companies will list their prices and services clearly, so consumers can select the right package for their needs easily. Turnaround time should be reasonable, and the company must keep you updated about the progress.
Look for personal finance tools
Besides their standard credit repair services, many credit repair companies include features like financial tools, guidance and expert advice, satisfaction guarantees, credit monitoring, and identity theft protection services.
A free credit consultation can be particularly useful, because you can get a professional evaluation before committing to the service.
Credit repair companies are helpful if you can afford the service and don’t have the time to dispute the items. However, do note that you can fix your own credit — and at no cost. There are also ways to improve your credit score without the help of a credit repair agency.
Free credit reports from the three main credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — are available at AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you examine your reports for any discrepancies or errors, you can go to each bureau’s website and file an online dispute. They will investigate within 30 days and, if they confirm it’s a mistake, will delete the item from your report.
They might also delete items from your report if your debtor cannot validate the debt and is unable to provide evidence that the debt belongs to you.
If you’d like to try it, it’s important to really know how to read a credit report. Once you have that down, check out our guide on how to remove items from your credit report.
You can fix your credit on your own, but it will take time, effort and patience. Review each of your credit reports from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax for errors. If you find any, file a dispute with the credit bureau and contact your creditor. They are legally obligated to investigate and eliminate inaccurate information from your report, at no charge to you.
Prices vary across credit repair agencies. However, companies typically charge around $20 to $150 per month, depending on the service package you choose. They may also charge a setup fee (also called initial or first work fee) that can cost up to $200.
The amount of time it takes to repair bad credit depends on how much inaccurate information your report contains. Some companies estimate that it can take up to six months to see an improvement in your score. However, if your report has few errors, the process might be faster as there will be fewer disputes to process.
What do credit repair companies do? These companies look into your credit reports from the three main credit bureaus for inaccurate information that may be lowering your credit score. If the agency spots any errors, it’ll contact your lenders and the credit bureaus to dispute the negative marks and have them removed. Some companies also offer personal finance tools and access to credit counselors.
A credit repair company reviews your credit reports from the major credit bureaus for inaccuracies that may be impacting your credit score. It identifies accounts that don’t belong to you or payments incorrectly marked as late, for example, and disputes the errors by contacting the credit bureaus or creditors. If the information is incorrect or can’t be verified, the bureau is required to delete it.
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