Frequently Asked Questions
Credit repair
answered honestly
Real answers about how credit repair works in Canada, what the law says, and what we can and cannot do.
How Credit Repair Works
Credit repair is the process of identifying and disputing inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information on your credit report. Under Canadian law, you have the right to challenge anything on your Equifax or TransUnion report that is not accurate. When you dispute an item, the bureau must investigate within 30 days and correct or remove it if the creditor cannot verify it. Credit repair companies help you identify what's disputable and build effective disputes.
Items that can often be removed include: errors in account details (wrong balance, wrong date, wrong creditor name), accounts that don't belong to you, duplicate entries for the same debt, collections on debts that were already paid, late payments that were reported incorrectly, and items past the reporting period (6 years in Canada). Accurate negative information that can be verified by the creditor generally cannot be removed before the reporting period expires.
A single dispute cycle takes 30 to 45 days because credit bureaus are required to investigate within that window. Most clients with multiple items to dispute see significant improvement in 60 to 90 days. Complex situations like identity theft, post-bankruptcy, or post-consumer proposal cleanup may take 3 to 6 months. There is no overnight fix, but we have helped clients see 100+ point improvements within 3 months.
No. Any company that guarantees a specific score increase is making a promise they cannot keep. Every credit file is different, and score improvements depend on what items are successfully disputed and removed. What we can guarantee is that we will identify every disputable item, pursue every legitimate avenue, and be honest with you about what is and isn't achievable.
You can dispute items yourself directly with Equifax and TransUnion for free. If you have one or two straightforward errors, self-disputing is a reasonable option. However, if you have multiple items, complex situations (identity theft, post-consumer proposal, name errors), or previous disputes that were rejected, professional credit repair is often more effective. We know which details to challenge, how to structure disputes for maximum impact, and how to follow up when creditors don't respond.
Canadian Credit Law
Under PIPEDA (federal law) and provincial consumer protection acts, every Canadian has the right to access their credit report, dispute inaccurate information, and have errors corrected. Credit bureaus must investigate disputes within 30 days. Creditors must report accurate information. Collection agencies are regulated in how they can contact you and how long negative items can be reported.
Most negative items in Canada stay on your report for 6 years from the date of last activity. This includes late payments, collections, and most other negative marks. Bankruptcies stay for 6 years from discharge (or 14 years for a second bankruptcy). A consumer proposal stays for 3 years after completion. These timelines differ from the US, where the period is generally 7 years.
Both are private credit bureaus that collect and report credit information, but they operate independently. Lenders choose which bureau(s) to report to, so information can differ between the two. Your scores can be different. Mortgage lenders typically check both. You should dispute errors on whichever bureau shows the inaccurate item, and ideally on both if the error appears on both.
Yes. Quebec operates under the Civil Code and has its own Consumer Protection Act, which provides additional rights around credit reporting and debt collection beyond federal PIPEDA protections. Quebec consumers have some of the strongest consumer credit protections in Canada. Collection agency behavior is more tightly regulated in Quebec than in most other provinces.
Newcomers and Immigrants
Canada's credit bureaus only track activity within Canada. Your credit history from India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK, or anywhere else does not transfer. You start with a clean file, which means no credit score at all. This is called a thin file or no-file status, and it can make it difficult to rent, finance a car, or get credit cards. The fastest way to start is with a secured credit card from a Canadian bank.
Yes. Common errors include: accounts that were never yours appearing under your name (due to similar names), name transliteration errors where your name is spelled differently across documents, and collections from service providers during your first months in Canada when you may have been hard to reach. All of these are disputable.
Yes. We serve clients in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Farsi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian, Greek, and English. We have team members who speak each of these languages. When you explain your situation in your native language, we capture every detail correctly, which makes disputes more effective. Call us and tell us which language you prefer.
Mortgages and Business Financing
Traditional banks (Big 6) generally require a minimum score of 680. Credit unions may work with scores as low as 600 to 620. B-lenders (trust companies, monoline lenders) typically accept 600 to 650 with higher rates. Private lenders may work below 600 but charge significantly higher rates. A score of 720 or above gives you access to the best rates and products from major banks.
Yes. In Canada, personal credit is heavily weighted in business loan decisions, especially for businesses under 5 years old. Most banks want a personal score of at least 680 for business financing. If your score is being dragged down by errors, old collections, or inaccurate items, removing them can push you above the threshold. We have helped many business owners in the GTA go from denied to approved after addressing their personal credit.
It depends entirely on what's on your report. Clients with significant errors or old inaccurate collections can see 100 to 200+ point improvements. Clients with only minor issues may see smaller gains. Many clients see significant improvements, but results vary based on what's on your report. After reviewing your report in a free consultation, we can give you a realistic estimate based on your specific file.
Working with Us
We review your current Equifax and TransUnion reports with you. We identify everything that may be inaccurate, disputable, or improvable. We give you an honest assessment of what we can realistically achieve. If we don't believe we can materially help you, we tell you that. The consultation is truly free with no obligation.
For the initial consultation, we just need your basic contact information and access to your credit reports. If you don't have your reports yet, we can walk you through how to get them from Equifax and TransUnion at no cost. You are entitled to one free report per year from each bureau.
Yes. Disputing inaccurate credit information is a right guaranteed under federal and provincial consumer protection law. Credit repair companies help you exercise that right. What is not legal is advising clients to dispute accurate information or charging illegal upfront fees. We operate fully within Canadian law and are transparent about what we do and do not do.
We primarily serve clients across Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. Our main concentration is in the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Scarborough, and Vaughan. We also serve Vancouver, Calgary, and their surrounding communities. Because credit disputes happen by mail and phone directly with the bureaus, we can effectively help clients anywhere in Canada.
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Still have questions?
Every credit file is different. Call us and we will look at your specific reports and give you a real answer about what can be done.