Can you remove a credit enquiry from my file

When you apply for a loan or finance in Australia, the lender will usually check your credit report. This check is called a credit enquiry (see HERE for more details). Even if your application is declined, a legitimate credit enquiry cannot be removed from your credit file as it is illegal for us to do so.

Here’s why.

Under Australian law, lenders are only permitted to access your credit report with your approval. When you submit a loan or finance application, you give the lender permission to make the inquiry. Since you have provided this consent, the inquiry is legally valid.

Credit reporting bodies (such as Equifax, Experian and illion) are required under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Credit Reporting Privacy Code to keep information that is accurate and factual.

A credit enquiry is a true record that:

• You applied for credit

• The lender accessed your credit file 

• The enquiry occurred on a specific date

Whether the loan was approved or declined does not change these facts.

An enquiry remains valid even without approval. It simply records the application itself, not the outcome. That's why you'll see it stay on your file, even if the finance isn't approved.

All credit enquiries remain on your credit report for 5 years.

Generally, a single enquiry doesn't make much difference. However, issues can crop up when there are:

• Multiple enquiries in a short period

• Several applications that get declined

• Early signs of credit stress