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Don’t Let a Credit Report Error Kill Your Closing
When the lender says your buyer has a “credit issue” that isn’t really theirs, like being reported as deceased or having someone else’s accounts on their report, that’s not bad credit. It’s a credit reporting error, and the law gives your buyer real tools to fix it.
Red flags to listen for
- “The bureau shows your buyer as deceased”
- “We can’t pull a score on them”
- “There are accounts here they say aren’t theirs”
- “They disputed it, but the bureau verified it”
- Your buyer has a twin, or shares a name with a parent
Bad Credit vs. a Credit Reporting Error
A buyer with real late payments needs time and a better score. A buyer whose report is wrong is in a different position. The credit bureaus and the companies that report to them are legally required to keep reports accurate and to actually investigate disputes. When they don’t, the Fair Credit Reporting Act makes them liable, and that pressure is what gets stubborn errors corrected.
The errors I see sink home purchases
- Reported as deceased: the buyer’s score disappears, and the lender needs all three bureaus showing them alive.
- Mixed files: a parent’s, sibling’s, twin’s or stranger’s debts on your buyer’s report.
- Identity theft that keeps coming back after disputes.
- Wrong balances or late payments, including debts that should show zero after bankruptcy.
What it costs your buyer
Nothing out of pocket. I work on contingency, and under the FCRA a defendant that violates the law pays the buyer’s attorney’s fees.
I’m not a credit repair company. I only go after real errors, and I don’t promise score increases.
How a Referral Works
1
Pass along my name
Give your buyer my number or the case review form. Or call me first to talk it through.
2
I review it personally
I look at their reports and dispute history, and tell them honestly whether they have a claim.
3
I go after the error
Proper disputes first, and a federal lawsuit if the bureaus still won’t fix it. With your buyer’s permission, I’ll keep you posted.
Every case is different, and I can’t promise how long a correction will take or that a particular closing date can be saved. What I can promise is honest answers and a real fight against the companies responsible. I don’t pay referral fees.
Common Questions
Does the buyer have to be in Georgia?
No. FCRA claims are federal. I’m licensed in Georgia and New York and handle cases nationwide, working with local counsel where needed.
What if the deal already fell through?
Still send them. A lost home purchase can be part of the harm the buyer is owed for, and fixing the report now sets them up for the next one.
Will you talk to our office?
Gladly. I can do a short talk at a sales meeting on spotting credit reporting errors before they derail a closing. Reach out or call (770) 775-0938.
Buyer Stuck on a Credit Report Error?
Send them my way, or call me first and we’ll figure out whether I can help.