An eviction on your credit report can feel like a major financial roadblock to securing a new loan or renting a home. While you may believe that an eviction will leave a permanent mark on your credit report, this simply isn’t true. In many cases, an eviction doesn’t show on your credit report, only debts that you haven’t paid. So, with the right negotiation, you most likely can get an eviction off your credit report. Here’s what you need to know.
Check for Errors
First, you’ll want to check your credit report for errors. If there are any incorrect amounts, dates, identity theft, or reporting errors you can dispute it with each credit bureau. This is an easy way to get any debt associated with your eviction off your credit report. However, if the eviction was unlawful or improperly filed, a lawyer may be able to get it removed. You may be able to file a court motion to file a petition to the court if the eviction was wrongful.
Negotiate Repayment
If you still owe your landlord money, you may need to negotiate payments. Any debt that was sent to collections will show on your report. If an eviction-related debt is in collections, you can request debt validation. If the collection agency can’t verify the debt, it must be removed.
Sometimes you can convince them to accept a pay-for-delete arrangement. Where once the debt is paid they will remove the derogatory record of the eviction on your credit report. You may even convince a debt collection agency to accept a settlement. However, make sure to get the agreement in writing before agreeing to any repayment options.
Be Patient
When all else fails, you’ll have to wait seven years for any unpaid debt pertaining to your eviction to fall off your report. Additionally, you may seek out a reputable credit repair service to help dispute and remove negative marks on your credit report.
While there’s no quick solution to fix your credit report after an eviction, it is possible to still work on your score and improve other areas while you try to recover from your eviction. You can get a fresh start by disputing inaccuracies, negotiating with your landlord, or allowing the record to expire. It may take years for your score to bounce back, but with determination, you can clean up other areas of your score like debt-to-income ratio, on-time payment history, credit history, and credit utilization. All of these areas will help boost your score even while the outstanding debt remains.
How did you recover from having an eviction on your credit report? Let us know in the comments.
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Teri Monroe started her career in communications working for local government and nonprofits. Today, she is a freelance finance and lifestyle writer and small business owner. In her spare time, she loves golfing with her husband, taking her dog Milo on long walks, and playing pickleball with friends.
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