Author Topic: fixing credit score  (Read 1651 times)

tanguera

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fixing credit score
« on: December 29, 2016, 11:52:33 AM »
I've known about the importance of regularly checking one's credit scores/reports for some time... but only recently followed through and got my scores and reports via My FICO. My Equifax and TransUnion scores are around 800, but my Experian score is at 641 because of an unpaid gas bill from 3.5 years ago.

I didn't realize this gas bill, for $14, was unpaid or I would have taken care of it long ago. As best I can tell, when we moved I closed our gas account and there was a balance for $14 on the account, which I forgot about during the chaos of moving and never paid. I looked through old emails, and I had been receiving monthly emails letting me know when the gas payments were due. Once we moved however, and closed the account, I never got a follow up email saying we still owed payment. Our mail was forwarded and the company would have had my phone number, yet I received no follow up contact letting me know the bill had gone unpaid.

So yes, my fault for not paying the bill, but it seems like the company should have made more of an effort to get payment before reporting the bill as unpaid to Experian. Is there any way I can correct this now? Should I start by being in touch with the gas company?  I'd appreciate any wisdom from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation before. We may be applying for a mortgage within the next year so it does matter what my credit score is.

frugaliknowit

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Re: fixing credit score
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2016, 01:00:39 PM »
Yes, contact the gas company.  Once you are sure the bill is legitimate, confirm they agree to remove all credit damage, then pay the bill.  90 days later or so, check your report and scores again.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!