Credit Score Basics > How to add a Notice of Correction with Equifax?

How to add a Notice of Correction with Equifax?

Wollit Team3 minute read · Updated 1st July 2024

A Notice of Correction (NOC) is a short note you can add to your credit report to explain why something negative happened. This can be helpful if your credit report has mistakes or if you want to give lenders a bit more context about your situation.

Since Equifax is one of the three main credit reference agencies in the UK, here is how you can add a Notice of Correction to the credit file it holds on you. Many lenders rely on its credit report when deciding whether to approve your loan application or not.

How do I add a Notice of Correction with Equifax?

To add a Notice of Correction with Equifax, you need to create an Equifax Online Help account and submit your request online. Here are the steps to follow:

Go to the Equifax Help website and create an account. This will allow you to submit your request for a Notice of Correction online. You will need to verify your identity by providing your full name, date of birth, and current address.
Once you have signed up, Equifax will send you an email with a link. Click it to verify your email. You will then need to choose a password and a secret question so you can keep your account secure.
Finally, you can submit your request for a Notice of Correction. Go to the “Errors On My Credit Report” section, scroll down, and click on “Notice of Correction”. At the bottom of the page you’ll see a button labeled “Do you still have questions?”. Clicking it will open a form where you will need to select “Errors On My Credit Report” then “Notice of Correction” then “I would like to add” in the “Query/Dispute” section.
Now you can add the Notice of Correction itself. You will also need to provide Equifax with your credit report reference number, which you can find at the top of your Experian credit report.
After submitting your request, Equifax will verify your identity and then add the Notice of Correction to your credit report. This process usually takes a bit of time.

How long does it take for a Notice of Correction to be processed by Equifax?

A Notice of Correction with Equifax in the UK typically takes around 30 days to be processed.

Once your request is submitted, Equifax will verify your identity. This step usually takes a few days.

Equifax's Customer Resolutions team will investigate your request within 30 days. They may contact the credit provider you might have mentioned in the Notice of Correction to verify the accuracy of your note.

If everything is OK, then Equifax will add the Notice of Correction to your credit report.

Can adding a Notice of Correction to my Equifax credit report improve my chances of getting a loan?

Maybe. A Notice of Correction (NOC) added to your credit report can help provide context to lenders when applying for other types of credit, but it will not directly improve your chances of getting approved.

Here's how a NOC may impact your loan applications:

When a NOC is present, lenders are legally required to manually review your credit file before making a decision on your application. This includes applications for credit cards, loans, mortgages, mobile phone contracts, and so on.
While lenders must read the NOC, they are not legally obligated to take it into account when making their final decision to approve or deny your application. The NOC is meant to provide additional context, but the lender still has discretion.
Adding a NOC may increase the time it takes to process your application, as the lender will need to manually review your file. This could lead to delays compared to applications without a NOC.
It also matters how you wrote the NOC. “Spamming” your Equifax credit report with multiple Notices of Correction that appeal to emotions rather than presenting facts can be viewed by lenders as making excuses for bad financial behaviour.
A NOC does not directly affect your credit score. It is meant to provide context to lenders, and will not improve your score at all. Your credit score before and after the Notice of Correction will stay the same.

In short, adding a Notice of Correction to your Equifax credit report can be useful, especially if you plan to apply for a loan with a lender that relies on Equifax for its credit check. It can give you a chance to put a one-off error or negative event from your credit history into context. Lenders might understand, for example, if you missed a payment because of job loss or illness.

However, what lenders most care about is your actual credit score. Luckily, now there are many apps that can help you build and improve credit.

One such app is Wollit. Wollit is an app available both on Android and iOS, and it works by reporting a fixed-fee monthly subscription as a loan repayment to all three credit reference agencies, including Equifax.

These timely repayments of debt help you build your credit history, which is the main factor that matters for your credit score.

Over time, this will reduce the impact of an error or negative entry in your Equifax credit report much more than a Notice of Correction ever could. It will also give you an opportunity to show lenders that you truly have been improving since the negative event happened, and it will make your Notice of Correction seem like less of an excuse.