Late payments are the biggest reason for a low credit score…

Let’s face it, they can happen to anyone at any time due to circumstances and unfortunately can have a devastating impact on your credit score.

The downside of this is that it restricts the amount of credit you will qualify for and can lead to disappointment when you approach your financial institution for a loan.

If you have made some late payments in the past or recently, you will need to rebuild your credit score by making sure that you make all your payments on time, every time.

By doing this it may be possible to get those late payment notifications removed from your credit score.

How can I get the late payment entries removed?

If the late payment entries are accurate and you acknowledge them you can still ask the lender/credit provider to remove the late payment entry from your credit score. The lender is under no obligation to remove the entry, but may be willing to honour your request if:

• A) You have been paying your bills on time every month since the last late payment entry
• B) You have proof that the late payment was unavoidable due to circumstances such as hospitalization.
• C) You make them an offer which may convince them to remove the late payment entry.

Call the lender

You can call the lender and ask that they remove the late payment entry form your credit score.

Most of the time, the first person you speak to is not going to be able to accommodate your request, if not, then you can ask to have the request escalated by asking to speak with a supervisor or manager of the department that can approve your request. Remember to always be polite and keep your emotions in check.

Remember names

Write down the names of the people you speak to. You may need to reference back to them and it’s also one of the oldest negotiation tricks in the book – if you call someone by their name, it subconsciously impresses them. So remember this!

Write a letter

You can write the lender a letter asking for the late payment entry removal. This letter is commonly known as a Goodwill Letter.

The purpose of the Goodwill letter is for you to give a formal explanation as to why the late payment entry should be removed. If you have proof that supports your case, you must include the details as the more proof you have, the better your chances of success.

Negotiate

Another approach you may take is one of negotiation. Offering the lender something that they would want to encourage them to remove the entry.

Here’s a few things you can try to negotiate

• You could, if circumstances provide for it, offer to make a payment to cover everything you owe right away, and in return getting the late payment entry removed.
• You could also commit to setting up automatic payment via your banking institution that will guarantee the payment is on time every month.
• Offer to give them a good review on social media and tell everyone how accommodating they were to you if they remove the listing.

Remember, that if you come to an agreement with the lender, you must get everything in writing before sending the lender any payments agreed upon.

These tips are no guarantee that the lender will oblige you, but if you do not succeed in your negotiations the first time. Don’t despair, you can always try again at a later stage. There will be no harm in trying.