Can I Get A Loan After A Repossession
The short answer is yes, you can still get a loan after a repossession. However, there are relatively few lenders who are willing to take a risk on someone with bad credit or negative marks on their credit report. Those who are willing may require you to pay higher interest rates and fees.
However, there are reputable lenders out there who have approved applications with repossessions on them. For better chances of approval and better interest rates, you can find someone with good credit to cosign the loan for you.
You can also work to improve your credit and payment history to make yourself a better candidate.
How To Remove A Repossession From Your Credit Reports
When you redeem your car, you pay off the loan. The repossession is still listed on your credit reports, typically with something along the lines of “paid as agreed” next to it. However, the repo is going to remain on your reports for up to seven years even if you redeem the vehicle.
In order to get a redeemed repossession off your credit reports, you have to wait for that time to pass. The only other way to remove it from your records is to find an error related to the repo on your reports and dispute it with the credit bureau with the inaccurate listing. This can be anything from a wrong date to an incorrect fee relating to the incident.
You can dispute the error electronically or via mail. To do this, submit a detailed letter stating why the information is wrong and requesting removal of the entry, along with paperwork evidence that backs up your claim.
Once your dispute reaches the credit bureau, they have 30 days to investigate and come up with a decision. If you dont receive a letter from the credit bureau with a plan of action within those 30 days, the listing is automatically removed.
Is It Possible To Remove A Repossession From Your Credit Report
It is possible to remove a repossession from your credit report, but it may take a bit of legwork to get results. And you should also know that whether it was voluntary or involuntary, the impact on your credit is still the same. But for the latter, not all approaches to have it removed could work.
- Work directly with the lender: if the loan wasnt reinstated and you still owe the lender, they may remove the repossession from your credit report in exchange for payment. This is known as a pay-for-deletion. You may also have luck with this approach if the loan was reinstated or redeemed, so it doesnt hurt to reach out to the lender to give it a try.
- Do-It-Yourself: You can also submit dispute letters to the three credit bureaus asking the lender to verify the repossession. If you dont receive a response within 30 days, they must remove the negative entry from your credit report.
- Hire a reputable credit repair company: You can save your time and energy by letting the credit repair professionals do the work for you.
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Why Do Repossessions Happen
Repossessions occur when a borrower falls behind on payments for an asset purchased with creditusually for three months or more. If a lender thinks the owner is not going to catch up on payments, they may decide to repossess the property.
Repossessions are most common with car loans, but they can apply to any loan that involves collateral, like when you buy furniture on credit with a furniture store.
If Youre Feeling Lost: Hire A Credit Repair Company
A professional credit repair company may be able to help you remove the repossession from your credit report.
Before you hire a specialist, make sure you understand the pros and cons of credit repair. Hiring a credit repair company costs money, and the process can take a while . In many cases, professional or even more, and since many credit repair companies operate on a subscription model, that means youll be paying them for a while. Make sure theres room in your budget before you commit to this option.
Credit repair scams are also common. 4 According to the Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies cannot charge you for their services upfront if one asks you for money in advance, theyre violating the law, and you should hire a different company. 5
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Hire A Credit Repair Company
If dealing with the credit bureaus is too overwhelming, consider hiring a credit repair company. The right company will find loopholes in the reporting. They know how to look for even the smallest errors.
Most of what they do is outlined in the steps above, but they have techniques and experience to work with the smallest details that may get the account removed from your report.
, like , know the ins-and-outs of removing negative items from credit reports. They have successfully removed thousands and continue to do so each day. This is honestly the best option.
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Do I Still Owe Money After A Repossession
Yes, giving the car back doesnt necessarily satisfy the money you owed. If the bank repos your vehicle and you owe $10,000 on, and they can only sell it for $5,000, you still have to pay the remaining $5,000.
If you dont work out a payment arrangement or figure out how to pay it, they may file a suit to get the difference.
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Can I Get A Mortgage After A Repossession
Like any loan, mortgage lenders look at your credit history. If they see a repossession, they may hesitate to give you a loan.
Lenders will likely ask questions about the repo and what led to it. They may also want proof that you have fixed the problem and are financially stable.
Whether or not you can get a mortgage really depends on your credit score.
The longer you wait after the repo, the less damage it will cause to your credit score, which increases your chance of mortgage approval.
Send A Request For Goodwill Deletion
Writing a goodwill letter can be a viable option for people who are otherwise in good standing with creditors. If you’ve taken steps to pay down your overall debt and have been paying your monthly bills on time, you might be able to convince your creditor to forgive the late payment.
While there’s no guarantee that the creditor will delete the derogatory information, this strategy does get results for some. Goodwill letters are most successful for one-off problems, such as a single missed payment. However, they are not effective for debtors with a history of late payments, defaults or collections.
When writing the letter:
- Take responsibility for the issue that lead to the derogatory mark
- Explain why you didn’t pay the account
- If you can, point out good payment history before the incident
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Dispute Your Credit Report
If you have ever wished for a negative item to be taken off your credit report then you would already know how report dispute works. This is a common method that is quite helpful when you want to boost your credit score fast.
You can get in touch with different credit bureaus to get this job done. Here are some common addresses you might need in this regards.
Now the next question is:
How can a dispute help you in case of a vehicle repossession?
Well, the logic is simple, it can only be removed if the repossession has been reported wrongfully. Credit bureaus gather financial information to formulate a report. In some cases, errors can take place resulting in a negative item being added to your report.
It is also possible to dispute a data that is mentioned with a wrong date, account number, or balance. If you dispute turns out to be correct, the item will be taken off from your report in less than 30 days following which the score will be updated too.
However, if the authorities find that there is nothing wrong with the information on your records then you can not have it eliminated simply by filing a dispute.
You May Need To Wait Until The Repo Ages Off Your Report
When credit repair isnt an option or its already failed to result in a removal the only real thing to do is wait. The majority of negative credit report items, including defaults and repossessions, should naturally fall off your credit report after seven years .
That said, the negative impact to your credit score from a repo on your credit reports wont necessarily last the full seven years. Credit score models typically give more weight to the more recent items on your credit report, with older items factoring into your credit score calculations less as they age.
The best way to minimize the negative impacts of a repossession on your credit is to ensure the rest of your credit profile looks as good as possible. Defaulted loans fall under the payment history portion of your FICO credit score. Payment history is 35% of your score, and the more positive payment history you can build, the less the repo will drag down that factor.
You should also work on the other major factors of your credit score to help balance out a less-than-stellar payment history. This includes your credit utilization and total debt, credit history length, number of new credit accounts, and the diversity of your credit mix. Keep low balances on your credit cards and avoid opening superfluous credit accounts.
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Negotiating For Early Removal
Its difficult to convince a creditor to remove an accurate repossession from your credit report. Yet it doesnt hurt to ask. If you have the money to bring your loan current , you can ask a creditor or collection agency if its willing to accept payment in exchange for deletion.
In rare cases, a creditor or debt collector might be willing to negotiate the early removal of a repossession from your report. If youve experienced a hardship, like a job loss or illness, you can share these extenuating circumstances with your creditor.
Theres no guarantee this approach will work, but you might find someone who is willing to help you. Above all, if a creditor or collection agency agrees to delete a repossession from your credit report, get the offer in writing.
How To Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report
Amarilis YeraNorma RodríguezAndrea AgostiniTaína CuevasAmarilis Yera26 min read
Your is meant to be an accurate, detailed summary of your financial history however, mistakes happen more often than you may think.
Whether its accounts that dont actually belong to you or outdated derogatory information thats still being reported, incorrect information could be bringing your score down unnecessarily.
Read on to learn how to remove erroneous information from your credit report and some tips on how to handle those negative items that are dragging your score down.
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Voluntary Is Better Than Involuntary Repossession
If you know in advance that you cant make the required payments on your auto loan, its better to come clean than wait. You can return the vehicle and apologize. In such scenarios, the lender is far more likely to listen to you if you ask for alternative terms. Repossession is often the last resort, so dont make the lender feel youve forced their hand.
How We Can Help
One of the best ways to tackle repossessions is similar to handling other harmful items to fix your credit, and thats by looking for any inaccuracies and disputing them. We will do all the legwork, while on your end, you can negotiate with your lender to streamline the process. You can settle your tax debts and have an agreement to have the account removed after.
Book an appointment with us at The Oasis Firm to resolve repossessions you may have on your credit report. We look forward to repairing credit, and empowering your financial freedom long-term!
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Will I Ever Get A Loan Again After A Repossession
Some people fear that once they are a part of a repossession then they will never be able to get a loan again. That fear isnt completely unfounded since a repossession is one of the worst things that can pop up on your credit score. However, you can get a loan after being subject to repossession. Yet, it may be hard to find a proper loan with agreeable terms and conditions because not many lenders are willing to loan money to someone who is a major lending risk.
Finding a loan after repossession is possible but it will require a lot of hard work and will not be easy to locate. However, you may need a cosigner to agree to any loan with you. There will be additional steps and hurdles to jump over but a loan after a repossession is definitely possible.
How Long Does A Repossession Stay On Your Credit Report
A repossession will stay on your credit report for 7 years. This 7-year window starts on the date of your first missed payment in the stretch of missed payments that causes the repossession to occur as reported to the credit bureaus.
If you are unsure when this date is, make sure to check your credit report to find out.
If you are behind on payments but a repossession hasnt yet occurred but you simply cant make the payment any longer, contact your lender and attempt to negotiate the terms of your loan. Doing this is not only in your best interest for obvious reasons but also in the lenders best interest as it will save them both time and money if you can find a payment that you are able to make.
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Negotiate With Your Lender
The first thing you need to do is see if you can reach a new agreement with your lender about any remaining balance. You dont want any residual debt to drag you even further down.
If you can accomplish that, see whether you can renegotiate the original loan as well. Your lender is probably selling the repossessed property at a loss, so if you can pay the original loan, that is better for them in the long term. Identify why you couldnt pay your original loan, and make every reasonable attempt to show that you can pay these new terms now.
Get A Free Copy Of Your Credit Report
Its important to check your credit report frequently at the very least annually, if not more often to catch any irregularities early on.
Under federal law, you have the right to obtain a free credit report from all three major once a year. However, because of the pandemic, all three bureaus are offering free weekly reports through the end of 2022.
You can request yours through AnnualCreditReport.com, the only free credit report website authorized by the federal government. Make sure to check your reports from all three bureaus since each one can include different information from creditors and lenders.
You can also request them by:
Phone: 322-8228
Mail: Download, print, and complete the request form and mail to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Other ways to get your credit report
In addition to your annual report, you can request additional free copies if:
- You were denied credit, insurance or employment in the past 60 days based on your credit
- There are sudden changes in your credit limit or insurance coverage
- Youre receiving government benefits
- You’re a victim of identity fraud
- Youre unemployed and/or will apply for employment within 60 days from the date of your request
To request additional copies, contact the bureaus directly. Heres how to do it:
For a more detailed guide on how to request copies, make sure to read our article on how to check your credit report.
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A Repossession Isnt The End Of The World For Your Credit Score If You Take The Right Steps To Try And Set Things Right
If you have a repossession in your credit history, even after the seven-year period where it will stay on your credit, your credit may still be impacted. There are plenty of ways to rebuild your credit by making payments on time and keeping your balances low, and you may even be eligible to have the repossession removed altogether if you take the right steps.
Remember, if you think that the information about a repossession on your credit report is wrong to begin with, you should contact the credit bureau as soon as possible.
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Closing A Line Of Credit That Is Already Behind On Payments
Closing a card thats behind on payments doesn’t eliminate the debt. In fact, it can lower your credit score by increasing your debt-to-credit ratio, also known as credit utilization percentage. This ratio represents the amount of credit you’re currently using divided by the total amount of credit you have available.
For example, if you have two credit cards, each with a maximum credit limit of $5,000, your total available credit is $10,000. Owing $3,000 on one card and $2,000 on the other would mean you’re using 50% of your total available credit.
To improve your credit score, experts recommend keeping your credit utilization under 30%. Following the example mentioned above, that would mean using only $3,000 or less per cycle.
If you close one of your credit cards instead of paying it, you’ll have less available credit. Creditors evaluate your debt-to-credit ratio when you apply for new cards or loans. If your ratio is over that threshold, they might classify you as a high-risk borrower, offer you less attractive interest rates or even deny you credit altogether.
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