Credit Reporting & Scores Archives

Fact Sheet Supporting Mass Fair Chance in Housing Act re Credit Scores in Housing

Why we need the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA) to keep credit reports out of housing decisions now. Credit Reports Will Be Negatively Impacted by the COVID Crisis Credit Reports Don’t Predict Current Ability to Pay Credit Reports Are Riddled with Errors Credit Reports Perpetuate Historic Racial Inequities and Injustices

Consumer Advocates Applaud Biden Administration’s New Actions to Lessen the Burden of Medical Debt

April 11, 2022

April 11, 2022 WASHINGTON – In response to the Vice President Harris’ announcement today that the White House will be taking measures to increase consumer protections and lessen the burden of medical debt, advocates at the National Consumer Law Center issued the following statements: “We appreciate the White House’s efforts to improve protections for consumers…

Consumer Advocates Cheer Removal of Most Medical Debt from Credit Reports

March 18, 2022

March 18, 2022 Credit Bureaus Should Remove Remaining Debts Owed by the Sickest and Most Vulnerable Consumers WASHINGTON – Today, advocates at the National Consumer Law Center applauded a move by the Big Three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to change how they report medical debt, which will result in the removal of nearly…

Advocates Applaud VA Rule to Dramatically Reduce Unfavorable Debt on Veterans’ Credit Reports

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022 Rule establishes new minimum requirements for reporting medical debt and debt resulting from overpayment of benefits WASHINGTON – In response to today’s announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that it has published a final rule in the Federal Register amending procedures for reporting debt to consumer reporting agencies, advocates at…

NCLC Advocates Applaud CFPB Bulletin To Prevent Unlawful Medical Debt Collection and Credit Reporting

January 13, 2022

January 13, 2022 No Surprises Act Brings New Consumer Protections From Surprise Medical Bills WASHINGTON — In response to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s issuance of a bulletin today, reminding debt collectors and credit bureaus of their legal obligations under the No Surprises Act, which took effect on January, 1, 2022, advocates at the National…

Testimony of Chi Chi Wu before the Massachusetts Legislature in Support of H.1429/S.894: An Act Regulating the Use of Credit Reporting in Housing

January 11, 2022

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts’ renters were facing a crisis from the lack of safe and affordable housing for low and moderate-income (LMI) families. One of the most significant barriers for obtaining housing is the use of credit reports and credit scores. By some estimates, 90% of landlords use credit reports and scores. NCLC…

NCLC Advocate Applauds CFPB Report Spotlighting Deficiencies in Credit Bureaus’ Complaint Handling; Calls for Fundamental Reform of Troubled Industry

January 6, 2022

January 6, 2022 BOSTON – In response to yesterday’s release by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s of a report detailing the failures of the Big Three credit bureaus [Equifax, Experian and TransUnion] in responding to consumer complaints, Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney at National Consumer Law Center, issued the following statement: “The CFPB is…

Advocates Urge CFPB to Prevent Rental Debt From Becoming a Barrier to Housing

December 14, 2021

December 14, 2021 New Policy Brief Highlights Legal Aid and Non-Profit Attorneys’ Experiences Representing Clients With COVID-19 Related Rental Debt WASHINGTON– Today, advocates at the National Consumer Law Center sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau a policy brief, Assisting Consumers with Rental Debt During COVID-19: Legal Aid and Non-Profit Attorneys Share Their Experiences, and…

Ramirez, Faux-Federalism, and the Futility of Consumer Disclosure Protections

August 10, 2021

Despite their numerous and intractable problems, the Supreme Court provided an enormous get-out-of-jail-free pass to credit bureaus in a recent case, TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez. The Ramirez decision significantly impacts the ability of consumers to protect themselves and their financial reputations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Fact Sheet Supporting Mass Fair Chance in Employment Act Regarding Credit Checks by Employers

Why we need the FCEA to keep credit reports out of hiring decisions now Credit Reports Will Be Negatively Impacted by the COVID Crisis Credit Reports Don’t Predict Job Performance Credit Reports Are Riddled with Errors Credit Reports Perpetuate Historic Racial Inequities and Injustices

Advocates Praise CFPB for Rescinding Harmful Policies that Weakened Consumer Protections

March 31, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2021 Washington, D.C. – Advocates applauded today’s announcement by the CFPB that it has rescinded several temporary policy statements issued last year that weakened consumer protection by giving financial service industries unnecessary “flexibility” not to comply with consumer protection laws, including laws governing credit cards and prepaid cards, home mortgages,…

Consumer Advocates Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Credit Reporting Act

October 26, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2020 Washington, D.C. – Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of passage of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The following is the statement of National Consumer Law Center attorneys Chi Chi Wu, Ariel Nelson and Sarah Bolling Mancini. “The FCRA was a landmark law for its time and the first…

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