What is Consumer Dispute Resolution?

The Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL) or CIBIL credit report is an important part of the decision process of lenders. To prevent inaccuracies in the report and any impact on your credit rating, it becomes necessary to raise a dispute for the mistakes or inaccuracies in the report using the raise dispute in CIBIL option. Thus, consumer dispute resolution by CIBIL is an important part of maintaining a good credit score. Read on to know more about the different types of disputes and how to resolve the CIBIL issues.

Did you know? Your CIBIL score may or may not match the scores from other credit rating agencies like Equifax, Experian, etc., since they have different credit rating models.

What are the different types of Dispute? 

CIBIL provides both Company Credit Report (CCR) and individual credit reports. Therefore, you can raise two types of disputes.

1. A company dispute: In case of company disputes, you can use the CIBIL- Raise a dispute tab to dispute the existence of duplicated records, incorrect details of ownership, etc. The authorised person or signatory must raise the dispute, and the dispute initiation can use the form and format provided by CIBIL. Data inaccuracies or corrections regarding the ownership details can be raised directly on CIBIL's website. However, the fields that cannot be corrected are member name, date of enquiry, the unique control number of the report, account number, etc.
2. An individual dispute: If you find any inaccuracies in your credit report, raise a dispute or CIBIL complaint online immediately. You can browse various sections and choose multiple information fields like contact details, address, personal info, name spelling, account details, employment info, enquiry etc. Further, a single dispute can be raised for multiple CIBIL corrections, duplications of records, etc. For example, your address reads 252, Block-7, and your report says 257, Block-7. Here, you have a choice of disputing the incorrect data.

Grievances Classification:

Not all discrepancies or CIBIL dispute raised need to be called a dispute. Hence, your interaction with CIBIL can also be classified as a complaint, query, feedback, dispute or request. Let us discuss these interactions below:

• What is a query? It is called a query when you seek some information from CIBIL regarding your account, report, score, or ranking.
• What is a request? If your interaction seeks to rectify or correct some information in the CIBIL report, it is a request by CIBIL.

• What is a Grievance or complaint? At times, the resolution provided by CIBIL may not be what is acceptable to you. In such cases, you can use your complaint and raise a grievance detailing the procedure so far and why you are unhappy with it or how it can be resolved to your satisfaction. CIBIL classifies this type of interaction as a grievance or complaint.
• What is feedback? If you wish to comment on any of the services or products of CIBIL, whether they be commending or for the improvement of these, the interaction is called feedback by CIBIL.
• What is a dispute? If you notice any inaccuracies in your CIBIL score, you must dispute the inaccuracy and correct it. Your interaction in written form, oral or discussion forms are called raising the dispute with CIBIL.

Also Read: This is What You Should Know about CIBIL Score

How to resolve your CIBIL dispute?

If you note any inaccuracies in your credit report, you can use the following channels to register your complaint with the authorities at CIBIL. 

Online dispute registration: Submit your dispute online using the dispute-redress form you can find on the ‘Contact’ page of the CIBIL official website (www.cibil.com).

Telephonic registration: You can also register your dispute on the CIBIL telephonic line 022-61404300. The working times are between 10 am to 6 pm on Monday to Friday.

Postal registration: You can write a letter or download the dispute form, fill it and send it by post (Registered Post Acknowledgement Due or RPAD) at the address TransUnion CIBIL Ltd., @ One World Center, Tower 2A, 2B, 19th Floor, Senapati Bapat Marg in Lower Parel of Mumbai, Maharashtra. Pin Code 400 013.

Walk-in Registration: You can also personally submit your complaint at the offices of CIBIL and submit your complaint to the Consumer Services Department Manager.

CIBIL dispute raising methods and processes

It is simple to raise a dispute with CIBIL regarding its CCR (Company Credit Report) or the individual’s Credit Information Report. The process involves making a resolution request to CIBIL for the dispute request raised on its website. If you have already registered and have an account with CIBIL, you can raise this request for correction or dispute on the CIBIL website by logging in to your CIBIL account. 

Follow these steps to raise dispute in CIBIL

• Firstly, log in to your CIBIL consumer account and on the ‘myCIBIL’ page, choose the ‘Raise Dispute’ button by clicking on it. 
• Next, choose which section requires correction. (i.e., whether you are disputing the data inaccuracy or reporting a duplication or ownership of your data). 
• You can browse the various sections and choose multiple information fields like contact details, personal info, account details, employment info, enquiry etc. 
• A single dispute can be raised for multiple corrections.
• Now, enter the type of dispute into the box provided and fill in the brief details of the inaccuracies and dispute. Proceed to ‘Submit’.
• If you need some data corrected or report a data inaccuracy, then under the ‘Dispute Type’, choose the correct value from the choices, raise the dispute and click on ‘Submit.’

You can also fill in the downloadable CIBIL complaint letter format form called the ‘CIBIL dispute resolution form’ and submit it online without the necessity to submit it through your account itself. For this, go to the myCIBIL page using the URL: https://www.cibil.com/dispute/ if you are raising an individual dispute or use the File Commercial Dispute Form to raise a dispute related to the company CCR disputes.

Although online dispute resolution may be rapid, one can also raise the CIBIL Report dispute by writing to CIBIL at their Mumbai registered office.

Process of dispute resolution

CIBIL’s resolution process follows the below procedure.

• Once the CIBIL dispute form is submitted to CIBIL either online or by RPAD post, the fields with dispute are marked with a red tag as ‘Under Dispute’ until a resolution is reached.
• Next, a discussion occurs between CIBIL and the disputed lender, depending on the type and nature of the information.
• The lender institution may contest or accept the dispute.
• The details are suitably modified if the lending institution accepts the inaccuracy in reporting.
• Once the details are modified, the ‘Under Dispute’ tag is removed.
• If the lending institution contests the disputed information, the tag ‘Under Dispute’ remains on the fields concerned until a resolution is found.
• The time taken for a favourable dispute resolution could last for about 30 days.
• If you are not satisfied with the dispute resolution, you can also raise a new dispute providing the previous dispute details and resolution details not acceptable to you.

CIBIL Redressal Guidelines

CIBIL receives a variety of grievances, complaints, queries, requests, etc., daily. Here are the important CIBIL guidelines about the redressal process:

• All customer interactions are necessarily logged in and recorded on CIBIL’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
• Once the request or complaint is entered into the CRM system, CIBIL generates a unique number for service request (SR). CIBIL will suitably classify the interactions.
• CIBIL will send a letter, slip, or email to acknowledge CIBIL dispute status with the service request number.
• The recorded service request is analysed, and efforts to resolve within the fixed time are commenced.
• When CIBIL needs more information regarding the dispute, a CIBIL representative will engage with you, seeking clarification or any other action required.
• The CIBIL Customer Service Department will reply regarding the action taken in keeping with the timelines set, and you can expect a letter or email within 30 days from reporting the dispute.
• Selected cases are subject to Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to help CIBIL improve its services and processes.
• The Consumer Protection Committee (CPC), a part of CIBIL’s Board, is informed of the complaints, resolutions, RCA findings etc., using the Management Information System (MIS).
• The Consumer Services Specialised Department handles all escalations and complaints.

CIBIL timelines for CIBIL correction online

Since all issues raised by a CIBIL score consumer are not necessarily disputes, different timelines are set based on the classification of the issues raised, such as:

• All disputes received online or through email on info@cibil.com must be acknowledged with the service request number by the next business day.
• All service requests and communications must initiate action within 3 business days from the receiving date.
• If the request is for credit information correction or rectification, it should be completed within 15 business days. The information is tagged with a red band and is dependent on the lending institution’s response. If accepted, the red band is removed. 
• All other complaint types should be resolved in 7 days of business or notated with suitable information regarding why the timeline has not been adhered to.

Also Read: myCIBIL: Credit Report & Other Benefits

How to escalate your CIBIL score dispute?

CIBIL complaints can be escalated when you are unsatisfied with the resolution offered to your complaint or dispute. The three escalation levels are discussed below.

• Level-1 escalation: 

You can use the Level-1 escalation form and submit your CIBIL score dispute complaint. This complaint is forwarded to the Consumer Services Department’s concerned Manager. The SR or service request number of your previous complaint, which was not resolved to your satisfaction, must be quoted along with all relevant documents to support your claim. The Manager is required to resolve such escalated complaints in 15 business days. You can raise a new dispute to get an SR number when you do not have an SR number. If your issue is a query for further information, use the CIBIL Query Form available on the self-service CIBIL portal.

• Level-2 escalation: 

You should escalate your complaint using an ‘Escalate Level-2’ escalation form and submit your complaint. This complaint is forwarded to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of the Consumer Services Department. The Level-1 SR number or Grievance ID must be quoted along with all relevant documents to support your claim. The Level-2 escalation is required to be resolved in 10 business days. However, wait for 15 days before escalating your complaint to the next level, as most of the resolutions at this level require a response from the lending institution.

• Level-3 escalation: 

Even at this level, you are still dissatisfied with the resolution; you can escalate your complaint to Level-3 using the ‘Escalate Level-3’ escalation form and submit your complaint. This complaint is forwarded to the CIBIL’s Chief Operating Officer (COO). The Level-1,2 SR numbers or Grievance IDs must be quoted along with all relevant documents to support your claim. The Level-3 escalation is responded to in 8 business days. However, wait for 15 days for a resolution. 

Note that if your dispute with CIBIL is replied to with the comment that the lending institution claims the information reported in the credit report is right, you need to take up the matter with the lending institution concerned for rectification of the matter and then report it to CIBIL.

Conclusion:

A credit report is an important part of the lender’s decision when applying for a credit card or loan. Thus any discrepancies need to be attended to urgently through the 'raise dispute' resolution mechanism provided by CIBIL. We hope we have been able to clarify the different types of CIBIL disputes and the process of raising a dispute. Adhere to the CIBIL guidelines when raising a dispute to ensure issues in your credit report are solved accordingly.