Key takeaways
- →Filing a dispute doesn't erase the item while it's being investigated — it typically stays visible, sometimes flagged as under review.
- →Equifax's own published timeline is 15–20 days for online disputes and 20–25 days for mailed ones — plan around that, not around a same-week resolution.
- →If a dispute isn't resolved in the client's favour, they still have the right to add an 800-character statement to the file explaining their side, visible to anyone who pulls the report.
- →The practical fix for a live deal is usually documentation, not waiting — a clear explanation letter often lets underwriting proceed alongside an open dispute rather than behind it.
A dispute mid-deal is one of the more stressful moments in a live file, mostly because clients — and sometimes brokers — assume it works faster, and more decisively, than it actually does. It doesn't erase anything instantly, and it doesn't automatically pause underwriting either.
Here's what actually happens once a dispute is filed, verified against Equifax Canada's own published process, and how experienced brokers keep a file moving while it's outstanding.
01 · What actually happens the moment a client files a credit report dispute?
Per Equifax's own published process, Equifax investigates the claim. If it can confirm and correct the error immediately from the documentation provided, it does so right away; otherwise it contacts the company that originally reported the information to verify its accuracy. The item in question doesn't disappear from the file while this happens — it remains, sometimes with a note that it's under investigation.
02 · How long does a credit bureau dispute actually take to resolve?
Equifax states 15–20 days for disputes submitted online, and 20–25 days for ones submitted by mail. That's roughly three to four weeks in the best case — long enough to matter against most financing conditions, and worth planning for rather than assuming it's resolved before the next lender check-in.
TransUnion runs a broadly comparable consumer-rights dispute process; we weren't able to confirm TransUnion's specific published timeline directly on transunion.ca for this piece, so treat the Equifax figures above as the more precisely documented reference point, and confirm TransUnion's current timeline directly with the client or the bureau if the disputed item sits on that file instead.
03 · How does an underwriter typically treat a file with an open dispute?
An open dispute doesn't disappear from an underwriter's view, and it doesn't automatically get set aside either — most underwriters will still weigh the item as reported unless given a reason not to. A clear letter of explanation, the documentation supporting the dispute, and the dispute confirmation itself, attached to the submission, usually does more to keep the file moving than waiting for the investigation to close.
04 · What if the dispute isn't resolved before the deal needs to close?
If the investigation doesn't go the client's way, they can still add a free consumer statement of up to 800 characters to the file, explaining their side — visible to anyone who pulls the report afterward. It doesn't remove the item, but it does put context directly in front of the next underwriter who sees it, which is worth doing even after a deal has already closed.
05 · What should a broker actually do when a dispute surfaces mid-deal?
- 01Get the dispute confirmation and supporting documents from the client immediately rather than waiting for the outcome.
- 02Write a short, factual cover note explaining what's disputed and why, attached to the submission.
- 03Talk to the lender directly about whether they need the dispute resolved before funding or are comfortable proceeding with the explanation on file — this varies by lender and is worth confirming rather than assuming.
A dispute doesn't have to stall a deal
Keep the file moving while a dispute is still open.
Treadstone's fulfillment associates document open disputes the way lenders actually want to see them, so a live deal doesn't sit waiting on a three-week bureau investigation.
Frequently asked questions
This article is general information to help you scale — not a substitute for tailored advice on your specific business, licensing, or compliance obligations. All figures are illustrative examples for planning purposes; actual costs vary by province, market, and brokerage.