When disputing errors on a credit report, the question of whether a consumer should dispute all of the items in one letter or send a separate letter for each is a question which never fails to come up during the credit repair process.

Q. I have 5 items I’d like to dispute with the credit bureaus. Should I dispute each one separately? Or should I send all the disputes in one letter?

A. As we’ve said many, many times, you ALWAYS want to send your dispute letters certified return receipt requested (CRRR). Having said that, there is one big reason why you would want to send all of your disputes in one letter to each credit bureau: cost.

Certified letters aren’t cheap. First class U.S. Post Office (USPS) mail CRRR costs about $5.10/letter (as of this writing). Therefore, if you have 5 items to dispute, you’re going to be spending $25.50/bureau sending each dispute separately. This is much more expensive than sending only one letter to each bureau at $5.10/bureau.

Comparing the total costs for sending letters to all three bureaus: $78.50 sending each of the 5 items separately vs. $15.30 listing all items in one letter.

The second question people ask me is: “Will the credit bureaus investigate everything if I send everything in one letter?” The answer is: per the Fair Credit Reporting Act, they MUST, if you provide a separate dispute reason for each item.

If you want to guarantee they will investigate each item, here’s a the basic format for listing your disputes when writing your letter to each credit bureau:

• On one line, list each account by both name and the account number listed on your credit report.
• On the next line, list the reason for your dispute.
• If you are disputing another account, place one blank line between the last dispute reason and the next account description.

Follow this link to see a good example of a credit repair dispute letter to the credit bureaus.

The third question which comes up is “Is there a limit to how many items can be disputed in one letter?” The answer is no. As long as you provide a separate reason for each dispute, the credit bureaus must investigate each one.

USPS CRRR is not your only option for sending disputes. As long as you have a printed receipt showing that the credit bureau received your dispute, you’re fine. Other options for sending something certified mail include:

• USPS Priority Mail, which is less expensive than USPS CRRR (about $4.80). However, you do not get a written receipt, only electronic confirmation online. Of course, you can print the electronic confirmation out from your computer screen.
• Click to Mail
• FedEx Ground
• UPS Ground.

Has anyone had any trouble disputing multiple items in one dispute letter? Tell us about it by leaving a comment.

Related posts:

1. Disputing Credit Report Item Updates the Information Or Deletes It? Many people new to credit repair ask the following question:...
2. Documentation and Organization Are Keys To Credit Repair Success Ever tried to return an item but didn’t have a...
3. Should Personally Guaranteed Business Credit Cards Appear on Your Credit Report? This question of whether business credit cards which are personally...
4. Credit Repair Investigation Requests – Send Social Security Number? Q. I’m doing some credit repair on my credit report...
5. I’m Not Sure What to Say In My Letter to a Collection Agency Many people know they need to respond to a letter...