The Credit Report

Highlights of the new law strengthening the Fair Credit Reporting Act:

* Thirty-day deadline for fixing mistakes in credit reports, with consumer to be given written results within five days of investigation’s completion.

* New obligations for creditors--not just credit-reporting bureaus--to provide accurate information or correct errors.

* No credit reports may be ordered by employers on job applicants without their written permission.

* Toll-free lines staffed with employees, not just recordings, must be available to consumers calling credit bureaus during business hours.

* Any consumer report that contains personal medical information can be released only with the consumer’s consent.

* Consumers can call toll-free numbers to remove themselves from lists used by credit-card companies to solicit them by mail.

* Credit reports, free when a consumer is denied credit, insurance or employment, now are free for denial of a larger variety of services, such as a bank account or an apartment. People not denied credit will have to pay no more than $8 for a report.