Length of time TransUnion gets to investigate

[Zach76]

  I recently disputed several TLs on my report.  They got one set and then the other 3 days later.  Today, I get a letter that reads: 

    We are in receipt of the additional information regarding your current dispute(s). Due to this additonal information, the time frame for completing the investigation has been extended. Your initial correspondence was received on 10/14/12 and your additional information was received on 10/11/12, which allows TransUnion fifteen additional days.  

  Obviously, there's no way I sent additional information before my initial correspondence. Stupidly, they think that these sets of disputes are the same when they aren't.   I called their number and got no help, except someone reiterating what was written in the letter.  

  I'm planning to write a letter threatening litigation in order to keep them to 30 days.  Has this happened to anyone else?  

[llecs]

It's common. If you dispute and then redispute, they extend it to reconcile the additional info together and to figure out why the 2nd dispute was made. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Zach76]

To what extent does this hurt my chances of a favorable resolution?

[llecs]

IMO, indifferent. Whether it is accurate or it is inaccurate.

[RobertEG]

In my opinion, their additional 15 days, whether legitimately resulting from having provided further information related to the dispute, is not worth hassling over.

They are required to provide a final Notice of Results of Reinvestigation within 5 days after concluding their reinvestigation.  So they have a deadline of 45 + 5 days from date of dispute to get their Notice of Results in the mail.

If you do wish to pursue the issue, you can certainly file a complaint, either/or with the CRA or the FTC, for improper use of FCRA 611(a)(1)(B) based on no submission of addtional information "relevant to the dispute."  Resolution of that complaint has no specific statutory time limit, and will most certainly take more than the additional 15 days they are asserting to complete their reinvestigation.  Maybe a slap on the wrist, but coming after the fact of already receving your Notice of Results.

[Zach76]

I ended up sending them  this letter:

"I recently received this letter(copy enclosed), which made no sense to me . On Monday October 22, 2012, I spoke with one your customer service representatives.  They were unable to help me in clarifying and correcting this issue.
 It’s not clear to me why you would need an additional 15 days to resolve these disputes.  
 It seems to me that you’ve mistaken my two sets of disputes and being one and the same.  That is not the case.  
  My first disputes, the ones you received on 10/11/12, were sent by mail. They were in reference to Central Collection Unit and ROI.
  My second set of disputes, were submitted online through your website on 10/14/12. These were in reference to RJM Acquisitons, Jefferson Capital Systems, HSBC, and First Bank of Delaware.

 According to the FAQs section of the TransUnion website:

What if I submit more than one dispute at the same time?

“We will investigate all of the records in question during the same time period. At the conclusion of the investigation, you will receive a report reflecting all of the results. Please allow 5-7 business days following the completion of our investigation for mail delivery. Please note that if the dispute investigation was initiated online, you will be notified via email and can view the results of the investigation immediately.”

 It would seem to me that according to this policy, you still must complete each set of investigations  within 30 calendar days of receiving them.  If you don’t comply with the FCRA and your own dispute policy, I shall fully exercise my rights(legal or otherwise) in order to correct the matter."

They stuck to the 30 day timeframe. I just got the results today.  Continental Finance/First Bank of DE + ROI were removed.

[asp123]

Frustrating...but good results in the end.  Sometimes we have to take an extra blood pressure pill just to get through this!!