Overview
The Credit Clinic is a credit repair service based in Tempe, AZ. They have been in business since 1993, and offer a number of credit repair and credit education services to their customers. They have a unique pricing model that may benefit some consumers while working against others.
Pros
One of the best things about the Credit Clinic is that they have a very transparent pricing model. They don’t take any advance fees so customers are only paying for the work that gets done for them. However, whereas some other credit repair services offer a price-per-success based model, The Credit Clinic operates a bit differently. Customers will be charged $179 for a “First Work Fee” which includes an analysis of the credit report and a discussion of possible options that customers can take to improve their credit or dispute different items. Consumers then pay a $149 repair fee that covers the dispute process and The Credit Clinic’s efforts on that endeavor. The result can be great savings for some individuals, but others will find themselves spending more than they otherwise might.
Cons
One of the problems that faces The Credit Clinic is a lack of information on their website. They don’t explain what they’ll do to justify the money that you’re paying them, and they also don’t have any information related to the different aspects of credit, credit reporting, or credit repair. This stands in stark contrast to a number of other sites we looked into that have a wide range of information to help consumers understand their rights, obligations, and options.
Moreover, The Credit Clinic does not offer any information related to who they are or why you should trust them. There are also some complaints regarding the customer service treatment when someone tries to cancel or pause work on their account, as well as issues relating to customers who feel that they deserve some kind of refund. While these complaints were not widespread, they are a good reason to thoroughly review the contract that The Credit Clinic offers before agreeing to it. Finally, the fees that they charge for repair are charged monthly and it’s not clear if customers can obtain a month-to-month contract or if they need to commit to a certain period of time, or what the time period is.
Verdict
On the whole there are better options for credit repair than the Credit Clinic. Look for a company that also offers credit and credit reporting education to get more bang for your buck.
