How is it regulated?

We are only as good as the people we work with and to this end, you can rest assured that all our partners and service providers are trusted names in their respective capacities and are regulated by the appropriate institutions like the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) 

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Subscribe For Financial Tips and Offers!

Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Subscribe For Financial Tips and Offers!

Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

How is it regulated?

We are only as good as the people we work with and to this end, you can rest assured that all our partners and service providers are trusted names in their respective capacities and are regulated by the appropriate institutions like the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) 

Subscribe For Financial Tips and Offers!

Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Subscribe For Financial Tips and Offers!

Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Subscribe For Financial Tips and Offers!

Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Can I get a loan to buy a car?

  • There are two different ways to finance a car:
  1. A personal, unsecured loan
  2. A car loan, where the car is used as security against the loan 

  • You may get a lower interest rate on a car loan – but you may have to take out insurance for the car, and you could lose the car if you do not make the monthly repayments.

  • If you do not make the monthly repayments on a personal loan, the bank could take you to court to force you to sell your assets to pay back the loan.  

How to identify fraudulent online lenders

Emotions can be high when you need cash urgently

Scammers have never been so prevalent and successful. They are everywhere and target everyone; irrespective of your age or gender, you are a target. This is why you cannot afford to lose your guard. Unfortunately, these financial criminals work on their victims’ emotions, preying on you where and when you least expect. It’s strange to think fraudsters would set up online lender platforms. As impossible as it may seem, they really go that far – these guys would not stop at anything to hit their targets.

Most times, when we have an urgent need for cash, we get emotional and would easily jump at a bait from a scammer, who offers a loan, without thinking through the validity of the loan. The bait can work on anyone, but more often it works on first time borrowers, who are applying for a loan for the first time or whose loan applications have never been approved. There are multiple channels through which loan scammers can use to manipulate their victims into giving out personal information or getting them to send funds.

Know the red flags

Whilst there are many schemes that loan scammers use, let’s go through a few of the most common red flags. First, steer clear of any lender that requires you to pay some sort of upfront fees by sending money to them before you can be granted a loan, even when such lender calls it processing fees - don’t fall for the bait. Yes, some lenders may charge upfront processing fees, but reputable lenders would rather deduct the fees from the loan amount before disbursing the loan to you. If you send the processing or upfront fees to the scammer, the transaction is over – that’s their interest, at best you would get a “sorry, your loan is declined” feedback.

Another and perhaps more common scheme is for loan scammers to extract personal information from you, including asking you to provide bank details, ATM numbers as well as the CVV and Personal Identification Number (PIN). Whilst some genuine lenders would ask for your Bank Verification Number and Account details (name, bank, and account number) to ensure effective documentation and disbursement of the loan, scammers would want your PIN amongst other account details personal to you. Never fall prey for such a bait because no credible lender would ask you to provide your ATM card details and PIN – this is clear fraud. Once you provide such personal information, your bank account has been compromised and within minutes, you may notice unauthorized transactions carried out on your bank account.

Don’t be a victim

Interestingly, some scammers can appear smart by disbursing a loan to you but guess what, they would only box you into onerous terms that would turn you to their prey, especially when you collateralise the loan with a valuable asset. These types of scammers are only interested in taking over your asset. Knowing that we are always in a hurry and don’t like to fill forms, scammers would tell you to only sign and fill a few lines in their application forms, whilst they complete the rest for you. Some would never give you a copy of the loan offer and in fact some would complete the entire transaction on phone; don’t be a victim. Never fall for their pranks.

Ensure to read the terms and agreements from any provider very well, to be sure there are no hidden charges and/or unclear policies. Be wary of any lender that guarantees your approval without showing interest in knowing your ability to pay back the loan. Be cautious when a lender encourages you to falsify your information. It’s red flag when the agent of a lender keeps soliciting that you should apply for a loan even when you do not need it.

In general, it’s safer to borrow from a lender that is already profiled by a reputable third party, such as nairaCompare.ng, as this gives you some comfort that the lender is likely to be credible. More often, profiled lenders on nairaCompare.ng are also regulated and/or licensed as lenders either by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the State Government.

Beware, scammers are out there, and you can avoid them, you only need to take relevant precautions with nairaCompare.ng as your preferred companion..

#ONLINELOAN #FINTECHLENDERS #ONLINELENDERS #LOANSCAM #FRAUDULENTLENDERS
 

How do I change my password?

To change your password:
  • Once signed-in to your account using your existing password
  • Hover your mouse over the My Account button (on the top-right corner of the site)
  • Click on My account details (on the top-right corner of the site)
  • Select the Manage password tab
  • Enter your existing password
  • Enter your new password
  • Retype your new password
  • Click Save 

What do I need to know about eNAIRA?

Although it is no longer news that eNaira has been launched, we are, however, still in the phase of learning and finding out more about the values and benefits of eNaira to all stakeholders.

As a financial platform interested in providing unending values to our users continuously, we found it very important to have a look at the areas that will benefit users in the domains related to loan financing. In this article, we would be examining the eNaira and its impact in influencing loan financing in Nigeria, while we further delve into the general benefits of eNaira and why it is one of the most advanced systems in Africa.

WHAT IS eNAIRA?

The eNaira is Nigeria’s CBD, a legal tender and a digital equivalent of the physical naira. It is the same naira with far more possibilities. The eNaira has the same value (exchange at 1 Naira to 1 eNaira) as the physical naira and is owned and regulated by the CBN.

The Nigerian federal government through the CBN launched its creation and adoption of the country's digital currency, eNaira some days ago, with the goals of driving a digital economy, rapid financial inclusion, and strengthening the CBN's cashless policy. With the growing interest in digital currency,

HOW eNAIRA WILL AFFECT LOAN FINANCING?

Part of the key benefits of the eNaira is financial inclusion, which simply is the availability and equality of opportunities to access financial services. This means that, the processes by which businesses and individuals can now access financial products and services will be more timely, cheaper, and secure across borders. These financial services of course would include banking services, loan financing, equity, insurance, etc.

Amidst several criticisms and conflicting opinions of many Nigerians, the eNaira by the CBN should be applauded. The eNaira has the potential of making a significant positive impact in Nigeria’s payments ecosystem and may truly be a game-changer.


Here’s why…

The eNaira will Facilitate Diaspora Remittance in Nigeria.


This is good news to businesses, individuals, families, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and religious institutions as they can now accept diaspora payments and/or receive financial support/interventions through their eNaira account. This will increase customer base for financial Nigerian businesses and institutions.

Up until the advent of eNaira, most international business success rate and life span consistently battle with issues around the volatility of foreign exchange, international payments processing, etc., which makes it difficult to run a business in Nigeria. With the eNaira, you can now receive funds directly from IMTOs into your eNaira wallet.

The eNaira is Secured

With the cryptographic encryption and two-factor authentication features built into the eNaira platform, you can relax and rest easy without fears of any intrusion (provided you do not expose your key information and credentials). In addition, the CBN implemented secure and safeguarded policies to maintain the integrity of the eNaira platforms.

The eNaira has been speculated to be a useful tool for promoting cross-border transactions for individuals and businesses, which will in turn, provide stability to the country’s payment ecosystem and most importantly, extend financial inclusion.

In addition to the above benefits mentioned, the eNaira will:

• Support a resilient payment ecosystem
• Reduce the cost of processing cash
• Encourage rapid financial inclusion
• Enable direct and transparent welfare interventions for Nigerians
• Reduce the costs of financial transactions
• Increase revenue and tax collection
• Improve the efficiency of payment and drive financial inclusion in Nigeria
• Reduce the costs of financial transactions
• Increase revenue and tax collection
• Improve the efficiency of payment and drive financial inclusion in Nigeria

What if I am struggling to repay my loan?

  • Contact the bank immediately. You may be able to negotiate a new repayment arrangement where you pay less each month and take longer time to pay off the whole loan. If you just miss your payment you will be charged missed payment fees, and you will get a poor credit score.

How do I unsubscribe from your newsletter?

  • Click on unsubscribe
  • Enter your email address, passwordpassword, and date of birth. We will email you to confirm that you have been removed from the list. This could take up to five working days. 

How do I get another quote?

  • When you sign-in you will be taken straight to your quote history page, where you can click the 'New quote' button to get a quote for whichever product you are interested in. 

  • All your details are saved, so you will not have to enter them again when you get another quote, unless your details have changed. 

How do I change my email address?

  • Sign-in to your account (using your old email address) (on the top-right corner of the page)
  • Click My account details (on the top-right corner of the site)
  • Enter your new email address
  • Click Save and then click Yes in the confirmation box 

What do I need to compare loans?

  • The cost of borrowing money depends on two things:
  1.  The interest rate that you will pay, and
  2. How long you borrow the money for.

  • The interest rate that you will pay will depend on how much money you want to borrow and your personal credit rating. The better your rating, the less interest you will be charged.

  • The faster you pay the money back, the less interest you will pay overtime – but the higher your monthly repayments will be. 

  • When you use NairaCompare, we will give you these details:
  1. Provider: which bank or other institution is lending you the money.
  2. Product: the kind of loan.
  3. Representative: AIR (Annual Interest Rate): this is the cost of borrowing the money. charges and fees you would pay. 
  4. Total amount repayable: what you will pay back over time.
  5. Monthly repayment: your monthly repayment amounts.


Why do I need to re-enter my password to get a quick quote?

If you click the Accept and get quotes button and you have not ticked that you accept our Terms and Conditions, you will need to re-enter your password before you can continue.

How is it regulated?

We are only as good as the people we work with and to this end, you can rest assured that all our partners and service providers are trusted names in their respective capacities and are regulated by the appropriate institutions like the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) 

How do I update my personal details?

If you change your personal details your existing quotes will not be valid, and you will need to run them again.

To change your details: 

  • Sign-in to your account (on the top-right corner of the page)
  • Click on My account details (on the top-right corner of the site)
  • Enter your new details
  • Click Save and then click Yes in the confirmation box 

Where are my policy documents?

  • Most documents are available online – either by email, or through the provider’s website.

  • If physical documents are posted to you, they are normally sent the next working day, but can take up to seven days to arrive. If you have not received them after seven days, contact the provider. 

Cash Credit versus Overdraft; Know the difference

When taking a loan, be sure to catch the wind


Many a times, business owners apply for a loan without having a good understanding of the terms and conditions of the loan. Whilst large corporations lean on their finance team to break down the finance jargons and provide relevant details necessary for the Executives or Board to take decisions, small business owners do not have access to such luxury of interpretations, so some business owners don’t catch the wind on the loan, especially as the focus is often on getting the loan approved.

Sometimes you need the cash immediately…

Cash credits are loans with a fixed tenor and amount. Often times, lenders requests for inventories and other forms of assets as collateral for the loan. It is a good source of working capital to a small business, as it keeps the business operational. Interestingly, the interest rate can be relatively affordable, especially when the borrower seeks out the lender, with the best terms on nairaCompare.

Cash credit also ensures that the business owner can fund immediate cashflow requirement of the business. Sometimes, cash credit becomes very pertinent to keeping the production running because the buyers/distributors may not be paying immediately for goods and services. Hence, the business owner may seek cash credit to purchase more raw materials and meet other obligations, using the inventory of the business as collateral.

…but sometimes you just need to be sure you can spend money if need be

Overdraft, however, does not get disbursed into your account, rather it is like a contingent loan that ensures you can access more money than what you have in your account, anytime you need more than you have. It is a loan that gives the borrower an assurance that the business can borrow up to a certain limit.
When you have an overdraft, you can issue cheques beyond what is in your bank account, without fear. Unlike cash credit, which requires that the borrower explains the use of the proceeds and borrowers may never have the liberty of changing the purpose for the loan granted. However, an overdraft gives the borrower some flexibility to determine what to do with the loan and lenders do not ask for collateral for overdraft. Rather, the assessment of borrowers for overdraft facility is often based on relationship with the lender, credit history and turnover of the borrower’s account with the bank.

Know that overdrafts are relatively more expensive

Since lenders are not sure whether you would use the overdraft or not, they tend to charge a higher interest rate. In addition, some lenders charge a commitment fee on overdraft facilities to be sure they get remunerated for keeping their monies in anticipation that you may need a loan. This relatively means that if you know you really need the money now, it’s better to take a cash credit and ensure that you judiciously use the loan in growing the business. However, having an overdraft gives confidence that you can take advantage of opportunities as they arise, and you can meet emergency expenses because you can issue a cheque beyond the amount in your bank account.
Generally, the interest rate on overdraft is calculated based on the average value of the overdraft used within the period and not the actual limit of the overdraft. The value of the overdraft used, and the implied interest is usually calculated monthly, as against a cash credit, which would have a predetermined repayment period. The repayment of overdraft is flexible, and the borrower can dip in and out of an overdraft by repaying and drawing on the facility at short intervals. For instance, you can draw on your overdraft to pay staff salaries and other bills and pay down the loan immediately your cashflow improves (i.e when your customers pay). Within a short interval (days or weeks), you can draw on the overdraft to meet some other obligation, including paying for raw material supplies. Even before paying down an initial amount used from the overdraft, you may draw down more. So, you can increase or reduce the amount you utilise from an overdraft, so far it is within the limit of the overdraft.
It is important to note that, whilst overdraft is typically within a year’s tenor, cash loan can be a source of stable working capital, with tenor spanning over a year to ensure stability of the business.

With some lenders plugging hidden fees, always compare lenders before you leap

In taking an overdraft as your contingency plan, be sure the terms are as clear as the daylight and there are no hidden changes. Review available options on nairaCompare and be sure what you need is an overdraft and not a cash credit.  

#CASHCREDIT #OVERDRAFT #INTERESTRATE #FACILITYFEE #BUSINESSLOAN       





Why won’t you accept the password I have created?

Your password must be between six and 50 characters long. It can include letters and numbers but not < > : ; ' , & " / or spaces.

Do not use frequently-used words and vital details to make your password – the stronger your password, the less likely someone will guess it and try to access your personal details. 

How does nairaCompare work?

We do the hard work so that you do not have to. NairaCompare collects rates and terms from all the large, respected loan providers, savings managers and cellular companies, and gives them to you in one place so that you can make an informed decision. 

Can I overpay or pay my loan off early?

  • Different loans have different agreements. Make sure that you read the terms and conditions carefully to see if you can pay off the loan early without being charged early repayment fees.  

Who are the loan providers?

It’s a challenging time, so it’s important you are a bargain hunter to make some savings

Every Naira counts at this time, and you can’t afford to lose any opportunity to make savings on your loan. Besides, it’s not just about the interest rate or overall cost, you also need to be sure you are getting the most favourable terms possible. Comparing the terms from different lenders helps you decide which one offers the best deal on the type of loan you are seeking. Did I hear you say this may take some time, yes, it may take a few hours but trust me, it is worth it. One major challenge most people face is that the offers from most if not all lenders are different, so it may be like comparing apples with oranges.

It is very true that the gimmick of lenders is to market product differentiations aimed at ensuring you cannot easily compare their offerings with their peers. Nonetheless, we will try to demystify that constraint, with simple logic. Whilst there are several factors to consider in comparing loan terms, here are a few of them, and you can always contact nairaCompare, your caring companion, for any enquiry on further details or assistance.

Let’s start with what you are familiar with, the cost of the loan. The cost of the loan is not just the lending rate and in fact, the lending rate needs to be converted to effective annual interest rate to ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples. Some lenders charge lending rate upfront, they deduct the interest from the loan or ask you to pay the interest before disbursing the loan to you. So, when a lender tells you the lending rate is 5% per month but you have to pay it at the beginning of the month, with the first interest deductible from the loan amount, what that means is that you are paying 5.3% per month. Besides, converting your interest rate to annual rate is more important because a monthly payment of interest is more expensive than a quarterly payment of interest or a semi-annual payment of interest – time value of money!

Similarly, some lenders are fond of charging a flat interest rate on the initial principal amount of the loan, even when the loan is amortising. Just in case you don’t know what amortisation of loan means: it is the term used to describe the gradual repayment of the principal amount of a loan on a periodic basis (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual etc) over the life of the loan, as against waiting to the maturity date before paying off the principal amount as a lump sum (which is called bullet repayment of principal). So, when a lender tells you that the interest rate is a flat rate on the principal amount, but the loan is amortising, then you need to check what the effective annual interest rate on the loan is, because the interest paid on an amortising loan should be on the outstanding balance of the loan i.e interest should be calculated on a reducing balance basis. The real game here is that the lender wants to gain more value, taking advantage of what finance experts call time value of money and indeed, time is what really differentiates the value of money.

So, when you are considering a loan with a year tenor or more, negotiate to pay interest annually or semi-annually, rather than paying interest monthly. 

If your cashflow plan supports amortisation of the loan, insist that your interest rate be calculated on the reducing balance and not the initial principal amount. Another common practice of lenders is to load up the cost with different fees, ranging from loan processing fee to management fee, insurance premium amongst others. You need to compare these costs with alternatives and estimate the total cost of the loan to you. In fact, you need to check if the lender has a prepayment penalty, i.e the penalty that you will pay if you can repay the loan before the agreed maturity. Many lenders also have penalty for default and indeed most lenders would increase the lending rate on the loan in the event of a default. Yes, you are not planning to default but it is important you compare this term to avoid being sorry if you find yourself in a fix that leads to a default on the loan.

In addition to charging a higher interest and default penalty, some lenders charge restructuring fee for extending the tenor of your loan after default. It’s like compounding your problem, right? So, you can’t afford to be in a hurry to read the terms of the loan and compare with alternative providers, as some of these salient facts may be hidden somewhere in the loan agreement and it may be too late when you realise it, so caveat emptor…take caution and invest the time required to read through the terms before you accept the offer.

However, in case that you don’t see these terms in the loan offer or agreement, please ask questions about them and make clarifications before you get into the contract. Ignorance is not an excuse in law – you will be liable, and the lender cannot be held responsible for non-disclosure, the onus lies on you to find out the details.

#TheTrueCostOfLoans  #ComparingLoans  #TheActualInterestRateOnLoans #ComparingTermsOnLoans  #BetterLoanTerms    



I forgot my password. What should I do?

It’s a challenging time, so it’s important you are a bargain hunter to make some savings

Every Naira counts at this time, and you can’t afford to lose any opportunity to make savings on your loan. Besides, it’s not just about the interest rate or overall cost, you also need to be sure you are getting the most favourable terms possible. Comparing the terms from different lenders helps you decide which one offers the best deal on the type of loan you are seeking. Did I hear you say this may take some time, yes, it may take a few hours but trust me, it is worth it. One major challenge most people face is that the offers from most if not all lenders are different, so it may be like comparing apples with oranges.

It is very true that the gimmick of lenders is to market product differentiations aimed at ensuring you cannot easily compare their offerings with their peers. Nonetheless, we will try to demystify that constraint, with simple logic. Whilst there are several factors to consider in comparing loan terms, here are a few of them, and you can always contact nairaCompare, your caring companion, for any enquiry on further details or assistance.

Let’s start with what you are familiar with, the cost of the loan. The cost of the loan is not just the lending rate and in fact, the lending rate needs to be converted to effective annual interest rate to ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples. Some lenders charge lending rate upfront, they deduct the interest from the loan or ask you to pay the interest before disbursing the loan to you. So, when a lender tells you the lending rate is 5% per month but you have to pay it at the beginning of the month, with the first interest deductible from the loan amount, what that means is that you are paying 5.3% per month. Besides, converting your interest rate to annual rate is more important because a monthly payment of interest is more expensive than a quarterly payment of interest or a semi-annual payment of interest – time value of money!

Similarly, some lenders are fond of charging a flat interest rate on the initial principal amount of the loan, even when the loan is amortising. Just in case you don’t know what amortisation of loan means: it is the term used to describe the gradual repayment of the principal amount of a loan on a periodic basis (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual etc) over the life of the loan, as against waiting to the maturity date before paying off the principal amount as a lump sum (which is called bullet repayment of principal). So, when a lender tells you that the interest rate is a flat rate on the principal amount, but the loan is amortising, then you need to check what the effective annual interest rate on the loan is, because the interest paid on an amortising loan should be on the outstanding balance of the loan i.e interest should be calculated on a reducing balance basis. The real game here is that the lender wants to gain more value, taking advantage of what finance experts call time value of money and indeed, time is what really differentiates the value of money.

So, when you are considering a loan with a year tenor or more, negotiate to pay interest annually or semi-annually, rather than paying interest monthly. 

If your cashflow plan supports amortisation of the loan, insist that your interest rate be calculated on the reducing balance and not the initial principal amount. Another common practice of lenders is to load up the cost with different fees, ranging from loan processing fee to management fee, insurance premium amongst others. You need to compare these costs with alternatives and estimate the total cost of the loan to you. In fact, you need to check if the lender has a prepayment penalty, i.e the penalty that you will pay if you can repay the loan before the agreed maturity. Many lenders also have penalty for default and indeed most lenders would increase the lending rate on the loan in the event of a default. Yes, you are not planning to default but it is important you compare this term to avoid being sorry if you find yourself in a fix that leads to a default on the loan.

In addition to charging a higher interest and default penalty, some lenders charge restructuring fee for extending the tenor of your loan after default. It’s like compounding your problem, right? So, you can’t afford to be in a hurry to read the terms of the loan and compare with alternative providers, as some of these salient facts may be hidden somewhere in the loan agreement and it may be too late when you realise it, so caveat emptor…take caution and invest the time required to read through the terms before you accept the offer.

However, in case that you don’t see these terms in the loan offer or agreement, please ask questions about them and make clarifications before you get into the contract. Ignorance is not an excuse in law – you will be liable, and the lender cannot be held responsible for non-disclosure, the onus lies on you to find out the details.

#TheTrueCostOfLoans  #ComparingLoans  #TheActualInterestRateOnLoans #ComparingTermsOnLoans  #BetterLoanTerms    



How do I see my saved quotes?

It’s a challenging time, so it’s important you are a bargain hunter to make some savings

Every Naira counts at this time, and you can’t afford to lose any opportunity to make savings on your loan. Besides, it’s not just about the interest rate or overall cost, you also need to be sure you are getting the most favourable terms possible. Comparing the terms from different lenders helps you decide which one offers the best deal on the type of loan you are seeking. Did I hear you say this may take some time, yes, it may take a few hours but trust me, it is worth it. One major challenge most people face is that the offers from most if not all lenders are different, so it may be like comparing apples with oranges.

It is very true that the gimmick of lenders is to market product differentiations aimed at ensuring you cannot easily compare their offerings with their peers. Nonetheless, we will try to demystify that constraint, with simple logic. Whilst there are several factors to consider in comparing loan terms, here are a few of them, and you can always contact nairaCompare, your caring companion, for any enquiry on further details or assistance.

Let’s start with what you are familiar with, the cost of the loan. The cost of the loan is not just the lending rate and in fact, the lending rate needs to be converted to effective annual interest rate to ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples. Some lenders charge lending rate upfront, they deduct the interest from the loan or ask you to pay the interest before disbursing the loan to you. So, when a lender tells you the lending rate is 5% per month but you have to pay it at the beginning of the month, with the first interest deductible from the loan amount, what that means is that you are paying 5.3% per month. Besides, converting your interest rate to annual rate is more important because a monthly payment of interest is more expensive than a quarterly payment of interest or a semi-annual payment of interest – time value of money!

Similarly, some lenders are fond of charging a flat interest rate on the initial principal amount of the loan, even when the loan is amortising. Just in case you don’t know what amortisation of loan means: it is the term used to describe the gradual repayment of the principal amount of a loan on a periodic basis (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual etc) over the life of the loan, as against waiting to the maturity date before paying off the principal amount as a lump sum (which is called bullet repayment of principal). So, when a lender tells you that the interest rate is a flat rate on the principal amount, but the loan is amortising, then you need to check what the effective annual interest rate on the loan is, because the interest paid on an amortising loan should be on the outstanding balance of the loan i.e interest should be calculated on a reducing balance basis. The real game here is that the lender wants to gain more value, taking advantage of what finance experts call time value of money and indeed, time is what really differentiates the value of money.

So, when you are considering a loan with a year tenor or more, negotiate to pay interest annually or semi-annually, rather than paying interest monthly. 

If your cashflow plan supports amortisation of the loan, insist that your interest rate be calculated on the reducing balance and not the initial principal amount. Another common practice of lenders is to load up the cost with different fees, ranging from loan processing fee to management fee, insurance premium amongst others. You need to compare these costs with alternatives and estimate the total cost of the loan to you. In fact, you need to check if the lender has a prepayment penalty, i.e the penalty that you will pay if you can repay the loan before the agreed maturity. Many lenders also have penalty for default and indeed most lenders would increase the lending rate on the loan in the event of a default. Yes, you are not planning to default but it is important you compare this term to avoid being sorry if you find yourself in a fix that leads to a default on the loan.

In addition to charging a higher interest and default penalty, some lenders charge restructuring fee for extending the tenor of your loan after default. It’s like compounding your problem, right? So, you can’t afford to be in a hurry to read the terms of the loan and compare with alternative providers, as some of these salient facts may be hidden somewhere in the loan agreement and it may be too late when you realise it, so caveat emptor…take caution and invest the time required to read through the terms before you accept the offer.

However, in case that you don’t see these terms in the loan offer or agreement, please ask questions about them and make clarifications before you get into the contract. Ignorance is not an excuse in law – you will be liable, and the lender cannot be held responsible for non-disclosure, the onus lies on you to find out the details.

#TheTrueCostOfLoans  #ComparingLoans  #TheActualInterestRateOnLoans #ComparingTermsOnLoans  #BetterLoanTerms    



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Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

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Sign up for our newsletter to get the best offers, expert advice, and more!

By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.