No-credit-check loans are a sum of money that you can borrow without a credit check. A rule of thumb says that a lender must run a hard credit check to know your credit score before giving the nod. However, that is not the only speciality that they do as part of an affordability check.
They are mainly available loans with no credit checks from direct lenders in the UK. No banks will lend you money without peering at your credit report. It is a must for a lender to know their past payment behaviours. It will work to your advantage as you can prevent borrowing more than your affordability.
Unfortunately, there are some subprime borrowers that cannot afford to run another credit check because this will further pull down their credit points, worsening their borrowing capacity at competitive interest rates down the track.
No-credit-check loans are sought after when you require money for a crisis definition. These loans come in very small sizes and last for a short period, meaning you will have to pay them off once and for all.
Why do people apply for a loan with no credit check?
Many people think that loans with no credit check are easy to secure. The lender does not need to get into the annoyance of running a credit check. They will quickly make a decision based on your income records and give the green light to your loan. The approval speed of these loans is as faster as anything.
Another reason is that these loans do not have to be paid in instalments, so you do not have to be tied to them for a longer time. Even if you are given a chance to pay it down in weekly instalments, it is easier to manage.
As the repayment length does not last more than a month, it implies it is least likely that your financial situation will be worse in such a short period, so you will not have any difficulty paying off the debt.
What are the hidden dangers of loans with no credit check?
Loans with no credit check are widely popular among subprime borrowers, but, unfortunately, they are not as advantageous as they seem. Here are the dangers associated with these loans:
- These loans are very expensive
No-credit-check loans are very expensive. These loans have higher interest rates than credit cards. Since lenders do not know your past payment behaviours, they will look at your credibility with suspicion.
In order to mitigate their risks, they will charge you very high-interest rates. Do not forget that you will have to pay interest n top of the principal. It is likely that your budget does not have enough room to ensure a successful settlement of the debt.
- You will fall into debt
Many of you believe that these loans are affordable as you can get rid of them on the due date by paying the full money, but you often ignore the fact that your monthly income should be enough to be able to bear this expense.
Your budget does not have scope to pay the principal amount, so how can you expect it to have paid the debt cost, which includes the interest as well? The APR of these loans could be up to 1500%. On the due date, you will find that you cannot repay it and end up rolling it over. This cycle will keep going on and on, and eventually, you will have a CCJ issued against you. Then, you will have to abide by the orders of the court.
- They could defraud you
A lot of lenders are out there offering these loans, and they can be scams. In order to extortionate money, they can take advantage of your credit situation and offer you a loan at a very high-interest rate.
These scammers pretend to be genuine lenders and keep sending you messages about these loans. If your credit rating is already abysmal, you will be tempted to apply for these loans, and once you get them, your finances will be permanently ruined.
- They do not build credit scores
Some direct lenders advertise these loans as a tool to build a credit history, but the fact is that no short-term loans can do up your credit rating. Even if you pay off these loans in fixed weekly instalments, it will not be of any help.
What alternatives should you seek?
You should avoid no-credit-check loans as they can trap you in debt. Consider the alternatives when your savings have fallen short of unforeseen expenses:
- Turn to your friends and family
Turning to your friends or family is a way better option than loans without a credit check. You can borrow a small sum of money and avoid paying interest. However, you must keep your word. Betraying them will ruin your relationship forever.
- Applying for a secured loan
Putting down security minimises the risk of a lender, and they would likely loan you at competitive interest rates. Some lenders may refuse you a secured loan for a very small sum. These loans generally start from £3,000.
- Find a guarantor or co-signor
If you know someone who has a better credit rating and who trusts you, you can ask them to act as a guarantor or co-signor.
Wrapping up
No-credit-check loans can be very dangerous if you do not pay them off on time. Avoid these loans if possible to prevent your financial situation from being ruined. Put efforts to improve your credit score and then take out a loan.
Williams Adams is the Senior Content Writer and Loan Advisor at Loansevents. He is passionate about finance writing and has written thousands of blogs for the top platforms worldwide. In more than 13 years of experience, he has worked with leading lending firms in the UK providing various loans. At Loansevents, Williams does the major task of writing researched-full blogs on multiple loans and financial concepts. He has done MBA in Finance in the UK to back his finance skills.