Tag: AECB

Good Credit Score Means Good Financial Health – Understanding How Credit Score Works can Help You Save Thousands of Dirhams

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Credit reports and scores are essential to financial health of any economy. Its primary use is to help financial institutions use the information provided in the report to assess the credit standing of an individual prior to issuing individuals any credit products (credit cards, personal loans and so on).

Al Etihad Credit Bureau is the entity which provides credit reports to consumers and financial institutions in the UAE.

As an individual it is beneficial to have a good credit score as this will not only ensure that your chances of getting a credit card or loan (personal loan, auto loan, home loan) etc. are increased but, almost more importantly can help you save money as banks frequently give better terms (lower interest rates, higher loan amounts etc.) to individuals with better credit scores.

In this article we will help you better understand credit reports.

Components of a Credit Report

Financial Liabilities – Financial institutions are required to provide details of credit facilities such as credit cards, personal loans, mortgage loans etc., to the UAE Credit Bureau. Details such as assigned credit limits, utilized limits on credit cards, payments made, delayed payments, returned/bounced checks, loan amounts issued, outstanding balances, age of the loan/credit card, active status, police case history and so on are some of the key data points shared. In addition, the below details are also shared with the credit bureau:

Employment Details: Employer Name, Income, Date of Employment are a few details pertaining to employment

Addresses: Residence address, emirate, contact details including mobile numbers and email ids.

Personal Identification – Emirates Id number, Passport Number, Date of Birth etc.,

The Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) manages the process of collating the information received from all financial institutions (as well as some other non-financial entities such as telecom and utilities providers) and summarizing this at an individual customer level.

These details are structured in a systematic and easily readable format which the financial institutions can access in assessing the credit worthiness of potential customers.

What is a credit score and why is it important?

Credit score is a three- digit number which is assigned by the credit bureau based on various variables such as number of loans, repayments, delayed payments, credit utilization and so on. Credit scores range from 300 to 900, higher the better from a financial health perspective.

The credit score is an indicator of a customer’s financial profile and it is important to note that quite a few banks have moved to offer credit score-based features (interest rate, loan amounts etc.) to their customers. This means you will get more beneficial terms the higher your credit score .

So, what is the mantra to maintain a healthy credit score?

Below are some simple disciplined practices one needs to follow:

  • Do not hold too many credit cards. Find out the best credit cards for “You” and stick with it. Close the ones which are not suitable for you or you carry but don’t use too often. Use Soulwallet’s “Best Fit Credit Cards Tool” to find out how good your credit card isyou’re your individual spend patterns and other requirements.
  • Ensure payments are made on time. And whenever possible, in full. This is the most important aspect and has a significant weightage in one’s score. Missing payments is a huge no-no and will definitely adversely impact your credit score. Remember the golden rule – “only borrow what you can afford to repay”!
  • Avoid going over the credit limiton your credit card.
  • Try and stay below 40% of your credit utilization. If you have a credit limit of AED 10,000 and your current credit card balance outstanding is AED 4,000, your utilization rate is 40%. The lower the better.
  • Keep copies of your bank clearance letters for records, there are possibilities that one might have to provide them to have the details amended (if they still show up on the credit report).

Please note – credit scores are not carved in stone, it is a dynamic and ever-changing variable, updated periodically when inputs are received from banks and financial institutions.

Credit scores take a significant time and effort to improve and, in this case, we would clearly recommend that prevention is better than cure.

How and where can I get my credit report?

For individuals the best recommended option is to download the AECB (Al Etihad credit bureau) app on the mobile phone via Google play or the IOS App store and download the report or score. Note, the charges are much lower to download the report online rather than by visiting an AECB branch. Click here  to find more details.

Takeaway

Soulwallet strongly recommends you to compare products through a neutral and unbiased comparison site before you make a financial decision which can be as simple as signing up for a credit card in UAE.

Most UAE residents at some point or the other will need to explore options to avail credit facilities from a financial institution. The reasons could be as simple as managing to pay an annual school fee or to cover an unexpected medical expense. Having a good credit score can not only make the process of getting a loan much simpler but can also potentially help one save thousands of dirhams (a simple example is the money saved through a lower interest rate offered on your personal loan in UAE based on a good credit score).

credit score is now available digitally for consumers through AECB App

AECB credit score is now available digitally for consumers through AECB App

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Credit Score, the magic number that decides the fate of a loan or credit card application, had not been accessible to borrowers until recent times. The Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which began its operations 4 years back, has been filling this gap and started providing credit reports to customers. From serving 200 customers a month initially, the Bureau now fulfils 200 requests in just a day! Perplexed customers who face application rejections have turned to the AECB to know the reasons behind it. Acknowledging the ever-increasing demand for Credit Reports, the AECB has introduced its online services and mobile application since October 2018. Here are some highlights about the mobile application.

  • The current version (1.1) of the application, which was last updated on November 1st , is available on App store for IOS devices and play store for Android devices (version 4.1 and up)

  • To avail the facilities of the App, you have to follow the steps as outlined below.

    • Choose the type of report you want to buy (Credit Score, Credit Report with Score or Credit Report)

    • Register – Fill in the application form with personal details. Emirates ID is mandatory.

    • Answer security and Authentication questions.

    • Complete payment using credit or debit card.

    • You will receive the report/score within 30 minutes.

  • The application provides 3 types of services:

    • Credit Score: It is a 3-digit number (ranging from 300 to 900) that predicts the likelihood of you making your credit card or loan payments on time. A low score indicates high risk while a high score indicates low risk. It is calculated based on information from various sources such as Banks, Finance companies and Telecom Companies. The credit score is dynamic and varies according to your payment behaviour. Missing or delaying payment beyond due date, frequent usage of all limits on your credit card, carrying multiple credit cards, all of these would result in a low credit score.

    • Credit Report with Credit Score: The credit report is a detailed list that contains section-wise information as given below:

      • Section 1: Personal Information, such as personal identity info, address, employment details, income (if available) and credit score.

      • Section 2: No. of credit facilities availed, total exposure, percentage of credit limit utilization, worst payment delay, oldest contract start date, Summary of active credit facilities, total monthly instalments and total outstanding balance.

      • Section 3: Loan number, type of contract, provider number, start date, date last updated, Credit Bureau contract ID, A chronological table that shows payment history with colour codes (Green – Good, Yellow – delayed payment upto 90 days, red – payment delayed by more than 90 days). For credit cards, information such as credit card contract id, provider number, credit limit, maximum overdue amount and maximum days of payment delay will be displayed.

      • Section 4: Status of new applications for credit cards, application id, type of facility, total amount, no. of instalments. Etc.

    • Credit Report without score: This facility provides you with the same information as above, excluding the credit score.

  • Charges: The 3 facilities offered by the AECB app is considerably cheaper compared to the charges for the same when approached through one of the two customer happiness centres in UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) . The charges are as given below.

    • Credit Report with score: AED 126

    • Credit Report only: AED 84

    • Credit Score: AED 52.50

The same services would have cost you AED 150, 100 and 60 respectively, if you had visited the AECB offices.

  • Data Correction: You can submit in-app requests to make corrections to any of the wrongly reported information from the reports. You can do this by sending a message that contains a subject, data provider and corrected information.

Armed with the Credit report or scores from the AECB app, you can approach suitable Personal/Home loan or credit card providers. Make timely payments and reduce your number of obligations to avoid loan/credit card application rejections. In the future, the AECB aims to include information from utilities, government agencies, courts and real estate, to gauge your repayment abilities more precisely. Make wise financial decisions for the future with the all new AECB app.