Are you confident about selecting an appropriate lender for your personal debt needs? Was due diligence conducted before committing to terms? Choosing a personal lender is not easy as the lender chosen will be part of your life for years until you repay your loan. You depend on your lender to process your payments and attend to customer service issues when required. In return, you shell out large sums of money. It’s obvious you would carefully choose an appropriate lender for your needs. Go through the following indicators to assess if your personal loan lender is a good fit for you…

THERE ARE MANY CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AGAINST YOUR LENDER

Some lenders are quick at applying for payments, handling customer issues, and managing loans. However, others have created trouble in the past. A borrower would desire smooth sailing while working with any lender. In such cases, you must be cautious and verify if your prospective lender is involved in problems in the past. Consult the Consumer Complaint Database of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to find out such details. Type in your lender’s name and search. Also check the Better Business Bureau ratings of your lender. Consumer reviews available online also are very helpful. 

THE SURPRISE FEES

Always compare the total costs to be incurred between one loan and another. Normally, you pay the origination fees and need to pay the late fees and the pre-payment penalties. It’s the lender’s responsibility to make the lending terms very clear.  Often, a lender asks for higher fees and if eligible for lower interest rates, that makes sense.  Avoid the services of any lender who doesn’t reveal your exact charges and the details when availing a loan or going through the payoff procedure. If your lender slaps a surprise fee suddenly during your repayment process, you need to step back and look out for someone who is more transparent about charges levied.

YOUR LENDER HAS YET TO FLESH OUT THE LOAN TERMS

Certain other things like the interest rate and the repayment terms enable you to calculate the entire loan cost. Setting down all terms clearly while applying for the loan, is the sole responsibility of the lender. Once done, you choose from among many loan products. Is your loan a variable rate loan or a fixed rate loan? For variable rate loans, the rate of interest during the period of repayment could soar. With an increase in interest rates, the total loan costs automatically rise.

THE LENDER TAKES TOO LONG TO PROCESS LOAN APPLICATIONS

People look for lenders when a financial necessity arises. Reasons to borrow money are many. You may pay off high-interest debt or aim for a big purchase. While borrowing, you would want the loan processing by your lender to be quick and non-cumbersome. How much time does it take to check the paperwork, approve the application, check sureties and release funds? There are many loan lenders in the market who complete the entire process and fund your loan within a week. If your lender takes too much time, identify a new one. Certain signs indicate that you need a second personal loan provider. If you find yourself trapped in the above scenarios, search out a new lender.