What do lenders check when your credit score is low?
Most look first at whether the instalment fits your income, and only then at your repayment history. A low score tells the lender that something went wrong before, but the bank statements and payslip show whether it is likely to happen again.
A registered lender cannot skip this step. Section 81(2) of the National Credit Act requires it to take reasonable steps to assess your understanding of the agreement, your debt repayment history and your existing means and obligations. Lending without that assessment can amount to reckless credit under section 80. In practice the lender pulls a report from one or more credit bureaus, reads your last statements and compares your income with what you already pay out each month.
Which parts of your credit file change the offer most?
Think of two people with the same old default. One has been paid on time every month since, the other has two bounced debit orders this quarter. Lenders treat them very differently.
| What the lender sees | How it can shift the offer |
|---|---|
| An account in arrears right now | Often a decline, or a much smaller first amount |
| Defaults that are old and settled | Weigh less, particularly when income has been steady since |
| Several applications within days | Reads as stress; the amount offered can drop |
| Salary landing on the same date each month | Helps, since the debit order can follow payday |
| No credit history at all | Looks like a low score but is judged on income and statements |
A decline from one lender says little about the next, since each sets its own cut-off and not every provider reports to every bureau.
How much can a lender charge if you have bad credit?
The price can rise with risk, but only to a legal ceiling. The ceilings are in Regulation 42 of the National Credit Regulations and follow the SARB repo rate. The repo rate was 7.25% as of 25 September 2026, so unsecured personal loans are capped at 28.25% a year (repo plus 21%).
Short-term credit has its own limit of 5% per month on a first loan and 3% per month on later loans in the same calendar year, with initiation and service fees on top. LendPlus quotes up to 60% a year and Century lists 0.16% per day, which is why those two should be read against the short-term ceiling and not the personal-loan one.
In rands: R2,000 borrowed for one month as a first short-term loan can carry at most R100 in interest before fees. R5,000 over six months at the 28.25% unsecured cap comes to roughly R420 in interest on an amortising loan, again before fees. A quote far above those figures is worth querying with the lender in writing.
What amounts and terms are realistic on this page?
Among direct lenders R500 is the floor everywhere. The ceiling is R8,000 at Century and Kredio, R5,000 at Creditbar, and R4,000 at CashGist, JabulaniMoney, PrimeLoans, LendPlus and Crediwise. Terms are counted in days: 5 to 35 at PrimeLoans, LendPlus and Crediwise, a week to two months at Kredio and Creditbar, up to 180 days at Century.
The ten matching services forward your request to partners, so their R500,000 and 72 months describe a strong file and not a typical offer.
How do you compare the lenders on this page?
Pull your own report first: section 72 gives you one free inspection per bureau in any twelve months, and a provable error can be disputed at no charge. The loans for bad credit guide covers the rest of the preparation, and loans if blacklisted explains what changes when a judgment or debt review sits on the file. The instalment is not the number to watch. Total repayable is. Read the term and the fees in the quotation, and find the NCRCP number that every registered credit provider holds. Delays on these applications mostly trace back to figures that disagree between the form and the bank statements, so check yours before sending. With a matching service, ask which lender will actually sign your agreement. You can confirm any registration in the NCR registration check guide or by phoning the National Credit Regulator on 0860 627 627. Full profiles are in the lender directory.
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