28.01.2020

Debt collection and credit in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the Consumer Credit Act (CCA) is very strict when it comes to the rules governing loans and leasing. As a result, it is generally not possible to obtain credit when you have more than one lawsuit. However, there are plenty of solutions to overcome this. Explanations. 

 

Prosecutions in a few figures: 

The number of people suing in Switzerland is increasing slightly every year, the number of lawsuits sent to them has also been increasing for several years now. Here are the 2018 figures: 

 

  • 2,967,555 payment orders
  • 1,775,151 seizures executed
  • 690,072 completions

 

What are the main causes of Debt Collections? 

Among the most common causes that lead people to end up in lawsuits, we can note the loss of income following a dismissal for example, this loss of income is 30% if the person does not have children and 20% if he or she does. 

This sudden difference in the budget is brutal and the previous lifestyle cannot be maintained. This naturally leads to unpaid bills that will then turn into lawsuits. 

Therefore, having a lawsuit in Switzerland at some point in one's life is more common than one might think and of which there is no need to be ashamed. The cost of living in Switzerland is relatively high and it can happen to anyone to let slip a bill that will reappear later in the form of a lawsuit.

 

What are the consequences of prosecution?  

But although it is important to play down the fact of having one or more lawsuits a little, you should also not let them accumulate unnecessarily because they bring several harmful consequences: 

 

  • Inability to get credit (if more than one debt collection)
  • Difficulty finding new housing
  • Some jobs will be closed to you
  • You won't be able to buy on account from certain online sites that will check your creditworthiness (Zalando for example)

 

Applying for credit with lawsuits: 

If you have lawsuits in progress or various arrears that are still unpaid (for example, from debt collection agencies such as "Intrum Justitia" or "Paycoach"), the first reflex would be to try to take out a personal loan to pay everything off at once. 

First of all, with debt collections it is impossible to get a loan in 99% of cases. There are only 3 banks in Switzerland that are likely to accept your application if you have legal proceedings: 

Cembra: All debt collections must at least be paid

Bob Finance: There can only be a paid registration of a maximum of CHF 1,000.00

Bank-Now: Only debt collection (open or not, it doesn't matter) 

CreditGate24: 4 debt collections with a total amount of up to CHF 2,000.00  

 

Be careful, banks will not necessarily accept your application even if you meet the criteria set out above. 

 For banks, debt collection are equivalent to an unstable financial situation and therefore pose a risk not only to them, but also to you. Therefore, each case will be different, for example if you have 25 lawsuits, all of which are paid, Cembra could very well refuse your case if they feel that you are a financial risk. 

 

Pay for his lawsuits with a loan?

Imagine yourself with several lawsuits and other backlogs (which indicate that you have or have struggled to pay your bills regularly). All of a sudden, you pay them off in one go with a loan, which is a relief in the moment, but you end up with a monthly loan payment on top of your current bills. Your situation will only deteriorate. 

This example is quite valid even if you do not have debt recovery proceedings but simply a more or less "fragile" financial situation with which a loan could severely handicap you and thus prevent you from paying your current bills. 

 

Avoid applying for credit directly from a bank:

Do not apply for credit directly from a bank with debt collections or other negative payment entries.

This is because every lending institution keeps track of any application, which means that if you apply at some point in your life when you have a lot of lawsuits and then you have them cleaned up, the bank where you applied will know that you were a defaulter at some point. 

To avoid this, apply for credit with a consumer credit counsellor, such as Milenia or the one of your choice, this will avoid unpleasant surprises. 

 

How do I pay my lawsuits quickly? 

At Milenia, our "Solvable" department has been an expert in solvency for years. To date (November 2019), we have helped more than 1,600 people to get out of the spiral of over-indebtedness thanks to our experience in this field and our negotiating clout. 

Here's what we offer with our debt restructuring program:  

Our service takes place in 4 main steps:

 

  • Together, we analyze your financial situation, your debts and your arrears
  • We find the best solutions with the relevant organisations and organise the payment of your invoices in a single monthly instalment
  • Possibility to negotiate the redemption of your deeds of defects of property at a low price
  • We combine your debts into a single monthly payment adapted to your income and become your single point of contact
  • No more reminders, no more phone calls from your creditors and no more administrative worries, we take care of everything

 

In other words, everything is centralised with us through the implementation of a restructuring plan with all your creditors, and there is now only one monthly payment adapted to your budget that you pay us each month. 

 We then take care of redistributing to your creditors according to the plan put in place and they will now only communicate with us. 

Reminders from your creditors will be stopped as long as the payment deadlines are met. 

 All you have to do is pay your current bills and your debts will be cleared as quickly as possible and in the best way, without you even noticing!

 

My debt collections are now paid, can I get a loan? 

Well, no, at least not yet... 

In addition to having your debt collection register cleaned, you will also need to have your credit register cleaned up and used in Switzerland, the CRIF and the ZEK. 

With our data analysis and cleaning service "ZEKA VISTA" we analyze and clean these registers, here is an exhaustive list of our services: 

 

  • Striking off your paid debt collections
  • Changing and Updating Your Information with ZEK
  • Cancellation of CRIF registrations and improvement of your credit score
  • Personalized, non-judgmental advice
  • You become solvent again

 

All in one place, simply and efficiently:

Another advantage of having your data analysed and cleaned at Milenia is that once your records are up to date, we will be able to directly process your credit application in the best possible way and saving you a significant amount of time since we will be fully aware of your file. 

At Milenia, everything is in one place to put all the odds on your side, no matter your situation! Don't be afraid and make your request now or call us on 021 620 60 00 and we will be happy to inform you and accompany you in your efforts. 

 

 

 



Loan illustration: loan of CHF 10'000. Effective annual interests rates between 4.9% and 11.95% over a 12 month period lead to total interests of between CHF 261.80 and CHF 624.80. Duration: 6-120 months; Maximum annual interest rate (including all loan handling costs) 11.95%. Loans approval are prohibited if they lead to excess debt for the consumer. (Art. 3 LCD)

 

We use cookies to improve our services. By continuing your navigation on the site, you accept their use. More information here