General

If credit instalments are paid late, the lender may charge interest on arrears from the first day after the due date. The Consumer Credit Act stipulates that the interest on arrears may not be higher than the credit interest rate applied in the contract. Late payments are reported to the Central Office for Credit Information (ZEK), which could lead to problems with subsequent credit applications.

Certain information about the loans you take out is collected by central credit information agencies. A financial services company will check your creditworthiness (borrowing capacity) and then decide whether you can be granted a new loan.

This is a question that many consumers face. Even if the answer cannot be given universally and it always depends on the personal financial situation of the borrower, there are some basic things to consider when taking out a loan.

If you pay off your credit card bill and only transfer the minimum partial amount, you can be charged enormously high interest.

Loans carry some risks - a considered approach to this financial service is therefore very important. The Consumer Credit Act protects you from getting into an over-indebtedness situation by taking out a loan.

Credit cards are often an indispensable means of payment. However, some guidelines must be followed to protect against misuse. The most important: report the loss of the card immediately.

Four Swiss credit banks dominate the consumer credit market.

The Federal Council wants to reduce the maximum interest rate for consumer loans from the current 15% to 10%. On Friday 5 December 2014, it opened the consultation procedure for a corresponding amendment to the Ordinance on the Consumer Credit Act. It also proposes to introduce a simple and clear calculation mechanism for the future and to enshrine this in an ordinance.

In most cases, debt collection is initiated when you have not paid a bill (often only after one to three reminders). The debt collection procedure is briefly and simplifiedly divided into the following steps:

Cheap mobile phone contract, use of energy-saving light bulbs, no overpriced brand products: There are many ways to reduce your monthly expenses without significantly changing your lifestyle. We have put together some useful tips here on how you can easily make savings.

With a loan, someone provides you with a certain amount of money for a predefined period of time, which you then pay back in monthly installments or on a specific date.

Young people first have to learn how to handle their money responsibly. It is therefore important that they know their rights and obligations as consumers. Otherwise, there is a risk of uncontrolled buying behaviour and indebtedness even at a young age.

Please read these conditions carefully.