The ZEK
This association records every year in its database every statistic linked to personal loans. Thus, every request made with a bank or credit agency is recorded in the ZEK’s database. This association records “bad history” as well. When someone asks for a loan towards a bank, this last one will check the ZEK for any bad credit history.
The 2015 numbers
In 2015, outstanding loans to private people lightly decreased to 7.171 billion Chf for a total of 387,000 active contracts. This represents an average of more than 18’000 Chf by contract to reimburse! Of this amount, the vast majority (> 90%) is made up of personal loans. The 10% remaining are made up of fixed loans, instalment payments and current account credit facility. In 2014, outstanding loans represented a total of 7.276 billions Chf.
Interestingly enough, nearly one of three loan request was refused in 2015 (30.9% exactly). This number was 35.8% in 2014.
| Type of loan | New contracts | Total number | Total outstanding amount |
| Personal loan | 117’115 | 333’911 | 6’437’853 |
| Instalment payments | 12’432 | 33’394 | 315’212 |
| Fixed credit | 6 | 147 | 1’922 |
| Current account credit facility | 8’329 | 19’981 | 416’974 |
The 2016 numbers
If 2016 numbers are not available yet, it will be interesting to see how the new law of mid-2016 will change things. Indeed from mid-2016, the maximum interest rate for consumer loan decreased from 15% to 10%
