Open Banking

Those interested in taking a personal loan, secured loan, homeowner loan, unsecured loan, guarantor loan or payday loan, need to know how difficult the process can be without open banking. You need to have a strong credit score and at least one utility bill in your name, to ensure your loan application gets approved. Even then there are cases where your loan gets rejected.

The way we apply for loans and the information that lenders need has changed, with the introduction of Open Banking. This has opened up opportunities for more individuals to have access to loans.

What is open banking and how is related to my loan application?

Open banking is a method where your personal and account information is shared with the lenders digitally. Thus saving you the hassle of re-submitting records and statements at each visit.

It is a safe way of giving access to important information for scrutiny without having to release your passwords. Through open banking, the lenders will only gain access to information that they need. This is including your current transactions and account balance, helping them calculate your eligibility for the applied loan.

But before the lenders get to work, the Pixie Loans team uses open banking to ensure your application is genuine. It’s only after that when we connect you with a lender within our partners.

Do I need to provide all my personal information when applying for a loan?

Of course, when applying for a loan, the lender needs to run identity checks to ensure you’re eligible and that you can afford to repay the loan.

When you complete an online application for a loan, you will be asked for your basic contact details, your employment, income and outgoings. Also the bank details of where you want the loan to be paid – this has to be in your name.

Due to rules placed on lenders by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), they no longer require you to just have a good credit score to provide you with a loan.  Lenders have to look at your income and outgoings to ensure that you can afford the repayments on the loan.

When completing an application for a loan, always be truthful with the information you provide. They can often see from your credit file if you have not been honest.  This can affect the decision on the lender.

Why do I have to give lenders Open Banking access to my bank account?

Open banking is a method to make information and data sharing smooth and easy while keeping it all confidential.

With some lenders prioritizing affordability above bad credit history, ensuring the information provided in your application is essential to ensure they can accept you for a loan.

From this, lenders can see your regular income and outgoings. Aside from that, they can see how your bank account is managed and if you can afford the repayments.

Not all lenders currently use Open Banking but more lenders will start to use this method in the future.

Representative 546.1% APR. Representative example: £200 repaid over 3 monthly instalments of £134.76. Total charge for credit £404.27. Interest £204.27. Interest rate 546.1% (fixed)

Will open banking reflect any bad credit?

Lenders will have access to the information about how you manage your bank account and will also be able to see any payments to other creditors.  However, they will already have access to details about other credits from your credit report. The big difference with being able to see your bank account, is that lenders can see your regular outgoings and if you have any issues paying these.

This can be a good thing.  If you have a bad credit history, previously you may have been turned down for a loan.  Now with Open Banking, if the lender can see from how you run your bank account that you are financially stable and can afford the repayments, you could be offered a loan.

Pixie Loans and Open Banking

Before we, as a broker, pass your details to lenders, we look at your information to assess affordability.  We then match you to lenders that may be able to provide you with a loan.

The whole process is very quick and only takes minutes to redirect to a lender that is happy to access your application.  At this point the lender will ask you to provide access to open banking, to review your affordability.

At Pixie Loans, we wish to make the loan process smooth, safe and quick for both the lenders and borrowers..

Don’t forget, even if you have a poor credit score you could still get a loan with Open Banking.