Credit score can fall even after repayment of loan.

Traditional wisdom says repaying loan(s) helps one get a good credit score. However, this might not always be true.

Consider the case of a professional Rahul . Recently, his application for a housing loan was rejected, as his credit score was lower than required by the lender.

His score, 680 two years ago, dropped to 620 this year, despite the fact that he completed the repayment of a car loan of Rs 10 lakh within the term of five years (which ended in December last year).

Most lenders require a score of 700-750. Lenders and credit counselors say there are a number of reasons for such rejections. Typically, those in a situation such as Rahul should check their repayment history, as irregular loan payments hit one’s credit score.

In Rahul’s case, one factor might be the fact that he doesn’t have any loan to service now. If there’s no loan to be repaid, there is no case for a credit score. Experts say this could easily pull down one’s credit score by 5-10 points. Therefore, it might be a good idea to own a credit card and make small spends through it, though owning a credit card but not using it lowers one’s score.

Such customers are termed ‘credit-hungry’. Each enquiry could pull down the credit score by 5-10 points. As such, shopping for best loan rates online is a better idea.

One should ensure she/he does not take too many unsecured loans —personal loans, credit cards, etc. One who is servicing more than one personal loan will always have a lower score than someone servicing one or more housing loans, even if the personal loans are repaid on time.

Similarly, those with more than three credit cards have a lower credit score, even if their repayment history is good. Try not to repay credit card bills in equated monthly installments, as this hits your credit score. over-utilizing active lines of credit could also have a negative impact on credit scores.

Those who have negotiated with a lender to settle loans also have lower scores. Usually, an unpaid credit card bill is considered a non-performing asset (NPA) after 90 days. Once termed an NPA, the lender can’t charge interest. Subsequently, the borrower pays only the outstanding, or principal, and closes the account. However, while it might be easier to repay such a loan, this isn’t good for your credit profile.

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Source: Secondary