1. Is SGML a legal money lender?

SGML is not a moneylender. We are a fair portal that sharing updated money lending tips and information for the borrower. Moreover, we also give support for loan applicant gets the most aggressive financing costs from legal moneylenders in Singapore.

Tips and advice for borrowers

2. Will my personal information be shared when I apply for a loan?

Do not have any personal information is kept. All contact with the moneylenders is through you just to guarantee secret.

3. What should I consider before applying for a loan?

There is some point must keep in mind:

  • Before reaching a moneylender, consider there are any solutions, such as the various budgetary help program offering by a various Government organization. You may contact the organization to get more information about their program.
  • Judge yourself whether you are able to maintain all the agreement condition, remembering your pay and money is related to your commitments. Besides that, always remember that if you are unable to meet the agreement condition, the late payment expenses and interest payment will be a financial strain not just on yourself as well as on your family.
  • The MinLaw request licensed moneylenders to clarify the condition of a loan to you in a language that you understand and to provide you with a duplicate of the loan contract. Ensure you completely understand the terms of the contract. In particular, the repayment plan, the interest rate charged and the expenses applicable.
  • Furthermore, think over and over again before consenting to any agreement term which enables a moneylender to lodge a caveat on the sale proceeds of your real estate property upon default of the loan repayment. When a caveat is lodged against your property, you must repay the moneylender in full if not you will not be able to sell it. In case, that the repayment is taken from the net continues from the offer of the property, it can wipe out all or a generous segment of the returns.
  • You should research various moneylenders for the most reasonable terms. You should not hurry into and confer yourself to a loan until you understand and agree with the terms and conditions.

4. What amount would I be able to obtain?

For secured loans, you can apply for a loan amount as many as you want.

For unsecured loans, a Singapore Citizens/ Permanent Residents:

  • The borrower can borrow up to $3,000 if the annual salary is fewer than $20,000;
  • A borrower can get up to 6 times your monthly income if the annual income is $20,000 and above.

A foreigner who holds the working pass in Singapore:

  • Up to $1,500, in case borrower annual salary, is fewer than $10,000;
  • Up to $3,000, if the borrower annual income is less than $20,000;
  • In case, borrower annual income is $20,000 and above, they can get up to 6 months’ income.

5. What are the interest rates moneylenders can charge?

With effective from 1 October 2015, the maximum interest rate moneylenders can charge is 4% per month. This applies to all loan regardless of the borrower’s salary and whether the loan is an unsecured or secured one. In case, a borrower neglects to make repayment of the loan on time, the maximum rate of late interest a moneylender can charge to the borrower is 4% per month for each month the loan is repaying late.

The estimation an of an interest charge on the loan must be base on the measure of principal remaining after deducting from the original principal the total payments makes by or on behalf of the borrower which are appropriate the to principal.

The delay interest must be charging on an amount that is repaying late. The moneylender can’t charge on amounts that are outstanding but not yet due to be repaying.

 6. What are the expenses that moneylenders can charge?

Therefore, loans agreement between 1 June 2012 and 30 September 2015, moneylenders are only allowing to charge six sorts of expenses:

  • For each situation of late repayment of principal or interest;
  • For each situation the terms of the loan contract are varied at your demand;
  • Any dishonoured cheque issued by you;
  • For each unsuccessful GIRO deduction from a bank account, as an installment to the moneylender;
  • For early redemption of the loan or early termination of the contract; and
  • Legal expenses brought about for the recovery of the loan.

Any other fees are not allowing, and are hence not execute by the moneylender.

With impact from 1 October 2015, all moneylenders are only allowing to force the following charges and expenses:

  • a charge not exceeding $60 for each month of late repayment;
  • a charge not exceeding 10% of the principal of the loan when a loan is a grant; and
  • legal charge

7. How do I know whether a moneylender is authorizing or not?

Avoid applying for the loan from loanshark. Verify that a moneylender is licensed by checking the list of licensed moneylenders.

Notwithstanding that the moneylenders are authorized, be careful in case they are:

  • Utilize abusive language, or express in a threatening manner towards you.
  • Request your SingPass user ID and/or password.
  • Keep your NRIC card or any other individual ID records(e.g. driver’s license, passport, work permit, employment pass or ATM card).
  • Request that you sign on a blank or incomplete Note of Agreement for the loan.
  • Offer you a loan without giving you a duplicate of the Note of contract for the loan as well as without properly explaining to you all the terms and conditions.
  • Offer you a loan without practicing due determination (e.g. approving a loan over the phone, SMS or email before even receiving your loan application form and supporting documents, such as the bank statement, income tax assessment, and payslips).
  • Withhold any part of your principal loan amount for any reason.

8. How can I tell whether a promotion is from a licensed moneylender or an unlicensed moneylender?

Licensed moneylenders are only allowing to advertise through these three channels:

(a) business or consumer indexes (in print or online media);
(b) a website that belonging to the moneylender; and
(c) advertisements placed within or on the exterior of the moneylender’s business premises.
Other than these three channels are not allowing.

In case, you get any flyers, SMSes, emails or different types of advertisements which are not allowed, these would either be from licensed moneylenders operating in breach of the advertising limitation, or from unlicensed moneylenders. Hence, you are urging not to respond to such advertisements. Instead, you should report the advertisements by furnishing us with a proof of the advertisements (for SMS – a screenshot) to the Registry at email address: OneMinLaw@mlaw.gov.sg or to the Police.

9. Can I belie in the content of an advertisement to apply for a loan from a moneylender?

You are the urge to get clarifications on particular terms of the loan contract before signing up with a licensed moneylender. Besides that do not to trust solely on the content of advertisements from the moneylender.

10. In case I am remaining as an assurance for a loan, what should I look out for?

You should guarantee that:

  • You understand your duties as a surety;
  • When you receive a duplicate of the Note of Agreement at the time that the loan is giving to the borrower;
  • The moneylender has clarified the terms in the Note of Agreement in a language that you understand;
  • Moneylender cannot keep your NRIC card or any other personal ID documents (e.g.driver’s license, passport).
  • The moneylender cannot obtain any data that contains passwords to your user accounts (e.g. Singpass account, Internet banking account, email account).

11. What should I do after the loan approval?

  • Ensure the moneylender conveys to you the correct principal amount of the loan. The moneylender is only allowed an upfront deduction of a loan approval fee of up to 10% of the principal amount.
  • Pay the loan installments on time to prevent incurring late installment expenses and late interest.
  • Ensure the moneylender issues to you a dated and signed receipt each time you repay your loan or pay any fees in cash, and check it for preciseness(e.g. name, amount, date).
  • Ensure you receive a statement of account for all your loan at least once every 6 months, and check it for preciseness(e.g. name, amount, date); and
  • You should keep all statement of accounts and receipts of payments, as documentation and confirmation of payments.

12. How do I hold up a complaint against a moneylender against unfair exercise and/or agreement?

  • In fact, you can contact the Ministry of Law at telephone number: 1800-2255-529 or at e-mail address: OneMinLaw@mlaw.gov.sg.
  • Be at ease that the Ministry of Law will not disclose your details to the moneylender without your agreement. To ease of the Registry to investigate your complaint, you may need to meet with our officers. And then provide them with all relevant information and documents related to your loan transactions and situation of your dealings with the moneylender. The Ministry of Law sees grumblings against moneylenders genuinely and will explore them completely. Errant moneylenders will be a reprimand.
  • In case, a moneylender has giving an unfair practice towards you, you can seek the matter through the Small Claims Tribunal or the Court under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. The Court is also able to set aside loan transactions that are extreme or considerably unjustifiable.

To get more information just visit www.sglicensedmoneylender.sg