Kenya has three licensed credit reference bureaus (CRBs): Metropol, TransUnion and Creditinfo. Banks, SACCOs, mobile lenders and digital loan apps report to them, and look at your record before lending. Employers also ask for CRB clearance for some jobs.

Your credit report

You are entitled to one free credit report a year from each bureau. Request it through the bureau’s website, app or USSD code, with your ID number. Further reports cost a small fee.

The report shows your loans, whether you pay on time, and any negative listing - a default reported by a lender. A positive record helps you borrow more cheaply.

Why people are listed

  • Unpaid mobile loans, often small or forgotten - Fuliza, M-Shwari and loan apps report defaults.
  • Unpaid bank loans or credit cards.
  • Guaranteeing someone else’s loan that was not repaid.
  • Errors - someone else’s loan, or a debt already paid.

Clearing a negative listing

  1. Get your report and find which lender listed you, and for how much.
  2. Pay the lender, or agree a settlement in writing, and keep proof.
  3. Ask the lender to update the bureau. Lenders should update records once a debt is paid.
  4. Check the report again after a few weeks.

Paid-up negative information stays on the record for a period, marked as settled, but it counts much less against you.

Disputing an error

If something is wrong, dispute it with the bureau with any evidence, such as receipts or a letter from the lender. The bureau must investigate with the lender. If that fails, complain to the Central Bank of Kenya, which licenses the bureaus.

CRB clearance certificate

Some employers and public bodies ask for a clearance certificate. Apply on the bureau’s website or app with your ID. The fee is about KES 2,200. It is issued once there is no unresolved negative listing. See Clearance certificates for jobs.

Scams

Nobody can “remove” a genuine listing for a fee. Deal only with the bureaus and the lender.

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