What to do if you can’t repay your loan when due

As you dey plan for money…na so money sef dey plan for you!

Have you ever been in a position where you’ve saved up a particular amount more times than you can count?

You save. Obinna needs money to buy a lecturer’s handout. You spend.

You save again. Mama falls sick. You spend.

You save AGAIN! Water from the flooded streets of Lagos knocks your car engine. You spend.

Frustrating right?

When it comes to loans… you may be tempted to run away…

This is your reassurance that GOOD lenders (like Irorun) understand that LIFE HAPPENS to everyone and even when you plan to repay on the due date, an unplanned emergency could pop up and you hit a roadblock. If this happens to you, there’s no need to panic or abscond (you’re not a thief are you?!).

Take a deep breath and follow the steps below to make informed decisions that’ll get you out of financial muddy waters in no time…

The first instinct most people have when they realize they are unable to pay back their loan on time is to panic, dread and hide. While this might be a natural response, it does more harm than good.

They sit, fret and wait for the lender to call and ask why they haven’t paid their debt or inform them of the seizure of their collateral.

This is what most people go through, but you are not most people and can avoid this. It’s quite simple, when you get into a tight situation that’ll deprive you of meeting the repayment date, it’s now time to make that ‘bound-to-be-uncomfortable’ but ‘needed’ CALL to the lender.

Explain your situation to them with sufficient evidence, so they don’t think you are trying to skip on your payment. Informing them of your struggles on or after the due date makes you seem like a fraud, so contacting the lender and keeping them informed shows a level of trustworthiness they might not have known existed. (Don’t blame us! We are used to super-stories from borrowers too).

The next thing you should do when you can’t make loan payments on the due date is to ask for an extension AKA GRACE PERIOD.

Now that you’ve contacted the lender and explained your situation, you can ask for a grace period as a means to smooth out any problem affecting loan payment.

Depending on their terms, lenders may grant a grace period of 0 to 30 days after the due date.

During this extended period, you will be free to work through your financial difficulties, and here’s something really interesting — when you resume debt payment you won’t be asked to pay a late fee. (See why honesty is the best policy!). The grace period also gives you a chance to restructure your loan with the lender and agree on terms that are fit for you and the lender.

Restructuring the terms of your loan can take the form of reduced interest rate, extended repayment period or reducing the remaining balance. (Plenty of options available for you!)

It will give you some relief and make it easier for you to repay your debt. It could be temporary or permanent. Temporary restructuring is such that your terms will be adjusted for the period you are facing problems while permanent restructuring is such that your loan terms are adjusted and the adjustments are kept even after your problems have been solved.

Once your loan has been restructured…

The panic dies down and you relax back into your any-how money routine.

No! Don’t do that.

Now would be the time to swiftly get your finances in check and pay back your loan. And you do that by strict budgeting, that’ll allow you to save up enough to clear up your debts within your grace period.

Remember that for the duration of your grace period any debt paid off will not attract a late fee.

And while it may entice you to look for get-rich-quick investments, you should not succumb to the temptation, as a high-risk investment is another means to splurge your money and end up in the financial trenches. AGAIN! (Suffer nor dey tire you?).

Well, this speaks for itself. Doesn’t it?

Once you’ve followed the above steps; contacting the lender, asking for a grace period, restructuring your loan terms and budgeting to save up, you can now pay your debt with ease.

The lender will thank you for it and might even sneak your name into the responsible borrowers’ list. Here’s a way to know how you can make that list.

A rule of thumb is to always clear up pending debts before your grace period elapses. It not only boosts your credibility but also your loan worthiness for the future.

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As always, Irorun will always get you out of sticky financial crises with our never-ending curated information just for your consumption!

We’re always happy and available to offer you expert advice and opinions…

Shoot us a message at support@irorun.com for more clarification on what to do when you fall short on repayment!