AECB Credit Score

What is a Credit Score?

A credit score is a 3-digit number that enables banks and lending institutions to determine your creditworthiness. This score is computed on the basis of your payment history, the extent to which you are indebted, and the total number of recently opened credit accounts. With the help of your credit score, potential lenders can understand the risks associated with lending you money. 

In the UAE, the credit score ranges between 300 and 900. The higher your credit score (that is, closer to 900), the lower your credit risk and vice versa. Thus, to make sure that you qualify for most credit types, it is essential that you maintain a good or a high credit score in the UAE. 

In the UAE, your credit score is calculated by acquiring details from multiple sources - this includes finance houses, banks, lending institutions, government agencies, telecommunication companies, and more. The two main factors that the credit bureau takes into account while determining your credit score are your payment behaviour and credit utilisation. 

It is important to note that your credit score is dynamic. In other words, this score is not permanent and will keep changing as per your payment behaviour. For instance, if you delay or miss any loan instalment, you can expect your credit score to be negatively impacted.

What is a Good Credit Score?

An AECB credit score greater than 750 is usually considered a good credit score in the country. With this score, you, as a borrower, can prove your high creditworthiness and qualify for almost all credit options such as credit cards, personal loans, home loans, car loans, and more. 

Not only does a good credit score make it easy for you to qualify for these credit options, but it also makes it relatively easier to prove your financial standing in the bank. 

With a good credit score, you can get a wide variety of credit cards and loans to choose from. The loan application process and the financial assistance provided are comparatively smoother and more convenient than what you would get with a lower credit score.

How to Check Credit Score in UAE ?

In the UAE, you can get your AECB credit score by visiting Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) website AECB.gov.ae, or by downloading the app, available in Google Play and Apple Store. Your scores help lenders determine the credit risk associated with loaning you money. In the UAE, scores range between 300 and 900.

What is AECB?

Al Etihad Credit Bureau AECB is a committed financial institution that collects credit data from individuals, banks and financial institutions. It is a Public Joint Stock Company, owned and operated by the Federal Government of  UAE. It is in charge of collecting financial and credit information from all organisations in UAE and using it to prepare AECB reports and AECB credit scores. People and companies can obtain their AECB credit scores with a small fee.

How Much Does AECB Report Cost?

Getting your AECB credit score and AECB report from the AECB comes with a small fee. A fee of AED 84 plus VAT to generate your AECB report from AECB for individuals. A fee of AED 157.5 plus VAT is applicable to generate AECB reports for companies. This fee is applicable every time you generate your AECB credit score. However, you can get your AECB report and credit score for free from Policybazaar UAE when applying for a credit card and/or credit score for personal loan as an individual.

Category	Score & Credit Report	Online Price (AED)	Walk-In Price (AED)
INDIVIDUALS	Credit Report and Score	84	105
	Score	10.5	21
ESTABLISHMENTS	Credit Report and Score	84	105
	Score	10.5	21
COMPANIES	Credit Report and Score	157.5	189
	Score	10.5	21

How to Calculate AECB Credit Score in UAE?

Your AECB credit score in UAE is calculated based on an aggregation of the following factors:

• Payment History
• Length of Credit History
• Types of Accounts
• Recent Credit Activity
• Debt Accumulation

Payment History:

The payment history on the credit card is undoubtedly the most important parameter to determine the AECB credit score of an individual. It is an objective record of all the payments that you have made timely or missed, and up to how recently payments have been made or missed. Obviously, the score improves with a greater proportion of on-time payments. In case there is a significant delay in the payments extending to over 30 days, it is liable to be reported by the lender and it shall adversely impact the credit score.

Length of Credit History:

A good score is reflective of a history of making timely payments. Models that construct your score look at the average age of your credit when factoring in credit history.

Types of Accounts: 

Having a mix of accounts, whether they be retail or credit cards, would help improve your AECB credit score.

Recent Credit Activity: 

If the person has opened multiple accounts in recent times or submitted applications to open accounts, they could potentially come under the scanner. This can be perceived to be a sign of financial trouble, thus may lower AECB credit score.

Debt Accumulation: 

The second most important parameter is the amount that has been accumulated by way of loans on the credit card. This shall be based on the entire amount that is owed, and the proportion of money owed to the amount of credit that lies available in the card account.

What is AECB Credit Score Used For?

As explained before, AECB credit score are a direct reflection of an individual’s creditworthiness. This makes your score of utmost importance for lenders like banks and other institutions that either lend money or do business on a foundation of trust. Credit score can be used in the following ways by different entities:

• By banks when choosing whether to provide loans or credit cards to an individual or a company.
• When deciding the loan amount or credit card limits.
• By insurance companies when approving insurance plan applications. A good AECB credit score would represent that the candidate takes their financial responsibility seriously.
• By home rental agencies and other similar organisations.
• When attempting to get unsecured loans.
• By telecom service providers when selling postpaid connections.

How to Check Credit Score in UAE for Free ?

Policybazaar.ae in collaboration with AECB gives you a chance to check your credit score for free. All you need to do is just enter a few basic details on our credit score UAE page to get your score for absolutely free.

Why are Credit Reports Important for Borrowers?

In UAE, AECB credit reports issued by the authorities are used by applicants to understand the level of debt at which they are currently, and in order to have a clear understanding of the steps as well as the amount needed to break even on their accounts.

What does AECB Credit Score Range Indicate?

AECB credit score is a reliable parameter based on which the lender assesses the borrower. The ratings for the credit range in UAE can be described as follows:

What are the Benefits of a Good AECB Credit Score?

Does having a good credit score make life easier for you? The answer is a resounding yes. The benefits of maintaining a good AECB credit score far outweigh the cost of neglecting the same. Mentioned below are some of the lifestyle advantages that will accrue to you if you maintain a good score with due diligence:

The Low-Interest Rate on Credit Cards and Loans:

If you are a businessman who has to constantly handle substantial flows of money from one point to another, small differences in interest rate could make a significant difference to the amount that you owe to creditors. A good AECB credit score will entitle you to lower interest rates, and this is strategically desirable from a business point of view.                

Ease in Renting Apartments:

A “fair credit range” comes in handy when searching for apartments for renting in a new city, since it shows reliability on the part of the prospective tenant. For instance, as per reports in 2019, the Dubai Real Estate Centre has decided to use the credit reports furnished by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau to evaluate the financial standing of the tenants. FAB Properties, which is part of the First Abu Dhabi Bank group, and is the real estate management arm of the same, has also been using the AECB’s data to assess tenants. 

Reduced Car Insurance Premiums:

Car owners with good scores have a better chance of receiving good offers on their car insurance premiums. Conversely, obtaining affordable car insurance with a poor score might turn out to be a challenge in some cases.

Employment opportunities:

Employers might inquire about the credit score of the job seeker among other things. A poor credit score might reflect a lack of financial discipline on the personal front, as well as a lack of seriousness when it comes to financial matters. A low credit score might reveal that the job seeker is in debt, and is struggling financially, which could affect their performance at work.

Read: Benefits of a good credit score

Factors That Can Affect Your AECB Credit Score Negatively

A credit score might be adversely affected by the following behaviors:

• Late Payments: Even if one payment is delayed for more than 30 days, the credit score might suffer. The non-payment window is used to notify credit reporting bureaus of the delay, and this can adversely affect a credit score.
• Applying for more credit several times: Each time that you ask for credit, a hard credit inquiry shall be made on the account. Every hard inquiry shall affect the credit score, even when the approval is not granted.
• Canceling your zero balance credit cards: If a cardholder decides to do away with a credit card, it might adversely affect their score. Cancelling a credit card reduces the total credit amount, which in turn increases the credit utilization ratio. It also shortens the credit history period.
•  Transferring the balances to a single card: It makes sense to carry just one credit card around, protecting against risks of theft, and general maintenance of multiple cards. However, transferring your credit balances consolidated into one card may not be advisable. The upward balance that will be created on the card will cause credit utilization to shoot up drastically, which will hurt the credit score.
• Giving authorization to relatives with unreliable credit scores:It is your choice if you wish to co-sign your account with a friend or a family member in need. Co-signing means you are responsible for their debt, and in case they default on payments from this account as well, you are bound to suffer a depreciation in your own credit score. 

Credit Bureau - What is It?

A credit bureau is an organisation that keeps a track of borrowers’ credit histories, to generate aecb reports and scores. A credit bureau collects credit information from different sources and then sells them to financial institutions like banks. The financial institutions use this information to generate the credit score of individuals which represent their creditworthiness. Loans are disbursed as per the creditworthiness of the individual. Credit bureaus also generate credit score independently for both individuals and companies as an entity.

How do Credit Bureaus Work?

As mentioned earlier, a credit bureau’s primary function is the collection, retention, and professional disclosure of credit-related information about companies as well as individuals. At a practical level, in case a person decides to apply for any form of loan from a premier banking institution. There is a certain decision that needs to be taken, usually, there are specific criteria mentioned in the loan policy’s terms and conditions. To ensure that these criteria are being met, and there is no obfuscation on the part of the applicant, the bank shall check for the credit history of the individual. This is where the credit bureau shall be consulted. The profile of the applicant shall be forwarded to the credit bureau, which is responsible for conducting the necessary credit check. The credit bureau maintains a record of classified data of credit information about the consumers. The information is based on its own aggregated data along with any information available in the public domain. However, the final decision of whether to lend or not lies with the bank. 

Who Regulates Al Etihad Credit Bureau?

The legal provision that shall be applicable for the regulation of the credit information collection, as well as dissemination activities of the Al Etihad Credit Bureau, is Federal Law no. 6 of 2010. In addition, a legislation that has recently been issued namely the Cabinet Resolution no. 16 of 2014, shall be responsible for governing the operational aspects of the AECB.

Credit Score for different types of Loan
Credit Score for Personal Loan	Credit Score for House Loan	Credit Score for Car Loan	Credit Score for Student Loan

Who is Authorised to Offer Credit Information in UAE?

AECB

The Al Etihad Credit Bureau, located on Sheikh Zayed Road, in Dubai is the principal agency entrusted with the aggregation as well as dissemination of credit information in the United Arab Emirates.         

What is the Difference Between an AECB Credit Score, Credit Rating, and AECB Credit Report?

Key Terms Included in a Credit Report

Some of the key terms to be mindful of when reading your AECB credit report are:

• Annual Percentage Rate or APR: It is the yearly cost that is incurred on the amount that is being financed, including the interest and the fees that are chargeable on it, expressed in terms of a percentage rate.
• Consumer Credit: The debt that is incurred by a user to purchase a good or service for personal or family purposes. This shall include any purchases that are made on credit cards, and other lines of credit.
• Credit Scoring Model: This is be based on an objective mathematical formula, used to gauge the consumer’s creditworthiness from his or her AECB report. The algorithm that is specifically being used by the AECB takes into consideration several attributes such as outstanding balances, number of loans and so on.
• Debt management: Any strategy that comes in useful for managing the debts that have been accumulated on the credit card, whether they are based on offers available from the company itself, or behavioural habits adopted by the user.
• Revolving Account: An account that establishes a maximum credit limit for a consumer. The balance shall be carried over from one month to the next and is liable to incur interest. Payment amounts shall be based on the outstanding balance amount.

What You Should be Looking for in an AECB Credit Report?

• Credit Summary: You need to study your AECB credit score which has a star rating this shows whether it is a good score or bad.
• Correct Address: The residential address does not make a difference to the score, nevertheless, it should be carefully verified by the cardholder, lest the report is later delivered to an incorrect address.
• Employer Information: While this information has no direct bearing on the score, this detail could be checked by prospective lenders in order to decide whether the loan applicant is worthy of the same or not.

How to Monitor Your AECB Credit Report and Score?

Credit monitoring refers to the routine checking of your credit history, in order to keep an eye out for any suspicious activities or discrepancies. You can do this either by checking your AECB credit report online or requesting routine mobile alerts regarding the same.

How to Improve AECB Credit Score in UAE?

Following are some of the steps that you may take to improve your credit score in UAE:

• Request a higher credit limit: This should have a near-immediate impact since the credit utilization ratio is an important factor in determining your credit score.
• Timely payment of bills: Of course, apart from all the strategic measures that you can take, it is always advisable to take care of the basics first. Taking care of the dues on your utility bills and so on that are outstanding on your credit card, and ensuring that there are no delays is after all the most important criteria to be fulfilled.
• Remove collection accounts from the card: In case the credit card is being used to make payments to a collection account, the cardholder may take the call to get rid of it. They may be too old or may be inaccurate, and it may not make sense to keep them as a drain on the existing credit card account.
• Become an authorised user: In case a relative whom you trust has a good credit history by having a flawless record of on-time payments, you may request their permission to become an authorised user. This means that that specific account, which enjoys a good credit evaluation, will be added to your credit account, and its credit limit can be used for your utilization.

How to Improve Your Credit Score

How Can You Access Your AECB Credit Score through the Policybazaar UAE portal?

As per developments in 2021, Policybazaar UAE has entered into an official partnership with Al Etihad Credit Bureau to facilitate real-time checks for your credit score, based on the AECB credit score. Customers of Policybazaar UAE can apply for credit cards based on their AECB score, which shall be pulled automatically from the system. Policybazaar.ae bears the responsibility of managing the costs of accessing the score. So, it’s absolutely free for you.

How to Get a High Bank Credit Score in UAE & Dubai?

Financial institutions and experts explain that there is no pre-mixed formula to better your credit score in UAE and reach a higher number. However, there are a few things that you can try and improve to shoot up the Etihad credit bureau score:

• Payment Record: Keep your payment history spotless by never missing one. Always make your phone bill payments, credit card payments and EMI payments on time to maintain a high AECB credit score. 
• Credit Utilisation Ratio: Aim to maintain a lower credit utilisation ratio. Use your credit card up to the recommended limit only and always pay it back on time. 
• Get the Errors Rectified: Since it is a collection of several small components, a few errors can sneak into your credit history. If you find any such errors which are affecting your AECB credit score negatively, get them corrected by contacting the AECB support centre. Your concern will be raised with and resolved by the concerned information provider. 
• Diversify Your Credit Line: If you have already taken an unsecured loan and planning to take another one, try and opt for a secured loan this time. As explained above, diverse credit accounts can improve your AECB credit score as well. 
• Go for Long-Term Loans: Long term loans will elongate your credit line and improve your Etihad credit bureau score. Instead of changing your credit cards frequently, hold onto one for a long time. 

How to Dispute Information on your AECB Credit Report?

While the AECB credit report is an essential financial indication that is professionally managed by the AECB, there is always the possibility that there might be some wrong quotations of facts and figures. The credit card holder should know that they are fully within their rights to dispute any perceived inaccuracies on their AECB report since it is their professional reputation that is at stake. You may contact the AECB Contact Centre at 800-287-328. Alternatively, you may visit one of the two AECB customer experience centres in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

For raising a dispute, the cardholder needs to duly submit a valid copy of their original Emirates ID, and fill out the concerned ‘dispute form’. The customer shall also be required to submit a copy of the latest credit report. It may be noted that this implies that the complaint, or the dispute, will be entertained only regarding the latest reports. The allotted time for redressal of grievances thus raised is usually considered to be twenty working days. For the process of the resolution of disputes, the AECB works with the relevant lending institutions. Once the matter has been resolved, or some diagnosis of the contradiction has been reached, AECB representatives shall contact the customer and provide the solutions.

Credit Score - Everything You Need to Know About UAE Credit Score

Top 5 Credit Score Myths That You Should Be Aware Of

Discussed below are some of the myths that are commonly believed about AECB credit score:

1. Credit Score is Dependent Upon the Annual Income: The score is not a measure of the value that a person commands in the market. It should be reiterated that it seeks to place a premium upon the reliability of the person when he comes to seek a loan for professional purposes. A person can have a minimum income and yet hold a respectable credit score. This may be because they have consistently repaid all their loans, utility bills, and have not allowed any blemished transactions on their account. Conversely, it may chance that a person with a substantial income has an unacceptable history when it comes to repaying loans or honouring other financial commitments. Such a person could easily have a low credit score, albeit the fact that they might have an impressive annual income.
2. Marriage Might Improve or Dilute Your Score: The score is tabulated based on records of individual financial behaviour. There is no concept of merging scores on the arrangement of marriage. In case your spouse enjoys a credible credit score, and you are not matching up on that front, you are not entitled to any allowances or relaxations by that count. 
3. Balance on Your Debit Card is Connected to Your Credit Score: The concept of a debit card is that it is a device to access the funds that are lying in your savings account. Since there is no concept of debt involved, the transactions made using such cards are not liable to affect your score.
4. Application for a New Credit Card Affects the Existing Credit Score: This is generally not a problem, although there are certain exceptions. The problem happens in case the individual makes applications at every lender institution. This demonstrates self-evident desperation on part of the businessman/individual, and it is bound to create doubts in the minds of the credit investigators. However, in case a new card is sought only from the same bank, or perhaps an alternate at maximum, this issue is not bound to arise.
5. Unemployment: It is a great myth that unemployment is a direct cause of bad credit score. Of course, it can be a secondary reason for the cardholder missing payments due to lack of availability of funds. However, in itself, being unemployed is not a sufficient condition for a bad score: if the person is able to manage their liabilities out of their savings, their credit score might very well stay at a respectable level without employment.

What to Do if You Don't Have a Credit Score?

Having no credit score in UAE means that you do not have a specific number tied down to your credit profile. The reasons for this could simply be that you have not used your credit options in quite some time, or that the new line of credit that you have recently acquired has not been officially registered yet.

You should not assume that this situation automatically means that you have bad credit. Of course, without a score it is difficult to get credit, but not impossible to get a credit score. In case you don’t have a score, it is important to use the other forms of credit or loans to demonstrate your ability to make loan payments on time. Finally, there is the option of going for a secured card. You need to submit a security deposit to get the account initiated, and the amount deposited in your account shall be officially treated as the credit limit. With responsible usage of the credit limit, you should be able to get your deposit back after a certain period.

What Does It Mean If Your Credit Score Has Changed?

Were you taken aback by surprise to realize that your credit score in UAE have changed since the last time you checked them? You must diagnose the reason, in order to take the necessary steps to bring your score back up to the mark if it experienced a slump.

The following are some of the common reasons for getting a bad credit score:

• Derogatory Marks on Your Credit Report: This would ensue in that in case you fail to honour some outstanding loan. A bank official or a credit issuer might have placed a derogatory mark due to late payment, bankruptcy, a lawsuit being filed and so on. This should be taken most seriously since the derogatory mark shall remain on your account for no less than seven to ten years.
• Reduced Credit Limit: Lowered credit limit means a higher credit utilization ratio. In such a case, the cardholder needs to take a look at the amount of credit they are utilizing in a month. If the credit limit has been brought down by the issuing authority, they may consider reducing their credit spending to maintain their credit score.
• Closure of a Credit Card: When a person takes the call to close a credit card, the available credit amount is reduced. Consequently, if the cardholder does not reduce the monthly spending, the credit utilization ratio is bound to substantially shoot up, just as in the earlier pointer. The second problem would be that closure would affect the average length of the card’s credit history.
• The Cardholder has Applied for Multiple Lines of Credit: While it is understandable that a businessman might require more than one source of credit at the same time, this may not necessarily reflect well on their financial credibility. Questions are bound to arise for the reason of this sudden requirement of funds, and perception may be formed that the applicant is at risk of default for the lenders.
• Identity Theft: The final reason might be a serious cause for concern: the case may be that someone has stolen your account and made applications for credit accounts in your name. Of course, a drop in credit scores does not automatically imply this is the case, and it is only one of the possibilities and a serious one. If that’s the case, you must immediately get in touch with your credit card provider and get the matter addressed at the earliest.

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