Most loan providers in Kenya check your CRB status before lending you money. If you have defaulted on any loan provider, you should check your CRB status to know if you have been blacklisted.
This post was made for you to check your CRB status online in Kenya. If CRB has blocklisted you, most financial service providers will deny you any financial assistance. However, some loan providers do not check CRB status before lending you loans.
Meaning of CRB
For those unfamiliar with the term, CRB stands for Credit Reference Bureau, established for Financial institutions. It allows lenders to send information about individuals who fail to repay their loans. When this happens, the borrower will not borrow loans from other loan providers.
CRB helps lenders reduce the number of loan defaulters. There are three major CRB institutions in Kenya, and they are;
- Creditinfo
- Metropol
- Transunion
How to Check CRB Status in Kenya
Since there are different CRB institutions in Kenya, you have other ways to check your CRB status. Each of the three CRB organizations has different methods of checking CRB, and they all charge different amounts.
How to Check CRB Status on CreditInfo
Creditinfo is a top multinational source of credit information and risk management services. It has opened over 25 credit bureaus in mature and emerging markets across four continents, tangibly contributing to the growth and strengthening of economies.
In Kenya, CreditInfo is registered with the Kenya Central Bank. You have to register with the company before checking your CRB status. CreditInfo communicates with you through emails only.
Follow this method to check your CRB status on CreditInfo;
- Firstly, visit the creditInfo Portal.
- Fill out the form by providing all the necessary information. The information you will provide includes your full name, national ID number, phone number, email, and photo of your ID.
- After completion, you will receive your CRB status via email.
- If the information on your credit report is incorrect, you must take out a Credit Report Dispute Form.
How to Check CRB Status on Metropol
Metropol CRB is a licensed and reputable credit referencing company in Kenya. Metropol also provides credit management, credit rating, consultations, and credit referencing.
Metropol gives you three ways you can request your CRB report. You can dial *433# from your phone, download the Metropol Crystobol app, or use their website. Having multiple options makes Metropol the most reliable platform for checking your CRB status among the three available platforms.
Metropol assigns a credit score between 200 to 900 to its users. Having a score close to 900 means you repay your loans quickly, and lenders can loan you any amount. If after checking your credit score and finding out you have a score above 400, then you have a good standing with loan providers. If you have a score of less than 400, then you have defaulted to a loan provider, and you can’t access a loan.
To check your CRB status using the USSD Code.
- First, you need to pay for the service using Mpesa
- KSh 50 will be paid using PayBill Number 220388.
- As Account Number, enter your ID number.
- You will receive a confirmation message containing specific code information, a Reference Number, and a link.
- Dial *433# after registering.
- You will be asked to enter your Identification Number, enter it.
- You will receive an SMS containing your CRB information.
You can also use the Metropol Crystobol app to check CRB status. All you have to do is install the app and follow the onscreen instructions. You will still have to pay the KSh 50 processing fee with whichever method you choose.
The third method is visiting the Metropol website to check your CRB status. All you need to do is pay the KSh processing fee of KSh 50, then visit the Metropol website to submit your details.
How to Check CRB Status on Transunion
Transunion is a global credit referencing organization headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company has expanded its services to other African countries, including Kenya.
Like Metropol, Transunion gives you access to their service through three methods. You can either reach them via SMS at 21272, use the Transunion Nipashe app, or visit the Transunion website.
If you’d love to access the website via their app, visit the Google play store and search for the TransUnion Nipashe app.
Follow these processes to check your CRB status on Transunion;
- Send your full name via SMS to 21272.
- Enter your Identification number, on the next screen that pops up.
- Next, choose CC (Credit Information) on the next page.
- Wait for a reply Message with Credit status.
The message sent to you is either “Good” or “Default.” Like the words imply, Good means you have a good credit score and can borrow loans, while Default means you don’t have a good standing with loan providers.
How to Check your CRB status for free
How do you check your CRB status for free? All three CRB institutions have various charges whenever you check your CRB status. If you are looking for ways to check your CRB for free, I am sorry to disappoint you that it is not possible.
However, you can view many reports after paying KSh 650 to PayBill 212121 and using your phone ID number as the account number when you use the Transunion service.
You can also request a clearance certificate from Transunion. To receive a clearance certificate from Transunion, pay a cost of KSh 2,200 to PayBill number 212121 and provide your ID number as the Account Number. To claim your certificate, submit your Mpesa message to cert@transunion.co.ke after paying.
Conclusion
Checking your CRB status in Kenya is not a difficult task at all. All you have to do is select one of the three available CRB institutions you’d love to use to check your status. Checking your CRB status costs you only KSh 50. But you can also view your CRB status multiple times when you pay just a little extra amount.
That will be all for this article; if you have any questions, please ask me in the comment section below.
