Unsecured Loans are Personal Loans that provide resources (loans) to borrowers, without them having to offer their homes, property or anything as security. If you are a tenant and do not have anything to offer as collateral to a lender- Unsecured Loans are for you! These are given after a check on the credit history, the character and repayment capacity of the borrower. Many people who otherwise have a home, but do not want to risk it as the collateral also find unsecured loans very useful.

The element of risk for lenders is far greater when they give Unsecured Loans. The obvious reason - the lack of collateral. Lenders do not have anything to bank on, in case a borrower defaults in his repayments. To compensate for the inherent risks, unsecured loans come with a higher rate of interest and a lower loanable amount. The lenders tend to limit the value of unsecured loans to 25,000. The typical APRs of an unsecured loan can range from 7% to 30%. With good credit history and dependable repayment capacity the lender will not hesitate in providing him with a better interest rate.

Another attraction of Unsecured loans is that their approval is very quick. Since, no collateral is required in unsecured loans, the step involving valuation of the asset is eliminated. As there is comparatively less paperwork, the pace of approval is accelerated. Thus, valuable time and invaluable money are saved on this front!

Before granting an unsecured loan, the lender has to verify the credit history of the borrower. Many people think they can't get a loan if they have bad credit or a past bankruptcy. Unsecured loans are readily available to those who live as tenants and those having adverse credit history. In such cases, unsecured loans offered in this category are very optimal due to absence of guarantee. However, to those with bad credit history, the Unsecured Bad Credit Loan is a good option. Because you have bad credit, it is important that you know your credit score. A credit score above 720 is considered a good credit score while that below 600 is a bad credit score. For an unsecured borrower, knowing your credit score gives you power to get correct rates.

Main features of an Unsecured Loan:

No collateral is required to be placed against the loan taken. Therefore, homeowners as well as non-homeowners can apply for it.
Not as much paperwork and hence quicker to obtain.
The repayment term for an unsecured loan starts from 6 months and can go up to 10 years.
The interest rates offered on unsecured loans are higher, normally between 7% and 30%.
The maximum loan amount for unsecured loan is to about 25,000.

Although, there is no worry of losing your home in case of any inability to repay the loan, in the event that a borrower does not pay up, the lender will pursue the borrower through the legal system. Tenants and other homeless people constitute a major group of borrowers of unsecured loans in the UK. Unsecured loans are also made available to people who are on income supports: like those over 60 years of age, unemployed or people whose savings range from 8000 to 12000.

Important points to consider before applying for a loan:

Unsecured loans are more expensive than secured loans.
The methods that are available for repayment of unsecured loans are similar to secured loans. Do the calculations. The amount to be repaid will include the actual loan amount, interest for the period, and any other fees charged by the borrower.
Interest rates chargeable on unsecured loans are well defined by principal banks and financial institutions. Loan providers who are charging more than this rate without any justifiable reason are only overcharging borrowers.
Before reaching any decision, the borrower should consider his financial position, the amount he wants to borrow and the repayment option he will be able to afford. Based on these requirements he should look for the lender who provides the best possible offer.
Unsecured loans are offered by traditional financial institutions like building societies and banks, but recently, also by the larger supermarkets chains. So chose wisely!!