The annual Credit Register’s statistics show that over the year, the number of companies with unsettled payment defaults has grown by 11% or to 8,399 companies, whereas the payment behaviour of private persons has improved significantly. 

Payment defaults occur in 14,458 companies. Compared to last year, the number of companies having unsettled payment defaults has grown by 841 companies, i.e. by 11%. Unsettled payment defaults occur in 8,399 companies and the total amount of their debts exceeds 1 billion. Each company in debt has an average of 1.8 unsettled payment defaults, the average amount of which amounts to EEK 119.7 thousand. 

The private persons’ payment discipline has improved considerably – the number of individuals with payment defaults has decreased by nearly ten per cent. 

Private persons have 93,284 unsettled payment defaults totaling EEK 509.8 million. Each private person in debt has an average of 1.4 unsettled payment defaults, the average amount of which amounts to EEK 7,909 thousand. 

The Credit Register is a register describing the credit history and payment habits of companies and private persons that aims to give additional information in order to make credit decisions. The register is administered by AS Krediidiinfo. 

According to today’s responsible lending principles, the register helps banks and other creditors to make decisions based on the credit history of the company or person and also to avoid their bankruptcy and unreasonable lending. 

Only creditors receive information from the Credit Register and only for making credit decisions. The private persons have a right to check the information concerning them free of charge, online through e-bank. 

An official payment default is a debt, which is older than 45 days starting from the day after the term of payment and exceeds EEK 500 with interest and fine for delay.