How To Legally Organise Your Debts?

In light of the accelerating pace of consume lifestyles, personal financing has become an issue of utmost importance for every individual in Kuwaiti society. Personal debts and loans are no longer exceptional circumstances; rather, they have become a common reality that many resort to in order to meet their various needs. Nevertheless, managing and organizing these debts in a legally sound manner represents a genuine challenge, especially in cases of accumulating obligations or difficulties in repayment.

When examining the legal framework governing personal debts in Kuwait, one finds a set of rules regulating the relationship between borrowers and financial institutions, ensuring the rights of both parties through strict controls over loan issuance. These measures protect the economy on one hand, and borrowers on the other, by preventing excessive indebtedness.

Accordingly, personal loans are subject to precise regulation under the directives of the Central Bank, particularly concerning the percentage of salary deductions, repayment periods, and calculated interest. Among the most prominent rules in practice, the deduction from an employee’s income must not exceed 40%, and for retirees, 30%. Additionally, the repayment period for consumer loans must not exceed five years, while housing loans may extend up to fifteen years.

Furthermore, a ceiling has been established for consumer loans, not exceeding 25,000 Kuwaiti dinars, with clear terms for interest rates and their calculation methods. The law also obliges banks and financing companies to maintain full transparency when offering loans, whether in explaining the terms, disclosing the total cost of the loan, or clarifying the borrower’s future obligations.

Regarding debt organization, it is important to understand that this is not merely a financial matter but also a legal decision. The law provides borrowers with multiple tools to protect their rights, provided they are aware of them and use them wisely. Legal awareness and sound financial planning help maintain financial stability and prevent default, along with the potentially costly legal procedures that may follow.

The law in lending grants borrowers the right to full understanding before commitment. Borrowers should exercise this right by verifying every aspect of the agreement with the lender and clarifying any ambiguous or unclear terms. In the event of repayment difficulties, borrowers are legally entitled to request debt rescheduling from the lender, whether by extending the repayment period or reducing monthly installments. This legal procedure can be applied in cases of job loss, income reduction, or other compelling circumstances, provided that official evidence is presented.

This procedure benefits those facing genuine repayment challenges by providing legal mechanisms for addressing them, such as direct negotiation with the lender, with the crucial step of documenting any new agreements, or resorting to the Arbitration Center or the Central Bank of Kuwait’s Complaint Department in cases of lender misconduct. Litigation remains a last resort, providing legal defenses in cases of unlawful practices by the lender or to request an extension for repayment under judicial rules.