Lending and Credit Monitoring Principles

The results of a bank’s activities depend to a significant extent on the quality of the credit portfolio that it holds, as well as on the credit tracking and control system. The purpose and functioning of such inter-banking systems differs from one bank to another. Loans require an increasingly efficient type of internal surveillance of activity. Following the clients’ behavior and performances, as well as their entire activity is a particularly important phase and absolutely necessary in the course of a loan. The purpose of this activity is, generally, that of identifying, as early as possible, of clues about any problems that may appear during the course of the loan, so as to make possible, as early as can be, the taking of remedial measures with a view to anticipate the deterioration of the loan’s debt. An open communication between the bank and the loan’s beneficiary is an essential condition for an efficient tracking program. Another basic element is the rigorous and complete filling out of the credit papers. The credit files are the backbone of the of the loan monitoring process because these contain all of the documents which may offer to the credit officer, accounting expert, as well as other interested parties a permanent, chronological record of the loan relation.