Discovery Credit Union

Good:
You can apply for a loan any time after becoming a member of the credit union

Bad:
They do not provide an online service so you have to visit their office every time you want to make a transaction

Verdict:
Great option if you wish to rebuild bad credit from the past as they do not credit check - must live or work in Dundee

You must live or work in Dundee to become a member.

Credit Unions offer a few different unsecured loans for any purpose. Their loans are fairly cheap and are based on your proven ability to repay, this is why they do a thorough check of your income and expenditures. You need to be a member but you can apply for a loan at any time. Their Discovery Loan is designed to give people access to £300 immediately, without the need to save first.

First you will need to become a member of the union. To apply for a loan, you must complete the Loan Application Form that you can get from their office or you can download from the website. You will need to prove all of your income and expenditures. The Credit Committee will review your application and they will let you know their decision within a few days.

The process may in some cases take up to two weeks so this is not a good option for you if you need your money quickly. You cannot manage your loan online so if you need to make changes, you need to contact them in writing or pop into a branch. With credit unions, the money you are borrowing is the money of other members, so if you fail to make payments, they take this very seriously. Their opening hours are very limited, which makes it difficult for you to go in to organise all your documents and sign your agreement. On the other hand, they want to help you rebuild your finances if you haven't got a good history. Their rates are extremely low and their repayments are really small each month.

Monday-Friday: 10:00am - 5:00pm