A negative listing with a credit reference bureau (CRB) can lock you out of bank loans, mobile credit, and sometimes even jobs and tenders. Many listings are accurate, but many are not. People are listed for debts they have already paid, for amounts that are too small to list, without any notice, or by lenders they never borrowed from. This guide explains your rights and how to challenge a wrongful listing.
How credit information sharing works
Banks, microfinance institutions, SACCOs and licensed digital credit providers share information about their customers’ loans with licensed credit reference bureaus. That includes positive information, such as loans repaid on time, as well as negative information, such as defaults. Kenya has three CBK-licensed bureaus: Metropol, TransUnion and Creditinfo.
The system is regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya under the Banking (Credit Reference Bureau) Regulations, 2020. Digital lenders are also subject to the CBK (Digital Credit Providers) Regulations.
Your key protections
- Notice before listing. A lender that intends to submit negative information about you must first give you 30 days’ written notice, so that you have an opportunity to pay or dispute the debt.
- No listing for very small amounts. Following the 2020 reforms, negative information should not be submitted for loans below KSh 1,000.
- A free credit report. You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each bureau at least once a year. You are also entitled to one within 30 days of receiving an adverse action notice, such as being turned down for credit because of your report.
- Accuracy. Lenders and bureaus must ensure that the information they share and report is accurate, up to date and complete. Inaccurate information must be corrected.
- Limited retention. Negative information may only be kept for the period allowed by the Regulations. It should be updated to show the debt as settled once you have paid.
Signs that a listing may be wrongful
- You received no notice before being listed.
- The debt was fully paid, or settled under an agreement, before the listing.
- The amount is below KSh 1,000, or is significantly wrong.
- The loan is not yours. You never borrowed from that lender, or your identity was used fraudulently.
- The listing remains after you paid, or after the retention period has expired.
- The lender is not licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya.
How to challenge a listing
- Get your credit report. Request your report from each of the three bureaus to see exactly what has been reported, by whom and when.
- Gather your evidence. Collect loan statements, M-Pesa or bank records showing repayment, any settlement agreement, and correspondence with the lender. Note the absence of any pre-listing notice.
- Lodge a dispute with the bureau and the lender. Write to both, identifying the entry, explaining why it is wrong and attaching your evidence. The bureau is required to investigate the dispute with the lender and to amend or remove the information if it is inaccurate.
- Escalate to the Central Bank. If the dispute is not resolved, you can complain to the Central Bank of Kenya, which licenses and supervises both the bureaus and banks.
- Consider a data protection complaint. Credit information is personal data. Sharing inaccurate data, or sharing it without a lawful basis, may breach the Data Protection Act, 2019. You can complain to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, which can order the correction or deletion of data and award compensation.
- Consider court action. A wrongful listing that has caused you loss may support a claim for damages and orders to correct the record. Depending on the facts, the claim may be founded on negligence, breach of statutory duty, defamation or the violation of constitutional rights.
What about a listing that is accurate?
If you genuinely owe the money, the most effective step is to clear or settle the debt and obtain written confirmation from the lender. Then make sure the lender updates the bureau so that your record shows the debt as settled. You can then request a clearance certificate from the bureau if you need one. Settling a debt does not erase your credit history, but it changes how the listing appears and how lenders assess you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my CRB status?
Contact each of the three bureaus through their official channels to request your report. Your free annual report should not be charged for. Beware of third parties offering to “remove” listings for a fee.
Can a digital lender list me?
Only a digital credit provider licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya may submit information to a bureau, and it must follow the same notice requirements as other lenders.
Will my listing disappear once I pay?
Your record should be updated to show the debt as paid. Historical information may remain for the period permitted by the Regulations, but it should not continue to show an outstanding default.
How we can help
We act for individuals challenging wrongful CRB listings before lenders, bureaus, the Central Bank, the ODPC and the courts. If you have been wrongly listed, contact Odek Law Advocates to review your report and your options.
This article provides general information on Kenyan law as at October 2026 and is not legal advice. Please seek advice on your specific situation.