The Credit Review Office was established to help SME or Farm borrowers who have had an application for credit of up to €500k declined or reduced, and who feel that they have a viable business proposition.

They will also look at cases where borrowers feel that the terms and conditions of their existing loan, or a new loan offer, are unfairly onerous or have been unreasonably changed to their detriment.

They offer a strictly confidential process between your business, the Credit Review Office and your bank.  The Credit Review Office has tried to make this process as simple as possible.

On reviewing your application, the Credit Review Office will provide the bank with an opinion on whether it agrees with the lending decision or not.  The bank then responds to this opinion and confirms next steps in response to the recommendations set out by the Credit Review Office.  In practice where the Credit Review Office has suggested the lending should be made, to date the banks have respected their opinion and complied.  Where the Credit Review Office has upheld the banks' decision not to lend, the opinion will always seek to provide alternatives and guidance to the borrower to help the business move forward.

Further information can be found on their website at www.creditreview.ie