Peer to Peer lending is a simple way of lending in which an individual lends money to another individual who is in need of money. In this type of lending, you do not go through the conventional process of depositing funds in a bank and earning interest from the bank. Instead, P2p lending takes place through online platforms. 
These platforms act as a middleman, aggregate borrowers and match them with the lenders. Although these platforms charge fees from the investors and the borrowers to run their business, it is significantly lower than the fees and charges of traditional banks.
There are several benefits that p2p lending offers to borrowers and investors. Due to this, it has become very popular among individuals not only in the UK but all over the world. But like all other financial products, p2p lending also has some risks for borrowers and lenders that you should keep in mind before making any investment in Peer To Peer Lending loans. This article will help you understand the risks involved in p2p lending and how you can mitigate these risks.
How Does P2p Lending Work?
If you are in need of money, you have to choose a Peer to Peer lending platform and make a loan application like you do when taking a loan from a bank. But in this case, the bank is not lending money. Instead, individual lenders grant funds to the borrowers. When you repay the loan amount, the investors get the profit in terms of interest rate. All processes happen at a lower cost than traditional bank loans. Through p2p lending, you can lend money to individuals as well as businesses. The interest rate is either set by p2p platforms or by a mutual agreement between lenders and the borrowers. The platforms charge fees from both the investors and borrowers.
In the UK, a number of p2p sites are growing, and new platforms are evolving continuously. In the beginning, there was no regulation, but now the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has regulated all the p2p platforms. Now FCA has strict rules so that all the Peer to Peer lending platforms provide transparent and high-quality services.
Understanding The Risks Of P2p Lending
Like all other investments, there are some risks associated with p2p lending. Therefore, both the lenders and borrowers must be aware of these risks and understand how they can reduce these risks.
The most significant risk that the lenders have in Peer to Peer lending is the risk of losing money. Sometimes it happens that the borrower can not repay the loan amount on time. With rare exceptions, there is only a little guarantee that a borrower is able to repay the loan amount on time.
There is no protection by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). So if a borrower defaults, you may lose all of your investment. One best way to reduce this risk is diversification. You should spread your investment across multiple loans so that if one borrower defaults, you can continue getting profit from other loans. In addition, you can examine the history of defaults of a Peer to Peer lending platform and examine the borrower’s profile carefully. This way, you can choose borrowers with low risk and reduce the chances of default.
Peer to peer lending is a process where people borrow and lend money without the help of a financial institution. This type of lending is becoming increasingly popular because it offers borrowers lower interest rates and faster loan approvals than what traditional banks offer.
Who are P2Ps?
Peer to peer lending platforms matches borrowers with lenders, who are typically individuals or the groups of people. The platforms charge fees for their services, and the borrowers and lenders negotiate the terms of the loans themselves.
P2p lending is a new way of borrowing and lending money. It is a system where people can borrow and lend money without the need for a traditional financial institution.
P2p Lending is a great way to get a loan without going through a bank. you can borrow money from someone who is willing to lend it to you, and you don’t have to worry about getting a loan from a bank.
