Credits are considered as a natural financing form for all types of companies. The financial market in Sweden is dominated by four banks and the credit appraisals that are done by these banks are partly based on credit reports from external companies. This thesis’ purpose is to increase the knowledge of which the consequences of payment remarks can imply for companies in relation to the banks. A qualitative study has been done to relay to the purpose, through the means of interviews with four companies, four banks, one rating institute and a collecting agency. The interviews have also been complemented with literature that is elementary for the research.

The conclusions of this thesis are that payment remark is considered by banks as indicators of everything not being correct at the companies. Still, it’s not possible to point out which consequences a specific payment remark can bring, because they only constitute a part of the credit appraisal process and decisions are made from case to case. Another reason to why specific effects can’t be proven is because the credit appraisal process in a certain part is based on subjective decisions, which is taken by bank clerks. On the other hand, it is distinguished that the companies’ size affects the banks’ credit appraisal. A payment remark can be decisive for smaller companies, while a large number of payment remarks don’t affect bigger companies. Another important aspect is that payment remarks can have big consequences for new customers at the banks, but utmost small for existing customers. This was also confirmed by the contributory companies in the study, which stated that their payment remarks haven’t affected their relationship to the banks. And neither has it brought any specific consequences either.