The expert explained the mechanics of credit holidays for small businesses

Starting from October 1, a new tool for supporting small and medium—sized businesses, as well as the self-employed, begins to operate in Russia - credit holidays. According to federal law, entrepreneurs will be able to temporarily suspend loan payments for up to six months. Andrey Glushkin, a member of the Council of the MRO Delovaya Rossiya, told Izvestia on September 10 how the mechanics of deferring payments will work.

"Deferral is provided not only for loans taken out to cover current expenses, but also for investment loans or loans aimed at business development. Companies officially included in the register of SMEs, as well as the self—employed, will be able to apply if their loan agreements were signed after March 1, 2024," he said.

At the same time, limits on amounts are set: from 10 million rubles for the self-employed to 1 billion rubles for medium-sized enterprises.

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The submission procedure, according to the expert, is quite simple: the entrepreneur applies to the bank, which must respond within 15 working days. If the lender has not responded within a month, the holidays are considered granted automatically. It is important that fines and penalties are not accrued during the postponement, but interest on the loan continues to accumulate.

For small companies and the self-employed, they are added to the main debt, and for medium-sized enterprises they are subject to monthly payment.

"Officially, the use of holidays is not considered overdue, which preserves a positive credit history, but the fact of the change in conditions will be reflected in the reports, and banks can take this into account when making further decisions," Glushkin warned.

He noted that the new measure is useful as a tool for experiencing temporary cash gaps, but it should not be considered as a universal solution.

Banks, assessing the risks, can gradually tighten requirements or raise rates for entrepreneurs. Therefore, along with vacations, businesses should consider other support opportunities: participation in preferential lending programs, obtaining guarantees from an SME Corporation, or individual debt restructuring.

Such an integrated approach, the expert emphasized, will allow entrepreneurs not only to gain time, but also to maintain sustainability in the long term.

On August 31, Artyom Sheikin, First Deputy head of the Federation Council Committee on State Construction, announced the entry into force of new measures regulating the activities of collectors. It was clarified that the changes will take effect on September 1, 2025 and will be aimed at strengthening the protection of citizens' rights and increasing transparency in debt collection.

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