Can an online lender raise my interest or add new fees after I've taken the loan?
Last updated: 2026-07-11 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
A lender generally cannot unilaterally increase your interest rate or spring new charges that were not disclosed and agreed to when you took the loan — the finance charges must be disclosed in writing before you are bound, under RA 3765 (Truth in Lending Act), and one party cannot change a contract at will (Civil Code, Art. 1308, the principle of mutuality of contracts). On a covered small loan the total is also boxed in by the SEC MC 3, s. 2022 ceilings, so even 'new' fees cannot push your all-in cost past the 15% per month EIR or the 100% total-cost cap. Any interest hike or fee you never agreed to in writing is disputable and reportable to the SEC.
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Frequently asked
What if my contract had a clause letting them change the rate?
A clause that lets the lender change the rate purely at its own discretion runs into Article 1308's mutuality rule and courts have struck such one-sided clauses. Any change must have a clear, agreed basis and be properly disclosed — not imposed unilaterally after the fact.
They added a fee I never saw — do I have to pay it?
An undisclosed charge breaches RA 3765 and the SEC MC 19 (2019) disclosure rules. Ask for your written disclosure statement and Statement of Account, dispute the unlisted fee, and report it if the lender insists — see /answer/do-i-have-a-right-to-a-statement-of-account-from-my-lender.
Does the cap still protect me if fees change?
On a covered loan, yes. New or increased fees still count inside the 15% per month EIR ceiling and toward the 100% total-cost cap under SEC MC 3 (2022); they cannot lawfully push your total above those limits.
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