In many countries, lenders are restricted in their access to information about borrowers’ past defaults. We study this provision in a model of repeated borrowing and lending with moral hazard and adverse selection. We analyze its effects on borrowers’ incentives and access to credit, and identify conditions under which it is optimal. We argue that “forgetting” must be the outcome of a regulatory intervention by the government. Our model’s predictions are consistent with the cross-country relationship between credit bureau regulations and provision of credit, as well as the evidence on the impact of these regulations on borrowers’ and lenders’ behavior.
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Paper provided by European University Institute in its series Economics Working Papers with number
ECO2008/41.
Length: Date of creation: 2008 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:eui:euiwps:eco2008/41
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Find related papers by JEL classification: D86 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Economics of Contract Law G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation K35 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Personal Bankruptcy Law
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