New free tool to help millions claim refunds from payday lenders for unaffordable loans
Around 70 per cent of complaints about payday loan firms were successfully upheld in the first six months of this year
A NEW free tool aimed at helping payday loan customers claim compensation has launched.
Last week, the city watchdog warned that millions may be due refunds from payday loan firms - which charge up to 6,000 per cent - after being given unaffordable loans.
The free-to-use website allows anyone who has ever taken out a payday loan or is still paying off debts to a lender to raise a complain directly to their lenders.
The service has been set up by consumer campaigner Alan Campbell - a multi-millionaire businessman and consumer campaigner.
He claims that a complaint is likely to succeed if applicants were offered loans without making checks or if you were allowed to take out multiple loans.
Customers may also be able to make a claim if they struggled to pay other bills, such as council tax or rent, or went without food to pay back loans, as well as those who ended up being charged late payment fees.
The website helps customers submit a complaint and if initially unsuccessful it offers advise on how to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
If successful, customers can get back interest and charges paid on loans and this could add up to hundreds or even thousands of pounds depending on how much was borrowed.
Unlike other claims management companies DebtHacker doesn't take a slice of the money paid back to customers.
It is similar to the advice given to people using the
Complaints about credit, including payday loans, soared by 80 per cent in the first six months of this year, according to the FOS.
Are you due a payday loan refund?
MILLIONS of payday loan customers may be due refunds. Here's all you need to know.
Customers who've paid off payday loans debts can still claim
Even if you've paid off your debts you may still be able to get a refund if you struggled to repay the money at the time.
If you're still paying off payday loan debts
You can complain if you've struggled to make repayments. If your complaint is successful it could lower the amount you owe.
You can still claim is the firm no longer exists
Big firms such as Wonga and QuidQuick no longer operate but that doesn't mean you can't get some money back. Customers can still make complaints about firms which no longer operate, although it is less likely that they will receive a refund as they will have to apply directly to administration firms.
Although, if their complaint is successful and they still owe debts this could mean you have to pay back less so it's still worth complaining.
Affordability is different to mis-selling
Lots of firms claim to help payday loan customers who were mis-sold loans. Affordability has the potential to be a much bigger issue, as stricter affordablity checks were introduced in 2015 by the city watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority. This means that many loans were offered to customers who could not afford to pay them back.
Around 70 per cent of complaints about payday loans were successful.
Mr Campbell - who previously spent hundreds of thousands of pounds taking on energy firm Scottish Power - wants to educate people about a lenders responsibility to offer affordable loans.
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He told The Sun: "Most people think that if they manage to pay a loan, if they struggle to pay a loan, then its affordable - but it's not.
"You can make a complaint on loans you struggle to repay - and you'll get the interest and charges back."
The website is not for profit as Mr Campbell has stumped up hundreds of thousands of pounds to run the service.
In August, we revealed how payday loan customers could be due millions back in compensation.
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