Wonga - Advice Please

[gary105]

Hi,

 

Me and my wife took stupidly took out a £400 loan with Wonga back in December 2008. We missed the repayment date in January.

 

According to them we now owe £946.00!! I have been emailing them to say that we can afford to pay £100 per month starting from March 30th via standing order and the reply I get is to call them as they can only arrange payment arrangements over the phone and everytime I have replied saying that I will only deal with them in writing. The loan agreement is in my wife's name, however they've got my mobile number (Basically I've been dealing with them via email as my wife would rather me deal with them as she's frightened they might push her into a corner) and they have now started to call from random numbers (including mobile numbers) asking to speak to her three times a day plus we are now receiving texts asking for us to call them, but I have made my excuses and told them that she isn't around.

 

So last week I sent a SAR letter along with the cheque for £10.00, and today I sent them the letter f(rom another Wonga forum) telling them not to call us or to send a doorstep collector.

 

Where do we go from here? Do we start paying £100 from the end of the month or shall we wait for the SAR reply?

 

Also, randomly found out today that Wonga address at Crawford Street, London is going to Cameron Daurm?? Anyone else come across this?

 

What do I do if they call again, shall I tell them that no conversation will happen on the phone with my wife? and do we start paying the £100 from 30th March?

 

Many thanks

[gary105]

Hi,

 

Has anyone got any advice on this please?

 

Thanks

[la2006]

Hi Gary,

 

If you need advice you can pm a senior member to look at you thread.

 

I've been dealing with WONGA since jan 09 (la2006 vs wonga thread) - I sent them a full and final settlement letter, LBA disputing their charges and stating I would apply for a court order etc I also sent MARSTON a CCA request and complaint - I have yet to hear from WONGA or Martson for 3 weeks now

 

I have submitted complaints regarding WONGA to OFT, FOS and TS

 

WONGA have not been able to deal with any of my complaints at all, but i'm just waiting for their next move before I seriously consider taking this to court should I have to.

Edited March 25, 2009 by la2006

[PGH7447]

If they call again say in writing and put the phone down, they have 40 days from when you sent the sar to comply, if after that period you have had nothing back send the account in dispute letter.

[wayne28]

Hi there

 

I am in the same boat and am really scared of how to approach this. I took out a loan in feb for £600 which was due to be paid back on 25 march 2009 this was altogether £777. i was unable to make the repayment and have seeked advice. i am on a debt management plan who tried to help me but wonga are still ading interest even though i said i can make smaller payments. they are just not having it. My balance now is £917 and keeps getting bigger.

 

I called on friday as i am terrified about what happens next. Spoke to collections and Karib was rather threatening. he threatened me with bailiffs and legal action. i was remorseful and said i am in financial difficulties but he was not having any of it. he was only using threatening tactics to force me making a payment with money i have not got.

[EBOY]

LA2006,

I have been reading thru the FLA code of practice. There are a number of points which I am still working on. This is important I feel but if you all read the last two lines in red. Remind Wonga that they are members of the FLa and therefore have agreed to the code of conduct.

 

"act honestly and try to make sure that credit brokers, and all other suppliers

of goods and services we do business with, do the same;"

 

Health problems

We will take particular care if you are suffering from health problems, including

mental health difficulties, when we are made aware of this.

This includes:

● appropriately training staff to handle accounts, including those dealing with

complaints and collecting debts for us; and

● being sensitive to your condition and responding appropriately when dealing

with you or someone authorised to act on your behalf.

In order to do this we may need to ask for appropriate evidence of your health

problem and may need your permission to record this information on our

system.

1D Difficulties in paying

Lending Code 2006

FLA :: Consumer finance :: FLA Lending Code

● tell you without unnecessary delay if we agree to:

– freeze or reduce the interest rate on your agreement;

– start to apply interest on your account;

– intend to go back to the initial rate of interest on your agreement

or re-apply interest to your account;

– deal with people who you have asked to act on your behalf, with your

written and signed permission, unless those people behave unreasonably;

and

● if we are aware you have a long-term health difficulty:

– make sure that we limit the number of times you or the person you have

authorised to act on your behalf has to provide details of your condition to

us; and

– make sure that we accept appropriate evidence of your condition when

considering your financial difficulties and the options available to you.

You must tell us as soon as your personal circumstances change if these have

an effect on your income.

If you are in financial difficulties, you can get help and advice from debtcounselling

organisations. Once you tell us that you are in financial difficulty, we

will tell you about these debt-counselling organisations if you ask. If you send

us your permission, in writing, we will work with debt-counselling organisations

that we recognise. For example:

● Citizens Advice;

● money advice centres;

● the Consumer Credit Counselling Service; or

● National Debtline.

All of the above are free of charge. See section 4 for more details.

1D.5

1D.6

Lending Code

 

If you are in financial difficulties, we will:

● explain what our procedures are and will discuss your options with you;

● take into account money you tell us you owe to other lenders or any other

commitments you tell us about;

● tell you if we pass your account to someone else to collect the overdue

payments on your loan, such as a debt collector or solicitor (we will always

choose firms which agree to follow the Credit Services Association Code or

OFT debt-collection guidelines – see section 4 – helpful information);

● make sure that if we pass your account to someone else, they are aware of

any arrangement we have already made with you;

● tell you what information we will pass to the credit reference agencies (CRAs)

about your account, if we agree to accept reduced payments from you;

● explain if a default will be registered against you (the default will show that

you have not been able to keep to the conditions of your agreement with us

and will stay on your credit file for six years);

● not harass you or put you under unnecessary pressure (however, we would

expect to be able to contact you at reasonable times);

● make sure that you are left with enough money to pay reasonable day-today

expenses;

1D.1

1D.2

1D.3

1D.4

1D Difficulties in paying

Lending Code

[gary105]

HELP!HELPHELP!

 

Ok, here's an update for you. I've just logged on to wonga and found that the balance is £1477.00, even though I sent them a SAR at the back end of March and they've ignored it!!! What do I do I? I'm really scared!!!! Any advice would be grateful!

 

Many thanks

[EBOY]

Ask them for a statement. The main man Errol has clearly said they do NOT apply interest after 60 days.

 

Have a listen to his interview as it is rather interesting!!!

 

Errol Damelin | Wonga

 

Also count the number of days since you asked for the sar. If it is more than 40 days then lodge a complaint with the information commissioner, trading standards, and FOS. I would also lodge a complaint with FLA

Edited April 22, 2009 by EBOY
edited

[gary105]

Hi There,

 

I sent them a email last night saying that I was disappointed that interest was still being added to the account. I got a response this morning saying that I needed to contact them by phone to make a payment arrangement, if I didn't then the debt would be passed to a third party for collection.

 

So my response was:

 

"As I send before, I will only negotiate in writing (which I am well within my rights to do so) and I'm am still willing to make a payment arrangement for the balance of £517.00. As you have failed to respond to my SAR letter, I will now be making a complaint to the Information Commissioner, Trading Standards the Financial Ombudsman and the FLA about this matter."

 

I hope this is the right reply to send to them. I think that the SAR was sent on the 23rd March.

 

Any advice?

 

Many thanks

[gary105]

Hi there,

 

Do I have to speak to them on the phone about a payment plan, or can I deal with them in writing?

 

Thanks

[XXXX_1]

Hi Gary1:) Do not deal with any of the creditors by phone, do everything in writing!!!! And now my question; I have send them a letter by land mail, by recorded delivery about 10days ago and letter has not been delivered, do they have a reall address or is it just a Box mai? I don't think is legal that any lender gives you a wrong address, is it?

Regards

[gordon'salive!?]

They should have to provide their real address. It may not be listed on their website, you might actually have to phone in to ask.