Wonga repayment plan issue

[cagacc11]

Hi all,

Unfortunately I borrowed from these guys and then had a sudden reduction in income due to ill health, so knew I'd be unable to repay.

 

Loan was due on 12/05/2014 and I was unable to pay any amount until 27 of May so I tried to set up a repayment plan through the wonga website. This resulted in an error message every time I tried and I tried with different browsers and computers.

I emailed wonga on the 7th of May explaining my problems with their website (and my financial difficulties) and received what must be a template email telling me to call them (I replied saying I'd rather deal with them via email due to cost and pressure). I sent a few other emails to various wonga email addresses but received pretty much this reply to all of them.

One of the emails I sent had an attached screenshot showing the website error and I finally received a reply on my payment due date, acknowledging I had a problem and asking me to reply with income and expenditure details. I provided these along with what I could pay and when. I received no response to my reply to this first email asking for I&E.

I’ve sent many follow up emails since then usually receiving a generic response but I did receive an identical email asking for income and expenditure which was infuriating (This directly after receiving an email saying I could only sort I&E out by ringing them).

Today I received an email from their debt management email saying ‘thanks for sending us your income and expenditure (I sent the info again), we feel we should discuss this on the phone’, to which I replied that I’d provided all the relevant info in the email. I then received another email shortly after which I have pasted below.

‘Hi,

 

Thanks for letting us know about your current financial position.

 

We can see you’re experiencing serious financial difficulties so we’ve placed your account on hold for 38 days and stopped all collection activities. This means we’ve frozen interest and charges, stopped trying to collect payment and we won’t send you any collections communications.

In light of your current circumstances, we suggest you contact these organisations if you feel you’ll benefit from free, independent money advice:

(Citizens advice etc)

Once you’ve received independent advice from one of these organisations, please call us on 0800 107 8140 to discuss your options. If you don’t contact us within 38 days, collections activity will restart on your account.’

What’s my next step from here? I imagine contact CA will just result in them telling me to set up a repayment plan with wonga, which is what I’ve been trying to do. Should I just bite the bullet and phone wonga? I don’t want to be pressured into paying what I cannot afford.

One final point is that they’ve been adding interest and charges since the 12th, even though I asked them to freeze these. All these generic and repeated emails seem to be delaying tactics for adding more interest.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[renegadeimp]

You dont have to contact anyone. This is a normal tactic for them. They refuse to set up a repayment plan, despite you providing your I&E. Time to get complaints rolling. Especially since they have refused the plan, and added on a threat that collection activity will continue.

[cagacc11]

Thanks for replying so quickly. Who should I direct my complaint to, OFT? Seems an idiotic tactic for wonga if it just results in setting up a repayment plan later on down the line.

[renegadeimp]

In the first instance you need to complain to wonga directly. Then depending on what they say ( they do cave in under enough pressure), you can complaint to the regulators. Wonga seem to be doing this a lot lately, despite their promises theyd buck up their customer service.

[cagacc11]

I've emailed wonga with a complaint but don't know how much good it will do. I've sent so many emails at this point I don't even think they're reading them.

 

Just another quick question; should I pay them the amount I said I could pay this month on the 27th, even though a repayment plan hasn't been set up?

[renegadeimp]

Pay them as per your repayment offer. Pay it regularly and dont miss a payment. Theyd be hard pressed to do anything then.

[huggy41]

do we have an update please

[cagacc11]

Sorry for the late reply, but I do have an update.

 

They finally agreed to the repayment plan (14th June, via email) I had originally suggested, perhaps because of my formal complaint or threats to take the matter up with OFT. I told them I agreed with the repayment plan and would send payment via bank transfer, as I had done whilst sticking to my own repayment plan.

 

Sent the payment on the 24th June via bank transfer and received an email saying they had tried to debit the amount and failed (via card). I replied telling them I'd sent the payment via bank transfer and gave them a reference. They have not acknowledged the payment or my emails and have since threatened to, and now removed me from, the repayment plan (this despite the fact they said in emails they'd cancel the repayment plan on the 27th June!). I also went on the website today and have noticed they've added charges/fees again.

 

I can't believe I'm going to have to go through a whole load of crap again because they refuse to read emails. I'm definitely not paying them twice and perhaps I should have just paid via debit card, but frankly it shouldn't matter.

 

Don't really know what to do now but I have a complaint written up for CAB to get some advice, hopefully they'll tell me how to proceed with OFT. Alternatively wonga will read the emails I sent, acknowledge receipt of the money and removed charges/reinstate the repayment plan.

 

You'd think they'd be a bit more helpful since the news about their fraud has come out, but it appears not.

[renegadeimp]

Just send the payments until you repay what you owe. Stop worrying about wonga. Get a full complaint into them in writing and let them deal with it. The main thing is you are making regular payments so they cant really do anything.

[Maggie251]

I'm having the same problem with them, they are flattly refusing to set up a repayment plan unless I ring. Also, their I&E form is not even showing up on the my account section, so I can't even try to set one up online. I have sent them my own but they are now just ignoring me.

[Maggie251]

Also, did they try to take the card payment even though you had cancelled the CPA? Or didn't you ask them to cancel it?

[renegadeimp]

You dont need their permission to set up a plan. You TELL them what they are getting and show them a budget summary as proof. Also with the CPA, cancel it through your bank and tell wonga the same. If they take it out, then get a full chargeback as per Payment regulations.

[fedup12]

Sorry for the late reply, but I do have an update.

 

They finally agreed to the repayment plan (14th June, via email) I had originally suggested, perhaps because of my formal complaint or threats to take the matter up with OFT. I told them I agreed with the repayment plan and would send payment via bank transfer, as I had done whilst sticking to my own repayment plan.

 

Sent the payment on the 24th June via bank transfer and received an email saying they had tried to debit the amount and failed (via card). I replied telling them I'd sent the payment via bank transfer and gave them a reference. They have not acknowledged the payment or my emails and have since threatened to, and now removed me from, the repayment plan (this despite the fact they said in emails they'd cancel the repayment plan on the 27th June!). I also went on the website today and have noticed they've added charges/fees again.

 

I can't believe I'm going to have to go through a whole load of crap again because they refuse to read emails. I'm definitely not paying them twice and perhaps I should have just paid via debit card, but frankly it shouldn't matter.

 

Don't really know what to do now but I have a complaint written up for CAB to get some advice, hopefully they'll tell me how to proceed with OFT. Alternatively wonga will read the emails I sent, acknowledge receipt of the money and removed charges/reinstate the repayment plan.

 

You'd think they'd be a bit more helpful since the news about their fraud has come out, but it appears not.

 

best way in future is ring and make payment it comes off straightaway. By doing bank transfer they sit on it for days before posting to your account.

Good luck with everything

[renegadeimp]

No fedup12. Thats not the best way. The best way is to make a payment via standing order and keep a record of it. When they choose to update their records is THEIR problem not the debtors. Once the debtor has paid the money to clear the account, then the debtors side of the contract is fulfilled.

 

Lets not get into the fact that it is a very very bad idea to give a PDL your bank details in any case.

[cagacc11]

Also, did they try to take the card payment even though you had cancelled the CPA? Or didn't you ask them to cancel it?

 

I hadn't cancelled the CPA and couldn't remove my card details from their website. I moved my money to another account and they tried to debit it anyway.

 

They have now acknowledged receiving my bank transfer but haven't edited my account balance to reflect this. They also told me bank transfer takes 3 days which is odd in 2014.

 

I'm just going to do what renegadeimp has suggested and keep to my payment plan and send them a complaint through the post. If you keep at them they will probably set up a repayment plan for you.

[renegadeimp]

Do NOT do a bank transfer. Set up a standing order. Also, depending on their bank, you can do a fast bank transfer which arrives at the destination account in a few hours. Most banks do this free.

[fedup12]

No fedup12. Thats not the best way. The best way is to make a payment via standing order and keep a record of it. When they choose to update their records is THEIR problem not the debtors. Once the debtor has paid the money to clear the account, then the debtors side of the contract is fulfilled.

 

Lets not get into the fact that it is a very very bad idea to give a PDL your bank details in any case.

Ok thanks for your advice I just worried that it took long time to show but . you are right it's their problem thank you and sorry for giving bad advice.

[renegadeimp]

Not bad advice fedup12. Just differing opinions. The OP is free to choose whatever way they wish to proceed.

[letsgetitsorted]

i had a repayment plan in place for 6 month, now on month 7 they have cancelled it, and i have to fill in their I&E of which they sent and here is a screen shot of it, way to much information they require

 

my situation is on my own thread, just thought i would give you an idea of their I&E

[renegadeimp]

You have their bank details. Just continue repayments and tell them your circumstances remain unchanged.

[cagacc11]

Just a quick follow up on this as I don't know if its been mentioned elsewhere, but I was affected by the current FCA ruling and was told by wonga that my debt would be wiped. They have since contacted me to ask why they have not received the latest payment on my repayment plan. Obviously I won't be paying them but they did try and take money from me. Unbelievable.

[renegadeimp]

If you had it confirmed in writing, then they sent that letter and you have proof they tried to debit the account, contact the FCA. Don't ignore it. Theyre likely doing it to a lot of others too.