Payday lenders condemned by CAB

Local charity, Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau, has said the route to more competition in the payday loans market is for banks to offer responsible alternatives.

Provisional findings from the Competition and Markets Authority has found payday loan customers could be paying £5 to £10 more per loan due to lack of competition.

Steve Barriball, Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau Chief Executive, said: “People are paying over the odds for payday loans that often sentence customers to years-worth of expensive debt. Borrowers are left with deep financial problems after what was supposed to be a quick fix turns into a long term debt nightmare.

"The findings from the Competition and Markets Authority shows the regulator has listened to our clients who have endured appalling practices but the actions won’t entirely address the problems with competition.

“Last year we dealt with 118 enquires about payday loans. In six out of 10 of the payday loan cases reported nationally to Citizens Advice, proper checks on whether people can actually pay back the loan have not been carried out.

“As with any market, consumers need to have actual choice and the right information to decide which the best deal is for them, which includes details of any costs incurred if they struggle to repay. A comparison website could help people find a suitable loan, but it would need to come with a strong health warning about the risks of payday lending and direct people to where they can get free independent debt advice.

“For consumers to have real choice in the payday loans market, they need more responsible short-term credit options not just the ability to choose between existing providers. The time for high-street banks to enter in to the market and offer a responsible micro-loan is long overdue.

"This is only part of the picture of ensuring a functioning short-term loans market. It's important the Financial Conduct Authority uses its powers to rid the market of irresponsible lending and throw out firms that flout the rules”

In April this year, Citizens Advice released its latest national evidence on payday loans which showed that in 4 out of 5 of the cases people struggled to pay back the loan. It also found, in cases where people struggled to repay: