Wonga Settlement Confusion

stressedout.com

Hello

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right section of the forum ( and apologies in advance for the essay.....)

In 2009-2010 I got myself into financial difficulties, mainly payday loans spiralling out of control, but also a defaulted loan and maxed out credit card / overdraft that I couldn't pay back. Between 2010 and 2011 I repaid everything, and I'm now nearly at the point where all my poor financial issues will be off my credit history.

In October 2009 I took out a loan with Wonga that I was unable to pay and so I set up an arrangement to pay in instalments, and which was paid off in either December 2010 or January 2011 (Unfortunately I don't still have the same bank account or bank statements that go back that far). In early 2011 I started to receive telephone calls from Wonga chasing me for money; their call centre then confirmed that there was an error on the system and corrected it so I didn't hear any more.

In August 2011 I was contacted out of the blue by email by Gothia debt collection agency, chasing me for money owed to Wonga. Although I have limited records I do still have the email they sent me with my wonga reference number on, and my reply, which stated that I had been in touch with Wonga who confirmed that the debt had in fact been settled and that there was no outstanding debt. Neither company at the time would put that in writing to me, so I emailed them both so I had it on record. I didn't hear anything from either company following that.

Fast forward to 2014 and I was contacted by Wonga to say that I was affected by the debt collection issue - I still have the emails they sent me from Barker & Lowe in January 2010 - and I have today received their settlement offer.

They have offered me £50 compensation for the distress and 20% of the payments made after the fake letters (£210.56) which comes to a total settlement offer of £260.56.

The settlement letter does however also state that I am not due an additional refund payment as my loan has been previously written off, details of which are included in the calculation. The calculation states:

- Total of Relevant Fees added £50
- Less Total of relevant fees reversed £0.00
- Plus relevant interest Charges £32.24
- Total of relevant fees and interest charges to be refunded £82.24

Less write off amount previously applied to your arrears balance £410.81
Refund due £0.00

Today I called and spoke to someone in the call centre who confirmed that my 'arrears' were written off on July 21st 2011, which seems strange as the account was cleared before then and so suggests to me that either they made a mistake with the account or continued to add interest and fees to my account after my arrangement to pay ended in January 2011. I am slightly concerned that I am not being refunded all of the fees I am due in lieu of them writing off an amount that should never have been added in the first place? Or am I missing something else?

I have been in touch with my old bank to try and get copies of bank statements from 2010 to see if i can get proof of payments I made, but I don't know if I'm just missing something in my understanding of their calculations and should just forget about questioning it? The Wonga settlement letter states that if I don't accept the settlement any decision made after the individual assessment may be less, so I don't know whether to just take the money and move on?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

xx

CHR15

So you borrowed money and didn't repay it?
They have written off any arrears so you don't owe a penny.
Not only do you not owe anything but they are giving you another £260.56 for your trouble?

You should be outraged!

stressedout.com

Err, no?! I borrowed money, repaid it, and apparently accrued arrears after repaying the debt.....

Just to make it absolutely clear, I repaid the debt in full.

Today I called and spoke to someone in the call centre who confirmed that my 'arrears' were written off on July 21st 2011, which seems strange as the account was cleared before then and so suggests to me that either they made a mistake with the account or continued to add interest and fees to my account after my arrangement to pay ended in January 2011.