forgot to change my address

So I made my complaint and here is their response... suffice to say I am infuriated. I have responded with the text underneath...

Hi Joel,

Thanks for your email.

Wonga is satisfied that at the time you took your loan with us repaying that loan on time was likely to have a positive impact on your credit rating with a Credit Reference Agency (CRA). However, individual institutions such as high street banks use their own criteria to assess whether they want to lend to a person. Frequently, these criteria go above and beyond the record held with a CRA and look at other matters such as your savings and spending patterns. So while you may have a good credit score with a CRA in part perhaps thanks to your Wonga loan, a bank may decide not to lend to you based on other factors. Wonga cannot be responsible for the way in which these other lenders reach their underwriting decisions and this is a separate matter to your CRA score.



We are not alone in stating this point. For instance Peter Mansfield, Managing Director of Callcredit Limited, one of the Credit Reference Agencies we use, has stated as follows:



“If a consumer takes out a payday loan and repays that loan on time the effect of such on the consumers credit rating could well prove positive. In some cases, if used responsibly, payday loans could help to improve the credit profile, especially those with either little credit history or those with a previous history of missed payments and arrears. However, it is difficult to generalise as the overall interpretation of the details contained on a consumer’s credit file is down to each individual lender….…Lenders create their own credit assessment scores and will include a complex selection of data sources within such scores. The lenders own experience based on the relative risk associated with different data, which includes previous loans and their performance, will be taken into account and could vary from lender to lender and for different subsections of consumers within each lender’s book…Late and missed payments and large volumes of loans would have a negative impact on a consumer’s credit profile. However, for many lenders taking and repaying a payday loan will have a neutral or positive impact across large sections of their customer base. However, interpretation is at the individual lender’s discretion and some may view a payday loan as having a detrimental impact on some consumer’s credit worthiness.”



In relation to the information passed on by us to our CRAs: we have an obligation to report the performance of our customers’ loans with us to our CRA partners, and you agreed to such information being shared as part of your agreement with us.


Consequently, for the reasons outlined above Wonga is not in a position to provide you with the outcome that you are seeking.



We are sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction and trust the above response will clarify the matter for you

Best wishes,


Customer Care

My response...

Good afternoon

Thank you for your reply, albeit from reading it a very standard response to what will no doubt be a common complaint.

You will note that Peter Mansfield uses phrases such as "could well prove positive" "could help to improve the credit profile" "some may view a payday loan as having a detrimental impact".

All of the above, show that there is a definite grey area and that as you say, this is down to a lenders criteria. I must again ask, how you can advertise as "doing wonders for your credit" when this isnt the case - you say that you were satisfied that it was likely to have a positive impact, but the simple matter is that it hasn't and that in itself is misrepresentation of your service.

I appreciate that you have shown a true history on my file, however I would not have used your services if I had known this would decrease my chances of obtaining credit elsewhere.

I would like to know how you can resolve this for me. Yes I agreed for my information to be shared, on the basis you would be sharing it as you advertise by having a positive impact.

I look forward to your response which will hopefully be tailored towards the questions I ask above, rather than offering me a generic response stating that "Wonga is not in a position to provide you with the outcome that you are seeking."

Joel