03/10/2013

FCA Lay Out Payday Lender Regulations

A series of new rules governing how payday loan companies operate have been proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in a move to protect consumers.

Under the rules lenders could be made to include "risk warnings" on their adverts warning consumers of the dangers of debt.

It is one of a series of proposals, which include:

  • Lenders will not be able to extend, or "roll over", loans more than twice


  • The number of attempts a payday lender can take money out of a borrower's account using a Continuous Payment Authority (CPA) should be limited to two


  • Anyone extending a loan should be told about free debt advice


  • The FCA could order lenders to change misleading adverts, or drop products that are not in the best interests of consumers.


The FCA will also be able to ban adverts or loans that it does not approve of. It has said that while it believes payday loans do have a place, the type of credit offered by these companies should only be used by those who can afford it, adding that "payday lenders must not be allowed to drain money from a borrower's account."

The FCA will assume control of regulating consumer credit in April 2014, when it takes over from the Office of Fair Trading.

(MH/JP)

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