At Vanquis, we take responsible lending seriously and want to make sure our customers feel supported. If you believe that we’ve given you a Vanquis Credit Card that you couldn’t afford, you can raise a complaint directly with us, free of charge.
Why raise a responsible lending complaint directly with Vanquis
Save money - avoid high fees from Claims Management Companies (CMCs)
Raising your complaint directly with Vanquis is completely free. In contrast, Claims Management Companies (CMCs) can charge a high percentage of any money we return to you if your complaint is upheld. By coming directly to us, you get to keep your full refund.
However, if we use your refund to pay off your balance with us, and there's not enough left to cover the CMC's fees, you will still owe them money.
Your Credit Card will be blocked during the investigation
Some CMCs might not tell you that raising a responsible lending complaint will result in your Vanquis Credit Card being suspended during our investigation. This is because you’re telling us that you can’t afford the card, and we wouldn’t want you to get further into debt that you may not be able to afford.
What is irresponsible lending?
Irresponsible lending occurs when a company lends you money that you can't afford to pay back or lends you money when your financial situation is so poor that it may put you further into unmanageable debt. If you believe this has happened, we're here to help.
How to raise a responsible lending complaint with Vanquis
Step 1: Gather your information
Before you start your complaint, gather all relevant information about your credit card and any correspondence you've had with us.
Step 2: Contact us directly
You can raise your complaint by:
- Online Form: Fill out our Online Complaints Form
- Phone: Call our customer service team on 0345 612 2602*
See our opening hours and call charges.
Step 3: Provide details
When you contact us, provide as much detail as possible about your complaint, including why you believe that we lent to you irresponsibly.
Step 4: Investigation and response
Our team will investigate your complaint thoroughly. During this time, your Vanquis Credit Card will be suspended. This is because you’re telling us that you can’t afford the card, and we wouldn’t want you to get further into debt that you may not be able to afford. We will keep you updated on the progress and aim to resolve your complaint within 8 weeks.
Step 5: Resolution
Once our investigation is complete, we will contact you with the outcome. If we agree and your complaint is upheld, we will discuss the next steps and how we plan to put things right for you. If we don’t agree and your complaint is not upheld, we will explain the reasons why in our final response to you.
Not happy with the outcome?
If you’re not happy with the outcome of your complaint (either where we uphold or reject your complaint), you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge – but you must do so within six months of us providing you with our final response.
If you do not refer your complaint in time, the Ombudsman will not have our permission to consider your complaint and will only be able to do so in very limited circumstances. For example, if the Ombudsman believes that the delay was because of exceptional circumstances.