The administration of WDFC, the legal company who operated the Wonga brand, was completed in August 2020.
The company was finally dissolved in December 2020.
See Companies House records for details.
Background to the administration – rising complaint numbers
A payday loan is “unaffordable” if repaying meant you had to get into more debt, by borrowing again or getting behind on bills or other debts. So you may have repaid all your loans but still have a good claim for a refund of the interest you paid.
When Wonga went under there were over 200,000 people with current loans from Wonga – many of them had a good case for the interest to be removed from their balance so they only repay what they borrowed.
The Administrators proposals set out the reasons why Wonga went into administration. These were the increasing number of affordability complaints, especially from Claims Companies, and the decision by the Financial Ombudsman that FOS could look at loans over 6 years old, going back to 2007.
There were 24,000 affordability complaints awaiting a decision by Wonga and 9,500 complaints against Wonga with the Financial Ombudsman when Wonga ceased trading on 30 August 2018.
Details on the Administration
The Administrators have made various progress reports (available from Companies House) and statements during 2018-20:
- in October 2018, the Administrators published their Proposals, detailing how they planned to handle the administration. Creditors voted to approve these Proposals.
- progress report to end February 2019;
- Witness Statement in April 2019;
- progress report to end August 2019.
An online claim page was set up in April 2019 for Wonga customers to submit claims for refunds. The deadline for sending in a claim was 30 September 2019.
The Administrators assessed all claims using an automated tool. This took account of:
- all loans, including those over 6 years old
- how large a loan was compared to a customer’s income;
- how often someone borrowed without significant gaps;
- whether there were indications of hardship such as missed payments;
- if there is a balance outstanding for the right of set-off.
Where it decided one or more loans were unaffordable, it calculated how much interest should be refunded and added statutory interest at 8%.
In August 2019 the Administrators starting sending emails to people saying whether their claims have been successful or rejected.
In September, the Administrators sent an update on progress up to end August 2019. Key points include:
- at end August, 389,621 claims for unaffordable payday lending have been accepted by the administrators;
- the total value of these claims is c £460million – an average of c £1,200 a claim.
- £23m of outstanding loans have been collected. The Administrators say that outstanding loans are being taken into account and given the right of set-off where the customer has a claim for unaffordable loans.
- The remaining loan book will not be sold to a debt collector.
At this point the Administrators were saying that payments would be made by 30 January 2020.
29 January 2020 – administrators announce 4.3p in the pound
On 29 January 2020, the Wonga administrators announced that they will be paying 4.3p in the pound to unsecured creditors, including all the 400,000 people who are owed a refund for unaffordable lending.
The administrators have now given the final numbers:
- they assessed 401,202 claims as being valid;
- of these 358,129 are being paid 4.3% of their assessed compensation value;
- the remaining 43,073 also owed a balance on a loan to wonga, so their compensation has been used to clear or reduce that balance.
What happens next:
- the money should be paid within the next 4 weeks. This has come as a surprise as people had been told it would be paid by the end of January;
- the loans that are being refunded should be removed from your credit record in the next 6 weeks.
My comment – ripped off by Wonga and now let down by the regulators
The administrators told people they would get “significantly less” than that amount as there would not be enough money to pay the claims in full.
But many people will have been hoping for more than 4.3% and are very upset.
It is not the administrators’ fault there is so little money to be divided between so many people. It is the fault of the regulators – first the OFT and then the FCA – that they allowed Wonga to break the rules saying that affordability should be checked
And now the regulators have failed to ensure that these Wonga victims get the compensation they should have. When a PPI firm went under, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme stepped in and people with PPI claims got paid in full. But the FCA has not extended the FSCS to cover payday lenders.
This isn’t just a problem for the hundreds of thousands of Wonga victims. Borrowers from many payday lenders have been unable to get proper compensation after the lender has had to close. This will apply to QuickQuid, the money shop, Payday UK and Payday Express borrowers as well.
The FCA needs to rethink this and provide a safety net for people who were mis-sold unaffordable loans.
Readers comments – Shock and disappointment
This a brief overview of the hundreds of comments below this article.
Some people are happy to be getting anything:
- “I am only getting just shy of £25 but for the sake of completing a 30 second form it’s not too bad.”
- “I will be getting £79.93 of the £1854.17 I was owed. Better than nothing!”
- “£35 out of a possible £800. I wasn’t expecting much anyway. I’m more interested in having the 25 wonga loans removed from my credit file.”
The administrators had said people would get “significantly less” than the claim, but many people were hoping for at least 10%:
- “I got mine £88.67 – claim was £2057.05 – I was expecting at least a couple hundred.”
- “Claim was 3034, getting 130. By considerably less I didn’t think it would be over 95% of it. That is ridiculous.”
- “To receive £44.10 from a claim of £1023.00 is insulting to be honest.”
- “Owed £1499, getting £63…what an absolute joke!”
- “4.3% is an absolute disgrace. Although people are trying to be positive they shouldn’t have to. The people who made all the profit here would spend the biggest payout anyone has received on an evening out and not think twice about it.”
- “Gutted…. was hoping for at least the 10% speculated.”
This reader blamed not just Wonga but the regulators:
- “Over £11k accepted reduced down to £480 – my job, my marriage and 4 years of desperation followed by years of rebuilding my life – that’s what the regulators consider that to be worth! Shame on everyone involved in Wonga and the lack of regulation of lenders like them !”
Some are just are delighted that Wonga has gone under:
- “Heads up everyone…We have won in the end! They can no longer be a hindrance to any of us any more!”
- “Mines going to charity. Best thing to have happened is for them to have gone bust”
- ”Thank you Wonga you paid me to continue gambling, I lost everything. Good riddance.”
Many people are also disappointed and shocked that they aren’t being paid by the end of January. Some people getting these refunds are still in difficult financial circumstances and had planned to use the money to pay a bill or some debts.
February 2020 – some clarifications from the administrators
The remaining loans
The administrators have confirmed that no further payments are being accepted and the debts will not be sold to a debt collector. So you don’t have to worry about being taken to court or bailiffs.
But the debts are not technically being written off. They will remain on your credit record for 6 years from the default date on your credit record. If you don’t know what this date is, I suggest you check it now.
In practice, now the company in liquidation, if you contact a credit reference agency and say your Wonga debt is incorrect, you can ask the credit reference agency to “suppress” the record as Wonga can no longer say what the right entry should be. See How to correct credit records if the lender has gone under for details.
No deductions are being made for tax
The Administrators have said:
“the Joint Administrators have agreed with HMRC that the payment may be treated for tax purposes as set wholly against the interest and fees element first, and statutory interest second. As a result, where the distribution paid by the administrators to each customer does not exceed the interest and fees claimed by them, no withholding tax will be required to be deducted at source from payments made by the administrators in such cases.”
The simple version of this is:
- the administrators are not taking off any tax.
- there will, therefore, be no tax to have to reclaim.
- the vast majority of people will not have to pay any tax on any part of of the refund even if you are a higher rate taxpayer. The amounts don’t have to be declared if you complete an annual tax return eg if you are self-employed.
A small number of extra payments
A small number of customers were owed money by Wonga for a different reason, for example they may have overpaid on a loan. These extra amounts are also being paid out and you will get 4.3% of them too.
If you were not using a claims company, you should have received a single email at the end of January which mentions both amounts.
If you were using a claims company you should have received two emails, each about one of the amounts. If you have only received one email and it mentions a claim which is smaller than the amount you expected, you can contact the administrators, it may be this is the “extra” payment.
Bank account issues
I asked the Administrators why some people are still getting emails asking them to update their bank details. They say:
These emails will be in response to customers’ requests received by the Customer Care team prior to 29 January 2020 providing a secure method by which customers can update their bank account details. Customers should respond to these emails.
I asked the Administrators what will happen if they make a payment and it bounces back to them because the account is no longer open. They say:
Where updated information is available from customers we will attempt to reprocess bounced dividend payments via electronic transfer. Alternatively, we will issue a cheque to the address held on file.
A blogger contacted the Administrators on the 14th February to ask why she hadn’t been paid and was told:
“I can confirm that the joint administrators have commenced distribution of dividend payments to unsecured creditors, including those with redress claims. Given the volume of transactions that need to now take place, the administrators cannot guarantee an exact date when individuals will receive payment but are aiming to complete transactions within the next two weeks.”
February and March – payments started but with problems
I was told by the Administrators on Friday 28th February that 90%+ of payments have been made and they expect to make the rest of payments over the next two weeks by BACS. About 22,000 the following week, about 13,000 the week after. It looks as though the 22,000 group got their money. It’s not clear to me how many of the 13,000 group have.
Many people in the comments below this article were reporting probems. These included people whose bank accounts had never changes. Problems included:
- confusion over whether a claims company has been paid or they will be;
- Wongasaid payment was sent to a claims firm that hadn’t been used;
- Wonga said a cheque was sent to a house you no longer live it;
- Wonga said a payment has been made to your bank account but it hasn’t arrived ;
- Wonga has said a payment was sent to an old bank account despite new bank account details having been given and co0nfirmed as having been received.
On 2 March the Administrators said the payment process was taking longer than expected and payments would continue to about 40,000 people over the next 2 weeks:
The Joint Administrators have now attempted to make dividend payments to over 410,000 creditors… In addition to the payments that were not made we have had approximately 40,000 payments returned to us due to incorrect customer bank details recorded on file with Wonga. We will now begin contacting these customers whose payments were returned, by email, to obtain correct and up-to-date bank account details.
The dividend payment process is taking longer than anticipated and payments will continue to be paid during the next two weeks.
On 19 March the Admistrator’s announced:
The Joint Administrators have now attempted to make dividend payments to over 443,000 creditors representing 98% of the creditor population. This includes payments to creditors whose payments were briefly held back from the initial payment phase whilst additional validation checks were completed to new bank account and/or address details that were provided. The Joint Administrators now continue to focus on the remaining small population of unpaid dividends in order to complete the payment process.
From here on progress was very slow, impeded by lockdown.
End August 2020 – administration ends – do you still have a problem?
Have you not been paid?
The Administrators final report blames the payment problems of Wonga’s poor systems and on creditors who did not update their bank details when requested to. But as many comments below detail, people who had never changed their bank account or who had updated their bank details several times and had each confirmed also experienced prolonged delays.
At 28 Auguest when the administration ended, there were still c 49,000 payments with a total value of £632,000 that had not been made – an average about of £13 per payment. About 70% of these were for amounts owed before the administration, so not affordability complaints.
The Administrators have passed the £632,000 to the Insolvency Service. If any creditors want to claim an unpaid amount, they should email CustomerServicesEAS@Insolvency.gov.uk.
A problem with your credit record
If there is a problem with your credit record then you now need to contact the Credit Reference Agency where the problem is showing – Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. Say you can no longer get an answer from the administrators as the firm has been dissolved so you would like the CRA to “suppress” the credit records (list them) as they are inaccurate.
This problem could have been an error by the administrators, who failed to delete the record. It could be an error by Wonga before the administration: the loan date or balance or default date is wrong – you want the default date to be as early as possible so it drops off sooner – or Wonga may have failed to add a default date.
If the CRA refuses, send the CRA a formal complaint and this can be sent to the Financial Ombudsman. In practice people are getting these sorted with the CRAs without having to go to the ombudsman.
Refunds from large loans & car finance
Refunds from other payday lenders
Is your credit card limit too high?
Lee B says
Currently going through the infuriating process of being asked for my bank and address details via email every time I email to find out where my money is but every time they ask they don’t send the link to upload them!! 😭 I reply asking for the link and it falls on deaf ears…. They have all my details by the way! I’ve provided them many many times before but they just keep hiding behind the same generic replies every single time.
Mark says
I had to do it again so I just attached photos of my bank card and driving licence and they then emailed back confirming it had been updated. Again.
Not getting my hopes up anytime soon though.
Vicky Thomson-Carr says
I have always had the correct bank details on all the emails sent to me from last year. However they say they attempted to put my refund in a bank account not used for 5 years. Since Feb I have updated by phone and email 4 times. I have had this confirmed by email. However I keep being asked for bank details and driving license to be sent. I have been promised payment 5 times. My daughter with severe learning difficulties and has now been placed in the end of life group could have had lots of treats with the nearly 500 pounds I am owed. 11000 pounds would have been lovely but a slap in the face of 4.3 pence in the pound was a shock. I have nursed my 42 year old special girl 24 hours a day. Wonga was used to give my daughter extra heating better quality food and special holidays. I could not get credit being on benefits so had to use Wonga. I have sent emails to the 3 Administrators to try and settle my complaint but they have never answered. I wonder if we are using the correct email address for them. Still no money !!
Lynne says
Dreadful circumstances Vicky. We all have our own story. Fingers crossed the rest of us get what’s due soon because personally I can’t take any more of the waiting, the lies, being fobbed off and continuously emailing them and checking my bank!
Marianne says
This sounds very like my situation and I wonder if we are being lied too. Wonga say they have sent my money to an account that has been closed since 2016. I repeatedly told them they had the wrong account information and I have sent them the correct details and verified my I’d ten times over. Wonga are not telling me that the funds were credited to the old account and have not bounced back to them. They are now asking for a letter from my old bank to confirm it is closed and couldn’t not possibly have had the funds credited. Such a mess.
Chris Anderson says
Exactly what they’ve done to me, 3 days prior to them telling me this they wanted my up to date bank details as well as a copy of my driving licence etc, absolute farce! When I rang my bank up (it’s the same bank Who I was with when I originally had the Wonga loans just a different account) the bank told me it couldn’t give any information on the old account with it being over 6 years closed, what they did tell me is that if payment had been attempted to be made to this account it would have bounced back to them (Wonga) within 48 hours, the thing is I’ve given them my new details 3 times now at their request and all 3 times been verified by them so why would they (Wonga) attempt to pay money into my old account? It’s their fault and they need to sort it.
David says
Same here, I updated bank details. They sent it to my old account apparently but I have received a statement from my old bank account stating I was still overdrawn this morning with the same amount. If it had gone into my old account, the balance would be updated to another figure. Waiting on internet login details so I can check my statement. Still annoyed that I updated my bank details and they still paid into old one. Guess I’ll see soon if they are lieing to me or if they actually paid it into the old one.
Stu says
Anybody heard anything from ClearLaw yet last recieved an email for me to confirm bank detas emailed them twice no respone
Terry Hamley says
Replied to their email asking for bank account details……..that was on 19th March after they confirmed that they had received my refund from Wonga direct. Since emailed them twice……no reply. I am owed £670.
Courtney says
Hi there,
So sorry to see that so many people have not yet been paid!
I am just wondering if anyone has any incline to when the loans will come off our credit report? Mine are all still showing and I was wondering if I needed to do anything?
Hope everyone is safe and well x
David says
Received this email the other day:
“Dear Mr Burnett,
Thank you for your email.
We can confirm that your payment of £**** was successfully paid to the bank account ending with these 4 digits: ****. To date the payment has not bounced back to us. As a result, we are unable to process the payment into the new bank account ending ****.
If the bank account is closed, the payment would have bounced back to us within 5 days. Please contact your bank to find out what was the last incoming transaction on that account.Please note, the payment was made between the 1st of February 2020 to the 27th of March 2020 and the payment reference is WDFC Redress, WDFC UK Limited. Once the bank returns the payment, we will be able to process the payment to the new bank account.
Kind regards,”
David says
I was mad that they paid it into an old account even after updating my details a few months earlier. Then receive an email from my old bank this morning which they say they have paid into stating I am still overdrawn as of this morning. If this money had gone in to that account, the amount I would be overdrawn would be less as I know how much I owe them. I am waiting on bank login details to check and see if I have been paid into there but at this moment in time it doesn’t add up and I believe I have been blatantly lied to. Fuming. I’ve given up completely. If it goes into the old account then I suppose at least I know where it is, if it goes into new account then bonus but I cannot be bothered with the constant back and forward emails and stress this is causing.
I hope everyone who is owed something still gets their money and soon! Will probably see some of you on the Quickquid etc battle. Good luck everyone and best wishes for the future!
sam says
mine has been paid today – seems so hit and miss – good luck al hope you have good news today
Paul J says
At least payments are trickling through!
Lynne says
Trickling – one or two a week! I’d love to know what system they have in place (apart from it being a shambolic one).
Stu says
Just been paid by clear law
I know its hard and incredibly frustrating but hang in there you will get paid.
Thank you so much Sara for this site and all you do.
Terry Hamley says
Ooh, fingers crossed for me then. Apparently Clear Law have my money, and I have supplied them with my bank details.
Lynne says
Just received this from Wonga complaints. Yet another vaguely worded message!
Thank you for your email.
Thank you for your patience whilst we are in the process of sending payment to your account.
We have experienced a slight delay with a small number of cases and will be processing the payment. However, we will update you in due course to advise you of when this payment will be made.
————
The thing is they’re NOT advising people are they? Fairly certain no one on here has heard from them to say your payment will be made on such and such day. They’re just sending payments ad hoc as and when they please!
Tim says
9th April. Still not been paid.
bob says
I just tried the Wonga claim number : 02071388330 as my mney still hasn’t arrived. The number now takes you through to someone unknown in Kenya? I have an old account and for some unknown reason they sent a check to my old address which I no longer live at. After repeated calls and emails they eventually said that the cheque had been returned to them and i would receive a bank transfer but they didn’t know when this would be. I’m still waiting for this payment. Is there anything else I can do. P.s. I’ve already complained 3 times to the below without response.
chris.m.laverty@uk.gt.com
daniel.r.smith@uk.gt.com
andrew.charters@uk.gt.com
Sara (Debt Camel) says
send your complaint to the Insolvency Service Gateway as described in the above article.
Joseph says
Contacted Wonga a few days ago as still no payment, woman read out account number and sort code which was not mine. Sent them my bank statements a few weeks ago to prove I had not had the money and they’ve said someone hacked my Wonga account and changed the bank details. Brilliant ! Only £42 ! They’ve appologised as account had to be in my name for the payment to have sent ( ? ) and have sent me a cheque. If any one is still waiting, I urge you to ask them what account they sent it too !
Lynne says
Whilst waiting for this refund 🙄 I’ve applied for an Advance through universal credit. It says the advance was approved and it says ‘paid 3rd April’ but it’s not there yet. Does anyone know how long these things take? Someone I know someone who applied last year said the money was there pretty much instantly (faster payment). I realise they’re super busy though so maybe it’ll take a bit longer?
Lynne says
I just looked at citizens advice and they say it gets paid in the same day that you apply if you say that it’s urgent i.e. you can’t wait until the actual universal credit date. However that option never came up when I requested the amount I needed so apparently the rule of thumb is 3 working days 🤞🏻🤞🏻
Lynne says
My Universal Credit Advance will be paid in on Tuesday (they just messaged me). Pity Wonga werent as quick with their payout eh!!!! 🙄 if it weren’t for this I couldn’t pay my priority bills for another 10 days i.e payday. I hope the Wonga money does land this week before Easter though. The few of us who are left have all waited far too long.
Richard Mclean says
I’ve emailed the administrators every day since the start of march and still haven’t even had any form of reply at all. I am sick of this, I just want my 77 pound and to wash my hands with everyone involved. I’ve had no help off anyone, including this page as you all seem to be paid now and its only me left waiting. I’m totally sick of the ignorance of wonga, the administrators and the whole useless set of scum they have employed there.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Not everyone has been part. Have you sent a complaint to the Insolvency Service Gateway?
Chris says
I’ve not received my £94 owed. I’ve had little communication other than robotic replies. Patience, we have a few more months until it’s completely over!
Chris Anderson says
There are lots of us who haven’t been paid so you’re not on your own.
Lynne says
Hang in there Chris. We’ll get through this ✊🏻
Lynne says
I haven’t been paid either and I’m owed £551
Sam says
Still no money today for my husband who is owed £300.
Carl says
Just checking in after a few days hiatus.
Still no money in my account.
Still no correspondence from them saying if it will be this century or not.
I will send another condescending, patronising, passive aggressive, insulting, and demanding email to the long list of clowns today.
Lynne says
Haha I just did the same Carl. The only email address who I ever get a response from is the complaints address (and even that’s a different answer every time)
Michelle says
Still nothing for me either.
katie says
Still nothing in my bank either
Lynne says
Nope. Nothing again.
Sam says
Still no payment. How terrible that some people have still not been paid considering the original estimate was the end of January. It’s very poor indeed.
Rachel says
I have sent a complaint to ISG over a month ago and still nothing.
Please can you advise me what this will do by complaining to ISG as I have done this sent all proof of and still had nothing.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
The ISG routes complaints to the IPA, which us the professional body for these three administrators. It’s like reporting a doctor to the General Medical Council – it doesn’t get you immediately better treatment but it ensures your complaint won’t get lost and the IPs will dislike it.
Paul J says
Nothing either. So if it’s BACS which is what we’re being told that’s another week gone with it being bank hol weekend!?
Lynne says
Does BACS take 3 working days then? It doesn’t matter really does it – they’re 7 WEEKS late to start with 🙄
Chris says
Got a reply from 26th march saying investigated my claim and found incorrect bank details and payment failed. Hows this when not changed details? They now have correct details and payment will be made and will contact me in due time and confirm when payment has been made. Wont hold my breath tho
Carl says
They have repeatedly told me the have the incorrect bank details for me. Which is not correct, I checked my Wonga account the first time they got my account number wrong, on the “My account” section of the website, my details were correct.
They are lying.
DavidP says
I emailed the ISG over a month ago and I have still had no reply.
I’m still awaiting payment of £335 as well.
No communication from anyone, ever.
Chris says
I think we all need to realise the situation isn’t great and GT/WONGA are probably working on a skeleton staff due to Covid-19.
We should all stop checking everyday as it is causing everyone to get very upset and angry with the fact. With the pattern that GT have been paying, we’ll probably have another round of payments around mid-month or the end of the month.
Chris Anderson says
My last email said that the money had been paid successfully to an old account (closed 6 years ago) it would be impossible for it to be paid successfully as it’s closed and would’ve bounced back to them within 48hrs, this is the last contact I’ve had from Wonga (2 weeks ago) so I’m left in limbo, they said it’s been paid successfully and basically that’s it, this account was the account I had when loans taken back In 2013 But was closed in 2014 and a new account opened (same bank) in 2014, I informed Wonga of the change in details (bank/email/address) and was verified back in June 2019 so why did they attempt to pay into an old account ?? They’ve not answered any emails in the mean time, I just don’t know what to do now and who to turn to, I’ve emailed the insolvency gateway with no response, we are on our own and I doubt I’ll see this money at all now.
Claire says
Chris this exactly what they are doing to me. I have had to send them a letter via email from the HSBC to verify the account is closed.
Wonga has told me it’s been escalated to a manager yet cab give me no transaction reference or date of the payment
S Hughes says
Still no payment received.
How many of us are left?
Lynne says
Only a handful. Which makes it all the worse.
Rod says
No payment from anyone…. Wonga has said baring solicitors have the money and to speak to them….
email from baring to say Wonga have not paid them anyone’s money…. so no idea what’s going on
Mark says
I’m the same…my claims with Barings have been going on since August 2018.
Fazza says
I just received this from the complaints email
Good day
We cannot confirm when payment will be made.
We sincerely apologize for the delay,
Kind regards,
Lynne says
WHAT THE HELL!!!’n
Linda says
I received this email this morning,
Thank you for contacting us,
We will confirm in due time when the payment has been made.
Kind regards,
Wonga.com
Looks like its another automated email…
Lynne says
I’ve had that one now 4 times Linda. 4!!!
Rachel says
Hi Sara (debt camel)
Many thanks for your reply to my question.
Do you think we are likely to see our money going through ISG?
Many thanks
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I don’t think GT have run out of money. I can’t see any practical way of putting any pressure on GT apart from complete the Insolvency Service gateway.
MR JAMIE J PETERS says
Still no money, have complained to the Insolvency Gateway. Also contacted Wonga again and got an email saying they’d sent a cheque to my previous address even though they had updated my new address,but were now going to send it to my bank account. Asked if they were sending a cheque or going into my bank account, but now saying they’re struggling to find my case on their systems, had to resend my case number. This has been handled so badly, just want my £211 out of nearly £5000.
Lynne says
So no payment before Easter then. What a shock 🙄😡
Michelle says
Nothing today either 9/4
Into next week we go!
Lynne says
The thing is though someone on here said Wonga offices told them they’re completely closed from 15th April so then what happens??
Michelle says
Insolvency gateway again I think Sara said was our only option. We all have emails that state we haven’t been paid and are waiting, plus the details changed emails (how many of those do we all hav?) . Bank statements that show we haven’t received anything. It’s beyond a joke, I’m never in the lucky camp. Things are never easy.
Stephen Oxborrow says
I’ve tried ringing the customer complaint number several times. Each time I can hear the call handler, but they cannot hear me. Anyone else experiencing this? Tried from several different phones and it’s the same. So problem is definitely at their end.
It’s almost like the playground tactic of putting their fingers in their ears and shouting “la la la”
Gilly says
I’ve still not been paid despite receiving an email on 28 Feb from customer care confirming they had received my bank details. I’ve been sending polite emails once a fortnight or so asking for an update and occasionally received a vague response saying something like ‘payment will be made shortly’ but no exact date. In response to the polite email I sent yesterday, I received an email this morning saying they can’t locate me on the system and asking me to provide more information! The 3 administrators don’t respond to anything, I hope the insolvency gateway comes down heavy on them.
Michael Thomas says
Just received the below email. If they are shutting shop on the 15th what options do we have? Are we supposed to write the money off?
We do not have a precise date of when payment will be made, we will be in touch as soon as payment has been processed.
Becky says
In a similar position to above. Received an email on 28th Feb saying they had received my bank details and received nothing. In their last update it claimed the process would take a “few weeks”, 6 weeks later and still nothing, and given that it’s Easter it’s another week written off. The number now just rings out. Last e-mail correspondence with them was the bog standard “we will be processing the payment to you shortly”.
Given it’s hard to even contact these people anymore, it’s starting to look like I and others will never receive their money.
Mike says
Just spoke to them on the phone on the 3rd attempt. The claim is that payment will be done by the end of this month as all operations will be closing at the end of this month. It’s a new line, but hard to put too much faith in it when it feels like you’ve heard it all before.
Becky says
Latest line on the phone is payments should be getting done on the 15th April. They say people had until tomorrow to update their bank details, and anyone who then hasn’t been paid will be attempted to be paid by the end of the next week, but the lady on the phone seemed to also slip that it should be the 15th next week.
Colin says
Hope this helps I spoke to a lady at Grant Thornton on 08/04/20 she looked into my case she called me back about an hour later and advised the payment will be made by the 24th at the latest! She was really apologetic for the delay etc what really seemed sincere she talked me through why it has been delayed etc what I am a wee bit more happy about now! I called one of the numbers of the administration and it put me through to switch bored which passed me onto some one dealing with things!
Michelle says
The date keeps getting pushed further back. It was the end of March. Then this week, then the 15th/17th and now the 24th. Unbelievable. There aren’t really any excuses for why it’s taking so long. Disgusting!
I received another email which ignored all the questions I asked and proceeded to say ‘in due course’ they would advise me’. I replied saying that wasn’t good enough and a personalised response a) to my case and b) to the questions asked.
Chris says
There’s a huge excuse, it’s called Corona Virus. We can moan all day about not being paid. I’m someone whos anxiously waiting the money as I’ve been put on Furlough, but complaining about it and checking every single day, then returning here to complain isn’t going to help. I think unless anyone has helpful information or has a success story we shouldn’t come back and post “Checked bank this morning, still not paid” as it helps no one.
Joy says
Voice of reason Chris. 👍🏽
Lynne says
It’s not though is it. They were using delaying tactics long before the breakout. This is just an additional excuse for them to use to make us wait even longer – right at the time we need it more than ever.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Let’s not criticise each please. I will be deleting further comments.
Gayna Moore says
Still not been paid here either. I was told a while back that everything winds down at the end of April so payment will be made by then but couldn’t be any more specific so I’ve just let it be.
15th I’m heading a few people mention so fingers crossed!
Claire says
Is anyone still waiting for the Wonga Loans to be removed from their credit report? Thanks
Chris says
Still waiting on mine to be removed. But they have no bad effect on mine as they were all paid on time.
Steve says
Hey..
Not sure if it is something already mentioned here – sorry if it is.
But I saw in the article there that the loan will remain on your credit report (not upheld claims), I had this situation. However, if you dispute the entry, Wonga won’t (obviously) reply to the credit reference agency’s dispute, and therefore after 28 days, they will suppress the account on. your credit report.
Thought it may be of help to some people. I managed to get it suppressed. (Although of course it can be unimpressed if they reply – but unlikely I would guess). But means lenders can’t see it and it no longer affects your score.
Simon says
Guess, if wait till all this totally finished even less chance of replying to a query on the entries? Just a thought?
Chris Anderson says
I spoke to a lady yesterday (very friendly and in the know) from my claims management company and she’s assured me that we will be paid, the date given is from mid April to end of April, a majority of the issues have been with people who have had their details change since taking out loans with Wonga (I’m one of them) apparently GT are now looking at this and will be making payments soon to the people who have updated their details when requested (even though some of the following emails received not correlating to the updated details) we have to have hope so my fingers are Well and truly crossed, let’s hope we can draw a line under this once and for all.
Julie says
Has anyone had payments that live abroad I am in Australia. I keep giving them the account details but they seem unable to fathom it. Though they’ve stopped replying to emails. Its only an acct number, sort code and IBAN number. If my 60 year old mother can work it out who can’t work a mobile phone, surely wonga can make an international payment?
Lynne says
Given the fact they can’t get two numbers right, ie account number and sort code, I’m guessing they’ll struggle with three!
Moi says
Hi Sara
Or anyone. I have been told a cheque has been sent out to me in February I haven’t received this. I moved home in December I told Wonga this. They said it was sent to my new address but obviously it hasn’t. I believe it has gone to my old address. I have tried to contact the person who now lives there but no reply. I have been told today she has been arrested and carted away this happens regularly. So obviously I’m not going to get to see if it’s there
Has anyone got a number I can phone. Someone who will be honest with me. I have tried the Wonga number and e mailing them. I’m really now needing the money as I have been laid off undefently
Carl Flegg says
From my experience, nobody at Wonga or Grant Thornton will be honest with you.
They either won’t know, won’t care, and give you a scripted reply.
Or, as they have with me, outright lie to you.
That is if you are lucky enough to receive a reply at all.
Email the following explaining what has happened. They will likely tell you that you will need to wait until the cheque is cancelled before they can send a new one out, or attempt a bank payment, as others in your situation have been told.
chris.m.laverty@uk.gt.com; andrew.charters@uk.gt.com; daniel.r.smith@uk.gt.com; wongaadministration@uk.gt.com; customercomplaints@wonga.com;
Carl Flegg says
So, I have for the past week or so been sending a daily reminder to Wonga and the Administrators. Usually short and sweet along the lines of “Where is my money?” or “Good Morning!, Still not got any money over here.”
Finally got a response today, two actually, from the same email address.
One of them confirming my account details and promising payment by the 24th. The second saying if I have sent updated details they will attempt to pay that account but cannot say when.
They really do not know their nether regions from their elbows do they.
James says
I keep getting invoices and threatening late payment fees by my cmc as wonga told them they sent the payment to me on 9th March. I’ve triple checked my old bank account and new bank account and nothing. I’ve requested to wonga and cmc which account that they supposedly put payment in, but lo and behold no response as of yet.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
You can send a copy of your bank statement to the CMC to prove that you haven’t been paid.
Chris Anderson says
What a farce it has become that claims management companies are chasing their fees for money we’ve not received (yet) I’ve had 2 invoices but no threatening emails, I did speak at length to my claims advisor last week (she was fantastic) Wonga saying They have deposited money into accounts when they clearly haven’t is absolutely scandalous, not only do people have Wonga to deal with they now have CMC’s wanting their fees for money not received, you just couldn’t make this up, Wonga have no morals at all, a mess up from start to finish, the quicker we get paid the better, when all is done I never want to hear of them again, they’ve caused misery to so many of us.
Joseph says
Just a little update. Got a response saying my cheque is pending to be sent, but no mention of why they allowed my bank account details to be changed by someone else. Also, they told me all final payments will be sent no later than 15th April (probably wouldn’t hold my breathe with that though)
Lynne says
Hahaaaaa – that’s tomorrow!!
Paul J says
They have an extremely busy few hours if that’s true, which it’s blatantly not! Don’t think they actually know themselves
Chris Anderson says
If only they (Wonga) would have had someone to answer to with regarding the lies and false promises they’ve made to us but they know there is nothing we can do about it which makes it’s so infuriating.
Lynne says
Couldn’t agree more. Not being paid is bad enough but it’s the constant lies, vagueness in their answers, non replies, being ignored and the fact that they’re not held accountable in any way that’s the worst of it.
Melody says
Hi,
Does anyone know how to get wonga removed from your credit file now? I was paid £100 (roughly back in Feb) but still have Wonga showing on my credit reports, should that not have been wiped by now?
Thanks
Paul J says
Nothing so far and nothing pending. Not surprised
Lynne says
My account doesn’t show incoming pending transactions. Are they what will come in the next day then?
Paul J says
Think it depends on the bank Lynne. Think BACS is typically 3 days until funds available
Lynne says
Oh right got it. So we should all be paid by Friday then? 😂😂😩
Kaz says
Hi
I have received several invoices from a claim management company. I’ve sent them evidence that I still haven’t received the money which they admit they are aware of but they still say I have to pay now regardless of if I’ve received the money or not. They said as the wonga site now has a update that shows payment will be made eventually I am to pay now and just sit and wait for the money to arrive. I’m sure this can’t be right. What really gets me is that they have done absolutely nothing I submitted the claim and have done all the chasing, I’ve asked them to send all correspondence they have sent to wonga as prof they have actually done something. It not a huge amount of money but it just angers me they have done nothing and except payment when I haven’t received anything myself. Anyone else in same position?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Put in a written complaint to the claims company saying they are treating you unfairly and have not been helping you to get your refund. If they reject, send the complaint and continue to harass you, send the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman.
Kaz says
Thank you Sarah, I will do that.
Steve says
I have been chasing every day for weeks and generally get a different standard reply most days the latest says: Thank you for your email.
We plan to update customers when we have a better indication of timings for the failed and bounced payments, but we are unable to provide you with a date at this moment.
We apologise for the delay in the payment to you and understand your frustration.
For more information, including what happens next and what to expect, please visit our FAQs
Kind regards,
The Joint Administrators
Lynne Goddard says
Hi Sarah, I am one of the lucky ones and received my Wonga payment in Aug 2016. Can you tell me if they would have taken tax off at this time.
I have contacted them, no reply. I shredded the letter at the time. Many Thanks. Lyn G
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I can’t tell. If they made you a “goodwill” or “ex gratia” payment, that would probably not have had any tax deducted. I don’t have records saying whether Wonga habitually added 8% interest in 2016.
Lynne says
Why does it matter 4 years later?
Nats Daley says
Got the strangest email saying to update bank details by the 10th of April … so bizarre will call tomorrow
Nats Daley says
This was the mail … so strange
Important update about your Wonga dividend payment.
C
customercomplaints@wonga.com
Wed 15/04/2020 21:12
To:
natsdaley@hotmail.com;
kiteworks
FINAL REMINDER TO UPDATE YOUR DETAILS IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
Please be aware that if we do not receive your updated payment details (using the instructions below) by Friday, 10 April 2020, we may be unable to pay your dividend.
As you are aware from previous correspondence to you, the Joint Administrators have declared a first and final dividend of 4.3p in the £.
The Joint Administrators have been processing payments following the Dividend Declaration being sent to customers on 29 January 2020. Unfortunately, due to the bank details that are held by Wonga not being valid the dividend payment we have attempted to pay has failed to reach you.
The Joint Administrators want to ensure that the dividend is paid to the right account as soon as possible. However, the timing of your dividend payment is dependent on when you are able to provide us with valid up-to-date bank or address details so that we can reattempt to process your dividend payment.
Yours sincerely
for and on behalf of WDFC UK Limited
Paul J says
Hi Nats,
I’d definitely call them, looks like more incompetence. Last time I spoke to them they were able to confirm full sort code and account number. I’d ask for that when you get through
chris says
just had email from wonga saying i need to send pics of bank details and id or they may not be able to pay my dividend. they comfrim my details a few weeks bank in an email saying they had been updated. are they having a laugh now or what
Nats Daley says
Tried calling wonga lines are closed ….
The plot thickens I’m hoping email is generic..
Becky says
Doesn’t surprise me. I was specifically told on the phone last week that they are closing up by the 15th/this week and to expect my money this week, I’m not holding my breath though.
Ian says
Emailed for the umpteenth time and finally got a response, which was ‘we are having trouble finding you on our system, please send us your date of birth and case number so we can look into your claim’ so sent my details and finally have a reply!
“Thank you for your patience whilst we are in the process of sending payment to your account. Redress will be paid in due course.
We have previously informed you your payment will be made by the end of February 2020. We have experienced a slight delay with a small number of cases and will be processing the payment to you shortly. We do not have a precise date for payment to be made.”
I suppose its better than no response at all!
Jamie says
I had that same email a few days ago, but then I had one yesterday saying that they had sent a cheque to my old address despite me updating my details about 20 to 30 times. This had been so badly handled by Grant Thornton. Just hope we all get our money soon.
Chris says
I got through to wonga apparently the email was generic and sent to everyone who’s still waiting for payment and my details have already been updated. The guy also said payments started again on tues and will be made every day until the end of the month. Dont believe him thi
Becky says
Find it very hard to believe payments started again on Tuesday when no-one seems to have received any money so far this week or seemingly for months now. It really feels like they just fob you off to cover their tracks.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
GT’s definition of a payment being made is likely to be when they sent it. If it was by BACS that takes a few days to arrive.
Nats Daley says
UPDATE
Spoken with wonga representative took bank details again she couldn’t confirm when payment would be made though….
Have a good day all x
Lynne says
Ridiculous. When they do answer me it’s always the standard ‘in due course’ message then as soon as I query that and say how can you not give us an exact date when it’s already two months late – SILENCE!! I’ve even said to them this morning do you realise you’ve got no legal right to hold onto this money! It’s ours!
Charlotte says
I find it hard to believe we will see this money administration team useless I have made a official complaint now to the correct channels
Stephen O says
I emailed them yesterday telling them i was so desperate for money i was going to kill myself (This wasn’t an empty threat thats how low i was yesterday. Luckily i have a support network who intervened)
The payment went in 2 hours later
Sara (Debt Camel) says
It’s good you are getting support and have at last been paid.
If you need help with current debt problems there are lots of places to get help eg phone StepChange.
Lynne says
Sorry to hear that Stephen. I told them last month if I didnt get the payout I’d be evicted as I was waiting on that money to pay the rent -(true) still nothing. It’s only thanks to universal credit I was able to catch up with the arrears.
Lynne says
Just out of interest Stephen which email are you using? I’ve tried all the partners, customer care, Wonga administration and even David Dunckley himself! The only one I’ve ever heard back from was the complaints address.
Jen says
I’ve just spoken to wonga and been told definitely by the end of this month. I don’t believe a word of it. Too many broken promises.
Chris Anderson says
It’s crazy it’s come to this, it’s caused so much stress to many of us at a time we dint need any more stress, it has been handled poor from start to finish, I’ve never dealt with any company acting as poor as this, Wonga have taken this to another level x
Becky says
Yer, you want to believe it, but it’s hard when in effect this is the same “in a few weeks” line I’ve been getting now since the end of February.
Ian says
As of this morning I still hadn’t received my redress or a response to numerous emails. At 9am I started emailing every member of the GT team from the contact page on their website. I emailed them all individually explaining that the three IP’s (mentioned by name) had refused to reply to any email I had sent and despite realising that this matter did not concern them could they be so kind as to forward my email on to someone that could help. I copied the 3 IP’s into every email to shame them. I did plan on sending hundreds of emails today but surprisingly by the end of my 8th email I had received emails from 3 different people with responses specific to my case. By 1pm the money was in my account. Very interesting how fast they can act with a little persuasion.
Lynne says
There’s so many different branches. Do you mind sharing with us who/ which email addresses replied to you please?
Ian says
All three responses were from the complaints team so I assume they had been told to deal with me as a matter of urgency once it was realised I was just going to email the entire staff list.
Lynne says
Do you mean Wonga complaints? It does seem bizarre that they’d respond AND pay up in 2 hours especially as everyone else said they were paid by BACS and it takes 3 days.
Ian says
Yes. Wonga complaints. I guess theres two ways of looking at it. Either the personalised email responses and the payment were a massive coincidence or the 8 emails acted as a catalyst. Leaves you with teo options. Carry on as before and hope for the best or try it yourself. Worked for me so I was simply passing it on. I gain nothing from giving everyone on here poor information. I just thought it may be useful for others to know what happened to me today.
Becky says
Where are the emails of the complaints team though. I can only see generic forms, not specific e-mail addresses of anybody in the complaints team?
Part of me feels like it isn’t really these people’s fault, but then I feel like someone has been fobbing me off for months now, so either are oblivious to the lies going out on their behalf or complicit.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Ian wasn’t emailing the complaints team, he was emailing fairly senior people in parts of GT that have nothing to do with this administration, getting their emails from here https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/en/people/?utm_term=%5BUK%5D&utm_source=vuture-vuture-forms&utm_content=vuture-forms&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=vuture
Lynne says
The only people that HAVE ever replied to my 100’s of emails has been the complaints address. But it’s always the non specific genetic reply which others mention. ‘Sorry for the delay you’ll be paid in due course’ etc etc.
Ian says
Exactly Sara. I emailed people in senior positions apologisong that I was resorting to emailing them as I knew it was not part of their job to help me. I used the persona name at least 2 times in every email so that they knew it was personalised and not simply a generic email I was sending. The emails I received from complaints were three separate very specific emails. I live abroad so one of them told me that a cheque had been posted to my place of work here. I explained that I hadn’t received this when lockdown began and as a teacher I would not be able to access this until September. I also explained that I would hold fire on the emails to GT staff for a day but that if payment wasnt received I would continue and when I exhausted the list I would move on to any other insolvency practitioners in the UK so that they knew how shambolic this had been dealt with by GT. I then received an email asking for me to send them my IBAN. I do so. They replied that I would be paid and by 1pm it was in there. That’s what happened. Take it ir leave it as people seem very doubtful. Why you think i would bother telling you this other than to try to help you out of the shitty situation that i also was in for months I have no idea.
Chris Anderson says
I’ve had an update from my claims advisor and she said Wonga are adamant that payment was made to my old bank account (What loans were taken out and paid back from) this account has been closed 6+ years and my bank tell me there is no information stored on this account due to the length of time it’s been closed so now I’m now left in a dilemma, Wonga want evidence that no payment was made to this account, I’ve replied to my claims advisor that I want the transaction evidence from Wonga that they made this payment so I can then produce the evidence to my bank, were can I go from here Sara? I’ve informed Wonga in June 2019 of my updated details (bank/email and change of address) it was all verified, it was done through the portal which I was allowed access to temporarily and over the phone yet Wonga (so they claim) have paid my redress successfully into a closed basic bank account, it just gets worse it’s absolutely bizarre this is.
Claire says
This is exactly what they are doing to me! I have sent them at letter from my old bank telling them its closed, dead, gone and no funds could of possibly been sent.
I asked wonga for a transaction receipt and date to prove the payment has been sent with no reply.
I really doubt I’ll get my money back.
Steve says
I have also started emailing every partner at Grant Thornton within an hour I had a personal response from someone at GT advising me that payment would be made within two weeks – I replied “not good enough” I have since received another response from Wonga Customer Care stating that the payment will be made early next week and be in my bank no later than Friday 24th April. I have again stated that I don’t believe them as have had previous promises of a payment that wasn’t made.
Lynne says
Guys I just got a personalised reply from one of the Partners. It’s still not telling me when I’m getting it though 😩
Lynne
I can assure you that the team working on this are progressing matters as quickly as possible, It is a highly complex matter to administer the failing of a business such as Wonga so these things take time. I appreciate it is very challenging for you. My colleagues are at least ensuring you get some payment which would not have otherwise been the case so please do bear with them.
Lynne says
I’m not expecting anything back but this was my response
Appreciate the response but with all due respect all I’ve been told so far over and over is I’ll be ‘paid in due course’ and other really vague non-commital statements.
Bearing in mind this payment was due at the end of February so this has gone on far too long. I’ve been off work 3 months with anxiety and this situation has just exacberated it.
I look forward to hearing the exact date when I can expect my long overdue money.
Lynne says
Here’s his response – no such luck like Ian had then 🤷🏼♀️
I can understand the concern
I am not in a position to confirm any exact dates and I can guarantee if the team working on this could, they would. They will continue to progress this very challenging situation as promptly as they can and I hope for your sake that is sooner rather than later.
Chris Anderson says
I just don’t see what’s challenging about it, they have (or should have had) all our details so what is challenging to pay the money (redress) owed to us in our bank ??
Colin says
Hope this helps all I received this today after telling them I can’t feed my kids (white lie)
I am writing to inform you that your payment will be in your bank account on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week as the transfer was made today
Regards
Trevor
Trevor O’Sullivan
Partner, UK Restructuring
Grant Thornton UK LLP
D +44 (0)20 7865 2537
M +44 (0)7816 061973
T +44 (0)20 7383 5100
E trevor.osullivan@uk.gt.com
Steve says
Good luck to everyone – it does seem that there are payments going out next week hopefully that will be all of the missing payments I will be emailing them on Monday and requesting confirmation by Tuesday that my payment has been sent if I don’t get it I will start emailing the partners again.
Chris Anderson says
I’m not expecting any payment now, they (Wonga) Are adamant they’ve paid my redress into a closed account (impossible) and my bank (The Yorkshire Bank) have not got any details to give me about this account with it being closed over six years, so I’m stuck in a dilemma because they (Wonga) want proof that this account is closed and that the money wasn’t paid onto this account successfully so I’m stuck because I can’t get hold of this information from the bank, I’ve asked Them (Wonga) to prove that the money was paid to this account I’ve requested them to prove the transaction went through successfully and want the sort code, account number and bank they’ve supposedly paid it to,I’ve requested the day it was paid and a copy of the transaction showing successful (can’t wait for their response) I’ve not got any details of my old account only the last 4 digits so it’s proving very very difficult for me, in fact I’ve given up, the problem I ha e is that my CMC are requesting their percentage due to them (Wonga) saying it’s been paid successfully, I just wish I’d never bothered now, it’s been so stressful and at a time we are in now it’s shameful that they’ve done this to us, disgraceful!
Lynne says
I hear you Chris. Whilst I’m not in exactly the same position as you, Wonga did tell me they’d ‘attempted to send payment to my bank but it failed’. I said to them the bank details you have for me are recent, so if you’ve sent it to the account that closed 7 years ago and it bounced back, please tell me/show me the date and evidence you ‘attempted’ the payment. Sure enough I got no response.
Carl Flegg says
Tell Yorkshire bank you want a signed and headed letter from someone in a senior position stating that the bank account in question does not exist.
That surely cannot be hard from them send you.
Sarahjane says
I emailed 20 top people at GT on Saturday I’ve just checked my pending transactions and whoo hoo my money is going in tomorrow
Lynne says
Is that coincidence do you think? Surely they don’t work weekends and it wouldn’t appear that fast? I thought bacs takes 3 days?
How much were you owed if you don’t mind my asking?
Sarahjane says
The amount is £286.05
I spoke to Wonga on Friday they said I should be in the nxt payrun but as they had said that I wasnt too hopeful so emailed the partners at GT
Linzi says
Hi I’ve been following here since February when my payment didn’t go in. I haven’t commented yet as I didn’t have anything of value to add – I was just in the same boat as all of you.
GOOD NEWS – my bank account (HSBC) is showing pending payment for tomorrow. Fingers crossed payments will be finalised for everybody this week. What an absolute faff this has been.
Steven says
I don’t know why people keep talking about pending payments going in? You cannot see pending payments going in unless you pay in a cheque and you’re waiting for it to clear. Pending transactions are only a debit from your account not a credit.
Linzi says
Erm Steven, yes they do. For example I see what my wages will be each month the day before I get paid, as my bank shows pending BACS. As I mentioned above I can see a pending payment for tomorrow from the administrators…. why on earth would I lie about that?
Sarahjane says
You can with HSBC I always know what is going in or out the day before ( BACS payment’s and direct debits)
Andy says
The same for me, I’ve been following this saga on here since February and have had exactly the same email/communication, wrong bank account issues etc as everybody. I’ve just checked my account and I also have a pending payment for tomorrow! So happy this is finally over with, I genuinely hope it’s the same everybody here. Good luck!
Jon says
mine in scheduled payments for tomorrow (£206). Thanks for all the guidance and support on this site.
FYI – I was in the ‘old bank details, payment failed and re sent to new account’ group of people. Deleting about 50 emails on this topic from my mailbox felt very satisfying just now!
good luck to those still waiting, keep the faith.
Jo says
I’m feeling very disheartened now, hearing so many people can see their payment pending and I still can’t see anything :(
Lynne says
I feel the same. You are not alone.
Paul J says
Still nothing for me! The wait goes on