Customer
Support & Assistance

Customers with money worries or concerns  

We know that during your agreement with us there may be times when you need support to help balance your finances. If you’re unable to make a payment or foresee a problem, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. Our friendly team wants to help.

You can contact us by telephone, email or letter. 

Telephone*: 01933 824501
Email: theteam@arklefinance.co.uk 

Post: Customer Services, Arkle Finance Limited, 50-60 Sanders Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 4BX 

* Please note calls to these numbers may be recorded for the purposes of security, accuracy, and training.

How we can help  

If you’re going through a difficult and stressful time, please contact us as soon as possible. We can offer a range of forbearance arrangements to support you with your circumstances, for example temporary payment arrangements or breathing space. We will make sure any payment arrangements are suitable and affordable for you, and we will never ask you to pay more than you can afford.

Ways we can help include:

• suspending or waiving late payment charges
• repayment plans (short-term)
• nil payment plans (short-term)
• payment holiday (short-term)
• rescheduling of repayment terms (long-term).

Escalating balances when in arrears  

You should be aware that while your agreement remains in arrears, and where you have not been able to maintain your full contractual monthly payments, your overall liability owed to us may increase as a result of late payment charges and the fact that this is a depreciating asset. If, therefore, you have been in arrears for several months, and the prospects of paying your loan are in question, we can arrange for you to return the asset to us, sooner rather than later, as this may prove to be the best outcome. Such action may help to limit any shortfall balance that you will remain liable for should the asset be returned and then subsequently sold.

Self-check your finances  

The team will always recommend you complete our income and expenditure form (I&E) so you have a clear view of your expenses. This will also enable us to see how we can both resolve and support your current circumstances.

The form is easy to complete and we can then assess and personalise support for you. Once reviewed, we will then contact you by phone to discuss all your options. You can complete this by email or text but this takes a little longer.

It’s beneficial to know and understand all your income as well as outgoings (including details of anyone you share the bills with if we are talking to you as guarantor). Having a banking app or statement available will always help.

If we are discussing a business issue and arrears, then it is beneficial to have the last three months’ bank statements, any management information reporting on what the business’s current position is financially, an active business forecast and the latest statutory filed accounts with Companies House. We’d be grateful for these to be supplied with the completed I&E.

The form can take around 20/30 minutes to complete, or longer if you’re not sure of your finances. The benefits of resolution outweigh the short amount of time spent.  

Here’s what you can expect to discuss 

The team knows and understands this is not an easy time for you, and discussing your finances can be concerning. To provide reassurance and improve your situation, here are some examples of what we may discuss with you:

• Personal issues and problems you are currently experiencing.
• Your current financial situation so we can understand how we may help you.
• Your income and outgoings and any court or enforcement obligations you are currently paying.*
• Looking at workable solutions to your unique circumstances, such as possibly making changes to your agreement. This may be as simple as moving your payment date.
• We may direct you to free independent contacts (this is called signposting) if you would like more financial advice or support.

* We are unable to provide you with advice about debts you may have but will consider your obligations.   

Getting back on track  

• Review your finances.
• Complete an I&E form to get a full picture.
• Review income and outgoings and obligations.
• Understand your financial priorities. 
• Be mindful to pay essential bills first.

Contact all your creditors and confirm they know and understand your situation. Always be aware and resolve your financial priorities when contacting your creditors and look to clear essentials first. Be open, forthright and clear about your situation and always advise on what you can realistically afford to pay. You can then work towards a sustainable and affordable repayment plan.

Missed or Late Payments 

We report missed or late payments on your credit file, and these records remain on your credit file for six years. Other lenders will be able to see your credit file and may consider the information on your credit file when deciding whether to offer you credit.

Missed payments may indicate to other lenders that you are struggling financially, and this may lead to your application being rejected or you being offered more expensive credit.

If you think you will miss a forthcoming payment, we encourage you to contact us at the earliest opportunity to allow us to help and support you as best we can.

Voluntary Termination – Regulated Hire Purchase Agreements   

If your loan agreement with us is a regulated loan agreement, you have a contractual right to voluntary terminate the agreement if you have paid up to [NH1] 50% of the total amount payable under the loan agreement (by way of deposit and instalment payments) and your agreement is not in arrears. If your agreement is in arrears, we can accept your voluntary termination; however, any arrears outstanding will need to be cleared, either in full or at an amount you can afford to pay in accordance with our forbearance process. You will need to write to us to confirm your intentions and you can then return the asset to us (at your expense). If the asset is returned in a satisfactory condition, with a valid MOT and tax (if applicable) then you will have nothing else to pay. This will be reflected as a voluntary termination on your credit record. For further information, please refer to the terms of your agreement or contact our Collections Department.

To find out more about voluntary termination, please contact us on 01933 824501 or email theteam@arklefinance.co.uk.

Fraud

We are aware of frauds involving individuals being offered loans for an advanced upfront fee by organisations posing as financial services businesses. We will never ask you to pay an upfront fee before you have an agreement with us and would not approach you directly requesting payment of a fee. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, please contact your bank at once and report it to Action Fraud.

You can contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040  or by visiting their website actionfraud.police.uk.

The Arkle Team  

Our friendly and informative team is here to offer help and support and will always aim to help you achieve a positive resolution.

You can call on 01933 824501 or email theteam@arklefinance.co.uk. When emailing, please include your agreement number, business name along with your name and contact telephone number. We will respond within 48 hours and on most occasions the same day.

Who else can help?  

Use the internet to help find independent debt advice companies along with details of your options. Companies who can help include government agencies, free advice agencies and others that may charge a fee. We’ve added a few links below for free sources of advice and support:

National Debtline  | nationaldebtline.org | 0808 808 4000

Business Debtline  | businessdebtline.org | 0800 197 6026

Sources of free general advice:

Citizens Advice | citizensadvice.org.uk

Moneyhelper | moneyhelper.org.uk/en 

Stepchange | stepchange.org | 0800 138 1111

Payplan | payplan.com | 0800 280 2816

Benefits of Contacting Independent Debt Advice Bodies  

• You will receive free impartial debt advice.
• They will provide a clear distinction between priority and non-priority debts.
• They will assist you in creating an income and expenditure verification you can share with all creditors.
• They provide information in relation to “Breathing Space” initiatives to pause any enforcement actions if your debt has escalated, while you are formulating a payment proposal.
• If you are over-indebted, a debt counsellor can consult with your credit providers on your behalf and potentially assist you in agreeing a reduced monthly instalment. This makes your debt more manageable and assists your financial awareness as your agreement with your debt counsellor can fall away if you miss a payment.

  
Sources of support in mental health crisis:   
Samaritans | samaritans.org   
Call free any time, from any phone, on 116 123   
    
Sources of Advocacy (mental health related):   
Mind | mind.org.uk