Got any questions?
We pride ourselves on being honest, upfront and straightforward in the way we answer them.
Why has my debt been passed to Lantern?
The contract you signed with the original creditor allows them to sell your account to a debt purchaser like Lantern. As you didn’t make your repayments to them as planned, your account has an outstanding balance. We’ve sent you a notice confirming that Lantern are now the owners of the debt and are legally allowed to contact you to arrange repayment. Now that we own the debt, no further charges or interest will be added – and you can pay the balance over time, if that’s helpful.
All you need to do is get in touch.
Have you added any interest, fees or charges to my debt?
No, we never add interest, fees or charges to an account if a customer makes an arrangement to start repaying the debt with Lantern. If we have to take legal action, then fees and charges would be added to the balance.
How do I make a repayment?
You can make a single repayment or set up a monthly repayment plan by registering for an online account.
Visit the ‘How to repay’ page for details on the different ways you can make a repayment.
Are any discounts available if I choose to repay my debt in one payment?
If you’d like to settle your debt with a single payment and get a discount, we’ll consider any reasonable amount if it will help you clear your debt sooner.
I’m in financial difficulty. What should I do?
Always pay your important bills first, such as your mortgage, rent, gas, electric etc.
We’ll offer you as much support as you need to help clear your debt with Lantern. Our friendly team are happy and ready to help – just get in touch using the contact details on our website.
Alternatively, you can find free and confidential advice from a number of independent organisations here.
I can't afford to pay in full. What should I do?
Many of our customers are in a similar position. We’ll help you work out what you can afford, over a time period that suits you, so you can clear your debt without worrying. We’ll never ask you to pay more than you can afford.
To set up an extended repayment plan, you can register an account here or call us on 0113 887 6876.
I have instructed a Debt Management Company or I’m entering an Insolvency Arrangement to deal with my debts, what should I do?
Log in or set up your online account, click ‘contact us’ and select ‘I am with a Debt Management Company’. Then give us the details of your debt management company/insolvency practitioner. Ask them to contact us straight away and we’ll put your account on hold for 30 days, to allow them time to get in touch.
What if my circumstances change and I can't afford my repayments?
Nothing in life is fixed, and that goes for your repayments too.
If things change, let us know straight away so we can help you – either by calling our Customer Care team on 0113 887 6876, asking us to call you via your online account or by emailing us at [email protected]
What happens if I ignore your communications?
Unfortunately, your debt with Lantern won’t simply go away. If we’re unable to get in touch and agree an affordable repayment plan, we’ll have to take the next course of action to recover the amount owed to us. This will include passing your debt to one of our debt recovery partners to get in touch (which could include visiting you at home) or to our solicitors to assess potential legal action.
I don’t recognise this debt, the balance doesn’t look right, or I believe I’ve paid this off already. What should I do?
Give our Customer Care team a call to chat through on 0113 887 6876 or use the contact form in the ‘Contact Us’ area of your online account. If you can give us some information on why you think something doesn’t look right, we’ll look into it and get right back to you.
I have a complaint. What should I do?
If we’ve fallen short in anyway, we want to try and put things right. Simply call us on 0113 887 6876 or e-mail us at [email protected] with details of your complaint. Please include your Lantern customer reference number and any other relevant information. You can see details of our complaints procedure here.
What is a Credit Report or Credit File?
Credit Reference Agencies (CRA’s) collect data from public records and companies that you’re linked to (e.g. banks, loan, energy and mobile phone companies). This data is then used to create your credit report and credit score. This data/score is then used by businesses for things like credit applications, rent agreements and mobile phone contracts.
Who do Lantern share my information with?
We’ll share your information with outsourced partners who help us collect debt. We’ll also share your data with all three Credit Reference Agencies (CRA’s) – Experian, Equifax and Transunion – as part of our monthly credit file reporting agreement.
How will you update my credit file when I make repayments?
If your account is being reported by us at the Credit Reference Agencies (CRA’s), we’ll update them monthly with details of all payments that you make. If you pay off your debt in full, any default will show as ‘satisfied’. If we agree to accept a discounted amount as settlement, any default will show as ‘partially satisfied’. A default will appear on your credit file for six years from the date it was defaulted, even if you settle or pay off the debt in full.
Updates by the CRA’s will be applied to your credit file within the first 2 weeks of the month following each payment.