Citizens Advice has raised concerns that people taking out logbook loans are overloaded with debt, as new evidence reveals they have twice as many debts as other borrowers.

The national charity analysed more than 23,000 cases of significant debt problems handled by bureaux between April and September 2013, 127 of which involved a log book loan (also known as bills of sale). The findings show, on average:

• Logbook loan debts were worth more than double that of payday loan debts (£2,500 compared to £1,000).
• People with logbook loans had a total of ten debts, including other forms of credit, that’s double the number of loans held by all debt clients (five).
• 57% of clients with logbook loans also had one or more other type of high cost credit.
• 37% of clients with logbook loans also had one or more payday loan.
• The total amount of debt across all loans for people with logbook loans was £13,500.
• The new research also finds that 40% of people who took out a logbook loan are in work, with 33% unemployed and 27% not working due to things like caring responsibilities or ill-health.

Citizens Advice is concerned unscrupulous logbook lenders are handing out loans to people in desperate financial situations without carrying out any proper checks to establish it they can afford to pay back the loan. Evidence released by the charity earlier this year found that there was a lack of proper checks to make sure the borrower could afford the repayments and some borrowers did not have the terms of the loans clearly explained.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said: “Predatory logbook lenders are driving people into debt. Our analysis shows people taking out these loans are often in acute financial strife but lenders aren’t giving all of the information needed for borrowers to decide if a loan is right for them.

“Any decent lender knows it is irresponsible to lend to people who already struggling. Yet logbook lenders are showing a complete disregard for their customers by using outdated language, not checking if loans are affordable and not treating people fairly. People struggling with their finances should be directed towards advice, not more debt.

“Logbook loans can be a particularly toxic form of credit as some lenders combine the risk and poor checks of a payday loan with threatening behaviour often used by bailiffs. A change in the law to offer the same protections as hire purchase agreements for logbook loan borrowers is needed to protect people.”

In April this year, Citizens Advice found the number of logbook loans taken out this year could reach 60,000; a rise of 61% on 2011.