Hubbie is in debt to loan shark

12:10pm Friday 28th March 2008

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Hi Dave - We've had money problems for a while now but we've always managed to live within our means, but things have suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

We received a visit a couple of weeks ago from a bloke who asked if my husband was in and he wasn't.

I asked him what it was about and he said it was about the money he was loaned 3 months ago and when would he be repaid?

I asked how much my husband borrowed and this bloke replied £2,000.

I confronted my husband about it but he just laughed it off and now this whole business has really divided us.

We are rowing all the time and the other day the same bloke called round again saying our debt was now £3,000 and if it wasn't paid by April 15th that would go up to £4,000!

It's totally unacceptable, there's no way we can afford that but somehow we have to repay this money.

What can we do?

Debbie, Newport Debbie, It sounds to me that your husband has borrowed this money from some guy down the pub as opposed to the Bank or Building Society.

It also sounds to me he's some kind of loan shark.

Now maths was never my strong point in school but even I can work out there's an astronomical interest rate here which is wholly over the top, a rate that no Bank or Building Society would adopt.

I would sit down with your husband and for now forget why he borrowed the money and for what - you can argue about that later.

For now, repaying this loan is the important thing to do, but before you do, and for some proper advice get in touch with the Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit.

They've not been set up long but they deal with loan sharks and they will give you some help and guidance.

Good luck and I sincerely hope things work out ok for you.