Sofa rental deal could be Brighter’

SHOPPERS who were talked into credit deals they could not afford by rent-toown firm BrightHouse are being hit again because its compensation awards are “inad equate”, anti- debt campaigners claim.

The firm, which sells electricals and furniture, is paying back £10.1million to 81,000 customers whose inability to pay was ignored.

It is accused of targeting low-income families with sky- high l oan costs – charging an annual interest rate of up to 69.9 per cent.

A £358 washing machine typically ended up costing more than £1,000.

Yet t he promised compensation is on average less than £125 per person.

The firm is paying a further £4.7million to 181,000 customers who cancelled before the goods arrived but who were still charged.

It follows a probe by watchdog the FCA.

Damon Gibbons, of the Centre for Responsible Credit, said: “The package is woefully inadequate for the damage caused.”

Labour MP Yvonne Fovargue urged: “The Government should promote safer credit for the most financially excluded.”