Building maintenance firm Fortem has joined the national fight against loan sharks, displaying huge warning banners to make sure every passer-by gets the message about the dangers of illegal lenders.
Around 15 of the three-metre banners have been put up on scaffolding at properties undergoing repairs, as part of a campaign in partnership with the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT).
The IMLT is a national organisation hosted by Birmingham City Council. Fortem holds the repairs and maintenance contract for the council and many of the banners will be in the city. But some will be further afield to help widen the reach.
They will be on buildings in Bartley Green, Weoley Castle, Kings Norton and Rubery in Birmingham as well as Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, Stratford upon Avon, Alcester in Warwickshire and Sheffield.
Fortem recently achieved Partnership Recognition status with IMLT, a testament to years of collaboration and commitment to tackling illegal lending.
Chris Tredget, Fortem’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Our partnership with IMLT is not just about tackling illegal lending—it’s about protecting vulnerable people and providing them with the support they need to break free from the chains of debt. Together, we are making a real difference in creating safer, more sustainable communities for everyone.”
Dave Benbow, acting head of the IMLT, said: “Working with partners like this means we can get our messages out to communities across the country quickly and easily, These banners will be eye-catching and memorable and we are grateful to Fortem for supporting our work in this way.”
Loan sharks are those who lend money and charge interest without having the necessary authority from the Financial Conduct Authority.
Many illegal money lenders are well known within their communities and are often introduced to borrowers through friends or family members. They are unregulated and give loans with no paperwork, charging high interest rates. They can resort to threats, intimidation and even violence if repayments are not made.
Unauthorised lending is problematic as lenders do not complete affordability checks on borrowers – often meaning they are lending to people who cannot pay them back. These borrowers do not have the protection of consumer law such as cancellation periods and the ability to apply for help if they can’t pay. This causes huge amounts of stress and can impact their other finances – leaving them unable to pay rent or other priority bills.
In the past 20 years, the IMLT has made 858 arrests and secured 427 successful prosecutions, with illegal lenders locked up for more than 609 years. More than £91.3 million in illegal debt has been written off, and around 32,000 borrowers have been supported.
Anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending should call the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 Helpline on 0300 555 2222 or access support online at www.stoploansharks.co.uk. Live Chat is available on the website from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
