Do Pawnbrokers Take Advantage of the Lower Classes?
Think of a pawnbroker and you may drift into fantasies of dark London times, Dickensian back alleys infested with rats and unseemly characters lurking around every corner. It may seem a very Victorian image, but to what extent do pawnbrokers exploit the poor even now?
Certainly at a time where we are all trying to use every penny we have, going to a pawn shop may help us to get a little more money when needed. The great thing about using a pawn shop compared to a bank is that you never need to wait for your request for a loan to be agreed. Instead, as long as you can provide suitable collateral as security for the money you borrow, they will be willing to lend to you.
Unfortunately, although getting a loan from pawnbrokers is relatively easy , they also charge a much higher loan interest than a bank is likely to, therefore it should only ever be considered short-term when you are almost certain you will have the money sooner rather than later.
The National Pawnbrokers Association (the NPA) is an association that abides by strict rules and guidelines and will not exploit. As a company that is over 100 years old, not only do they safeguard the interests of over 900 members, but they take into consideration the interests of their customers, too.
Members of the NPA must adhere to the code of conduct provided in their operations manual. Similarly to other financial institutes, pawnbroking is a facet of the credit industry. Banks and lenders are also subject to the regulations set out in the Consumer Credit Act of 1974.
In order for someone to run a pawnbroking business, they must obtain a license from the OFT (Office of Fair Trading) in the U.K. If they fail to get this then they are committing a criminal offence and as a result, this could lead them to either being fined or sent to prison.
Pawnbrokers that do not exploit their customers have a responsibility to act in a way that adheres to guidelines and legislation. The arrangement of loans is subject to regulations and all necessary information must be passed onto the customer before a loan can be approved.
The pawnbroker Uncles Money offers loans against almost all valuable items.