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Were you lent money you couldn't afford?
If a lender handed you an overdraft, credit card or loan without checking it was affordable, you can often reclaim every penny of interest you paid on it, plus 8% on top, and have the marks scrubbed off your credit file. See roughly what that adds up to.
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An estimate, not a promise. What you get back depends on the lender, the checks they did, and your circumstances.
This is the exact complaint that started recla.im. Its founder reclaimed about £1,336 from Monzo for a £1,000 overdraft from 2018 that should never have been approved: every penny of interest refunded, 8% statutory interest, £75 compensation, the overdraft wiped to zero and the credit-file marks removed.
How affordability refunds work
Lenders are supposed to check that credit is affordable before they give it to you. Where they didn't, and you ended up paying interest you could never really afford, the lending can count as irresponsible. Complain to the lender first. If they uphold it (or the Financial Ombudsman does, for free, when they don't), the usual remedy is a refund of the interest and charges plus 8% statutory interest, and your credit file put right.
Reclaiming overdraft fees instead? Use the overdraft fee calculator.
And if you are wondering whether complaints like this actually get anywhere, the official FCA and ombudsman data says they do, banks upheld nearly six in ten complaints in 2025.
Questions
What is an affordability or irresponsible-lending complaint?+
If a lender gave you an overdraft, credit card, catalogue account or loan without properly checking you could afford it, that can be irresponsible lending. If your complaint is upheld, they usually refund the interest and charges you paid, add 8% statutory interest, and remove any adverse marks from your credit file. You keep what you borrowed, you get back the cost of borrowing it.
How much can I actually reclaim?+
It depends on how much interest you paid over the years you held the credit. People reclaim anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds. This calculator gives a rough estimate from your balance, rate and how long you had it.
How far back can I go?+
Often years. The Financial Ombudsman generally looks at complaints made within six years of the lending (or three years from when you realised there was a problem), and irresponsible-lending complaints frequently cover credit taken out long ago.
Do I need a claims company?+
No. You complain to the lender yourself and keep 100% of any refund. Reclaim writes the complaint for you and shows you how to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman for free if they say no.
A self-serve tool, not a law firm. Estimates and general information, not legal or financial advice.