The true cost of moneylending

Sir, – While your Editorial about “The price of being poor” (June 12th) is very welcome, I suspect the idea that all money-lenders are subject to Central Bank, or any, regulation is a pipe dream. In my experience of people who have had to have recourse to this source of money, interest rates are far, far higher than your editorial suggests. Such loans definitely need to be more tightly controlled but in a manner that makes exorbitant interest a criminal offence with a significant penalty. Money lending and pimping are often bedfellows! – Yours, etc,

NICK STRONG,

The Village,

Newbridge,

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Co Kildare.