Aggressive behaviour, sexual harassment and death threats are just some of the brutish tactics log-book lenders are using to intimidate customers, Citizens Advice has warned South Hams residents. The charity exposed the murky world of log-book loans as it discovered borrowers face high interest rates, ridiculous charging structures and bamboozling language. South Hams CAB manager Emma Handley said: 'The logbook industry is still in the dark ages and has been getting away with lawless practices. It is absolutely absurd that a firm should be able to take away someone's possessions without any due legal process. 'High interest rates and lack of affordability checks as well as threatening practices and phantom charges mean log-book loans are a toxic mix of the worst parts of pay-day loans and unruly bailiffs.' The bureau analysed 261 client cases about log-book loans which were reported between February 2011 and January 2014. New voluntary practices for the industry were introduced in 2011 but Citizens Advice evidence suggests this code of conduct is being flouted. One in five people had had their car repossessed despite not being the original borrower. As it stands, cars sold with a log-book loan against them can be repossessed by the lender even though the new owner did not take out the loan. The car had been sold with the loan still attached to it and the new owner was completely unaware as the loans don't have to be registered. Citizens Advice is pressing for this practice to be reversed and is calling on the Financial Conduct Authority and Government to require lenders to get a court order before they can take away someone's car and to stop repossessions of cars that have been sold on with loans. More information on log-book loans can be found on the Citizens Advice website, www. adviceguide.org.uk.