This data comes from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and reflects consumer complaints, not proven violations.

CFPB complaint data Grade F 88 complaints

Essential Lending Inc - Debt Collector Complaint Profile

CFPB complaint profile across 14 states, reputation grade F.

Complaints by issue type

What consumers report about Essential Lending Inc

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

Data updated July 2026

F

Grade F · 50.7/100 composite

This collector has a failing complaint record with very high complaint volumes and poor response rates.

Based on consumer-filed CFPB complaints, not proven violations or a court finding of wrongdoing.

The verdict

A reputation grade of F: Essential Lending Inc ranks ahead of 16% of the 5,283 collectors PlainCollector grades - 84% keep a cleaner CFPB record, on 88 all-time complaints and a 87% timely-response rate.

16th pct
reputation rank of 5,283 graded collectors
88
CFPB complaints, all-time
87%
answered inside the CFPB window
56
in the last 12 months (rising)

Grades are relative: every collector is ranked against the others, so an A reflects a cleaner record than peers, not a clean bill of conduct. A complaint is a consumer filing, not a proven violation.

What do CFPB complaints reveal about Essential Lending Inc?

Essential Lending Inc has accumulated 88 total CFPB complaints across 14 states, with 56 filed in the most recent 12 months against 32 historical complaints before that window. The trailing-12-month volume represents 63.6% of the full complaint history, a rising pattern that suggests escalating consumer friction rather than a legacy book of disputes.

The dominant consumer grievance logged with the CFPB is "Took or threatened to take negative or legal action", narrowing to "Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged". The company posts a 87% timely-response rate.

Complaints have been recorded across 14 states, led by Texas with 60 and South Carolina with 7. Normalized against the full CFPB collector database, the reputation score of 50.7/100 places Essential Lending Inc in grade band F.

How to read a complaint count →

Complaint Summary

Total CFPB complaints

88

low-volume (CCDB)

Last 12 months

56

63.6% of all-time complaints

Rising ↑

States active

14

regional footprint

Timely response rate

87%

acceptable band

Reputation grade

F

50.7/100 composite

How does Essential Lending Inc's reputation rank nationally?

Reputation score vs. every graded collector

PlainCollector composite reputation score (0–100, higher = cleaner CFPB record)

51 Bottom 16% higher than 16% of 5,283 graded collectors

0–10: 0 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 29 graded collectors (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 160 graded collectors (3%). Below this entry. 40–50: 583 graded collectors (11%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,469 graded collectors (28%). This entry sits in this band. 60–70: 1,364 graded collectors (26%). Above this entry. 70–80: 871 graded collectors (16%). Above this entry. 80–90: 660 graded collectors (12%). Above this entry. 90–100: 144 graded collectors (3%). Above this entry. This collector 0 100 every graded collector, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more graded collectors. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCollector composite of CFPB Consumer Complaint Database · 2013–2026

Response-quality profile

Essential Lending Inc versus the debt-collection vertical average.

Timely response within SLA 87.1%
Vertical avg

CFPB requires companies to respond within 15 days for most complaints; 60 days for credit-reporting.

State coverage breadth 25.0%

Share of US states + territories with at least one filed complaint against this collector.

How does Essential Lending Inc compare to its peers?

How does Essential Lending Inc compare? Versus a similar-volume peer and the national average, drawn from 10 collectors with a comparable complaint count
Essential Lending Inc National average
Complaints (last 12 mo)lower is better
56
0
268
Timely-response ratehigher is better
87%
78%
91%
Consumer-dispute ratelower is better
0%
7%
19%

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.

Complaint Trend (24 months)

2024-01 2026-03

Issue Detail Breakdown

Issue Sub-Issue Complaints
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action - 42
Attempts to collect debt not owed - 24
False statements or representation - 10
Communication tactics - 7
Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly - 3
Written notification about debt - 2

Where do complaints against Essential Lending Inc come from?

Essential Lending Inc's own per-state count, not a national baseline.

Top states by complaints against Essential Lending Inc

Across 14 states with at least one filing

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

What to do if Essential Lending Inc contacts you

A grade of F signals how Essential Lending Inc's CFPB record compares to peers, here is how to act on it.

  • Demand written debt validation within 30 days of first contact, collectors must prove the debt is yours. Validation letter
  • Confirm the caller is really Essential Lending Inc and not an impostor before paying anything. Verify a collector
  • Know your FDCPA rights, you can stop calls and report harassment. Your rights
  • See how Essential Lending Inc ranks against every other collector by complaint record. Browse rankings

Complaint counts and grades reflect the public CFPB record, not a regulator's finding of wrongdoing or legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common complaint against Essential Lending Inc? ▼

The most common issue consumers report about Essential Lending Inc is "Took or threatened to take negative or legal action", specifically "Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged". This is based on 88 complaints filed with the CFPB.

Are complaints against Essential Lending Inc increasing or decreasing? ▼

Complaints against Essential Lending Inc are rising. The company received 56 complaints in the last 12 months, indicating an upward trend in consumer issues.

What is Essential Lending Inc's reputation grade? ▼

Essential Lending Inc has a reputation grade of F (score: 50.7/100), PlainCollector's composite letter grade blending complaint volume, response timeliness, dispute rate, and complaint trend.

Does Essential Lending Inc respond to consumer complaints? ▼

Essential Lending Inc has a 87% timely response rate to CFPB complaints.

In how many states does Essential Lending Inc operate? ▼

Essential Lending Inc has received CFPB complaints from consumers in 14 states, with the most complaints from Texas (60 complaints).

Data sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCollector Editorial

Every figure on PlainCollector is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.