Harassment - Always complain it is worthwhile!!

Mr._OCaz

Now i come across lots of cases of people who are having to deal with harassment from creditors. Obviously some people learn to deal with it when offering reduced payments to creditors by just hanging up the phone and no longer allowing it to get on top of them.

Though in the early stages when you find yourself struggling, it will always get to you when your unsure of the collection process and what they can and can't do. Not knowing that their bark is actually worse than their bite and that is why they contact you so much!!

Though if you find you are having to deal with harassment from creditors

You must remember creditors may remind you to bring your payments up to date (so are actually allowed to contact you and is not seen as harassment) but they are not allowed to cause you alarm, distress or humiliation. For example, they must not:

* phone you late at night
* keep phoning you at home or at work
* park a vehicle marked 'debt collectors' outside your home
* contact your employer or place of study.

If this is happening you must complain it is worth it!!

Now if you complain to Office of Fair Trading they simply log the complaint, and nothing further will really happen.

Best thing to do is to get in touch with you local Trading Standards Deparment of yout council area, the number can be found here -

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

Entering your postcode.


Now as i am sure you can gather your one complaint is not going to shake the earth but each complaint is dealt with and each regional office in the UK for trading standards deals with specific creditors, so if for instance they get 10 or more complaints in one week for say MBNA or GE Capital then they will considering looking into it further and investigating if they are breaching guidelines set out by the OFT.

So do make a complaint if you feel you are been harassed by creditors, and it will make a difference if everyone who is suffering from it complains!!

davek1

Thanks OCaz

i agree. it's not about not wanting to pay debts its about keeping some dignity and not being humiliated by these people. i have to say that not all collectors are the same some have been pretty helpful especially once you mention Payplan.


Dave

Mr._OCaz

It depends too who you get on the phone as well. I used to work in collections many moons ago though i am away from the darkside now - LOL! So don't worry!

I can honestly say i was never funny or nasty with people because why bother? Its not my money. Though some people i worked with acted like it was their money!!

What you need to bear in mind is when it gets passed onto a collection agency they are normally on commision, so that in itself answers its own question. I hope people do complain, because with the rising debt in the UK impacting the creditors already huge profits they make (What a joke) they are treading a very thin line in regards to how they go about collecting money and the bullying tactics they use.

So don't stand for it and make your voice heard!