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can a dca do this..calling neightbours to find out who we are!. it isnt even our dabt
brians_daughter
Posts: 2,148 Forumite
hi, on thursday we had a letter froma DCA, plain white envelope, no mention if dca on there. i dont tend to check teh names on the envelopes as me and oh live here and whoever gets the mail tends to open it!
I opened it and it was for someone who had never lived at the address (we have lived here 2 yrs and purchased of family friend who lived here from new build so we know they never lived here)
I dutifully called the dca to say you have made a mistake this person doesnt live here, the guy on the phone starts relaying number palte registrations to me asking are these our cars 'then they can take off their database' i said 2 of the 3 where and the description of the other car sounded like a family friends who is at our house frequently.
He asked me had we heard of this person who debt was about i said no, as we havent!! Put the phone down and thought that was the last of that!
Anyway he calls me back, obviously he had noted down the number from when i originally called telling me that the car description i said was a family friends was the car of the person they where chasing and was i sure i want them?!?!? i assured him i knew mine and partners name ... he again apologised and said that would be the end of it, but one last request how long had we lived at the property, i stated we purchased over 2 years ago.
2 hours later he calls back and says they have contacted neighbours in the street who say we have lived there less than 12 months... yes we have we purchased a wreck over 2 years ago and spent 18 months doing it up!! I asked him what did he mean he had contacted neighbours! He said he had called on behalf of x debt collections and was trying to gain info. he asked them re us, how long we have lived there, our cars and did they know our names!!!
He is stating the dca did nothing wrong... but we dont know any of the neighbours to the extent that we would know surnames etc and now some of the neighbours will not even acknowledge us... obviously they think we are in debt and are inconvenienced that someone has called them to enquire about us!!
can a dca do this???? surely by stating they are calling from a dca regarding our property and car registrations is bad news, even if they do not mention our names??
Maybe i have a bee in my bonnet over nothing but it is a small community and people talk.... i certinally dont want it going round teh local pub/post office whatever that dca have been calling ppl about us!!
advice please?
I opened it and it was for someone who had never lived at the address (we have lived here 2 yrs and purchased of family friend who lived here from new build so we know they never lived here)
I dutifully called the dca to say you have made a mistake this person doesnt live here, the guy on the phone starts relaying number palte registrations to me asking are these our cars 'then they can take off their database' i said 2 of the 3 where and the description of the other car sounded like a family friends who is at our house frequently.
He asked me had we heard of this person who debt was about i said no, as we havent!! Put the phone down and thought that was the last of that!
Anyway he calls me back, obviously he had noted down the number from when i originally called telling me that the car description i said was a family friends was the car of the person they where chasing and was i sure i want them?!?!? i assured him i knew mine and partners name ... he again apologised and said that would be the end of it, but one last request how long had we lived at the property, i stated we purchased over 2 years ago.
2 hours later he calls back and says they have contacted neighbours in the street who say we have lived there less than 12 months... yes we have we purchased a wreck over 2 years ago and spent 18 months doing it up!! I asked him what did he mean he had contacted neighbours! He said he had called on behalf of x debt collections and was trying to gain info. he asked them re us, how long we have lived there, our cars and did they know our names!!!
He is stating the dca did nothing wrong... but we dont know any of the neighbours to the extent that we would know surnames etc and now some of the neighbours will not even acknowledge us... obviously they think we are in debt and are inconvenienced that someone has called them to enquire about us!!
can a dca do this???? surely by stating they are calling from a dca regarding our property and car registrations is bad news, even if they do not mention our names??
Maybe i have a bee in my bonnet over nothing but it is a small community and people talk.... i certinally dont want it going round teh local pub/post office whatever that dca have been calling ppl about us!!
advice please?
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Comments
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Didnt want to read and run, but that is disgusting!!! He should of checked the electoral roll and that would of confirmed it for him, how dare he start asking private questions about you and your life making you look bad when it isnt even your debt, strong letter of complaint IMO!!!!!!LBM MAY 2009 :T
Doing my own DMP with help and encouragement from EUPHO
:D0 -
Click here for Martins (MSE) advice on who to contact with Debt Issues - YOU HAVE NO REASON TO USE A FEE PAYING DEBT MANAGEMENT COMPANY- THEY CANNOT DO ANYMORE FOR YOU THAN THOSE LISTED IN MY LINK ABOVE.
All information given by myself is offered informally and without prejudice - if in doubt seek help from a qualified and insured professional0 -
Didnt want to read and run, but that is disgusting!!! He should of checked the electoral roll and that would of confirmed it for him, how dare he start asking private questions about you and your life making you look bad when it isnt even your debt, strong letter of complaint IMO!!!!!!
Thanks, i have emailed a complaint in but expect no response. I just cant believe they are able to do this legally as they say they are 'because they didnt mention us by name' they cant see what our problem is... well, introducing yourself from a dca enquiring about your neighbours and car registrations etc is enough in my mind for them(neighbours) to think the debt is ours. This morning 2 ppl in the street have failed to respond to my 'good mornings' coincidence..maybe.. but i doubt it0 -
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Make a formal complaint to the company, send copies to OFT / ICO, let the company know you've registered a complaint with those agencies above.Click here for Martins (MSE) advice on who to contact with Debt Issues - YOU HAVE NO REASON TO USE A FEE PAYING DEBT MANAGEMENT COMPANY- THEY CANNOT DO ANYMORE FOR YOU THAN THOSE LISTED IN MY LINK ABOVE.
All information given by myself is offered informally and without prejudice - if in doubt seek help from a qualified and insured professional0 -
Make a formal complaint to the company, send copies to OFT / ICO, let the company know you've registered a complaint with those agencies above.
Done, i have simply re-sent my original email complaint and stated on there the fact that i have spoken with the companies mentioned and await a response... i hope that this would suffice?0 -
It doesn't help you at all, but the moral of the story is don't try and be 'helpful' to DCA's.Starting Debt: ~£20,000 01/01/2009. DFD: 20/11/2009 :j
Do something amazing. GIVE BLOOD.0 -
it was more to ensure that i didnt get the door step collectors that they where threatening not to be helpful!0
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Don't trust an email when making a formal complaint, one never knows where it ends up (India for example) you must put your complaint in writing.brians_daughter wrote: »Done, i have simply re-sent my original email complaint and stated on there the fact that i have spoken with the companies mentioned and await a response...Click here for Martins (MSE) advice on who to contact with Debt Issues - YOU HAVE NO REASON TO USE A FEE PAYING DEBT MANAGEMENT COMPANY- THEY CANNOT DO ANYMORE FOR YOU THAN THOSE LISTED IN MY LINK ABOVE.
All information given by myself is offered informally and without prejudice - if in doubt seek help from a qualified and insured professional0 -
But that's when the fun begins!Starting Debt: ~£20,000 01/01/2009. DFD: 20/11/2009 :j
Do something amazing. GIVE BLOOD.0
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