Refusal to remove my telephone number from their system.

SinkingFast

Hello everyone

I recently had cause to write to First Plus using a template letter from this site removing my permission for them to use my phone numbers for communication.

They have replied saying that they will suspend phone calls at this time but they are not obliged to remove our telephone number from their system as per the agreement we signed when we originally took the loan out with them.

I would have thought that the removal of my permission to process my home number would supercede any agreement that I previously signed to.

Are they able to do this and if not how should I proceed? If they are able to do this then ho hum!

fluffnutter

Why are they contacting you? Do you owe them money?

Marcusp

Send them an invoice for your time answering the phone

Equaliser123

Marcusp wrote: »

Send them an invoice for your time answering the phone

Yeah right. Because that will work....

Marcusp

If you don't put a stamp on the envelope it will cost them.

And if they don't accept the letter then they will wonder for the rest of their lives if someone could just afford their instalment but did not have a stamp?

dori2o

No matter what they are telephoning about, no matter if you owe them money, you have a right to live in peace and not be harrassed.

The contract you signed means nothing in terms of your telephone number, there is no right in law for them to retain your number, for any reason.

Next time they call remind them that you have already asked (in writing with proof of receipt) for this number to be removed and ask them to remove it again.

If they refuse, or continue to ring, advise them that they are in breach of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, and the Protection from harrasment Act 1997.

Log every phone call in future and confirm that the call is recorded and logged at their end, make a note of the time and date, do not confirm your name or any other personal details.

Send this information to OFCOM, Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading.

They are also in breach of Section 127 of the Communications Act and as such can be hit with a hefty fine by OFCOM.

RadoJo

But if they have agreed to stop calling you, does it really matter if they keep your number for their records?

SinkingFast

Fluffnutter - yes, we owe them £50k as a secured loan on our property.

Dorio2o - thank you, will follow up with that advice.

Radojo - If they do not intend to use my number then they have no need to keep it on their system. I am sure we all value our privacy and I value mine and to invoke the right to have personal information removed from their system if it is my right in the first place.

Thank you all for your responses.

RadoJo

I appreciate what you're saying, but at the same time, I can see why they would want to retain your phone number for their records, even if they don't intend to call you again. I would imagine that they would keep such information so that if you contacted them they would be able to access your records to return your call etc and if they are true to their word about not calling you any more, then the effect to you (in terms of privacy) would be the same as them not having it.

SinkingFast

We are talking about First Plus here - not the most scrupulous of companies.

If I am entitled to ask them to remove my number from their system then I would feel happier if they did that. They have my address, I don't intend on ringing them and always communicate by letter so realistically they don't need my number.

I guess I could just change it and go Ex-directory. Maybe the easier solution!

Equaliser123

Marcusp wrote: »

And if they don't accept the letter then they will wonder for the rest of their lives if someone could just afford their instalment but did not have a stamp?

Are you really serious?