How to cost DCAs dearly

FTW

"This also breaches quite a few laws as well." - Such as?

"Isn't it better to find solid legal ways to stand your ground" - It is. This thread is about costing DCAs both time and money, and enjoying yourself by irritating an industry notorious for self-seriousness.

"I'm sure if you were in court against a DCA and they produced the brick you sent them in the post, to the judge during the hearing, it would not bode well for you." - Who says that the DCA will ever know which particular person has sent a brick, or that the person who sent it will be daft enough to put his name and address on it? Besides, there's no law against sending bricks in the post.

"Once DCA has got you angry and doing stupid things they have the upper hand." - Depends what you mean by 'stupid things'.

"Debt is stupid enough . We allowed someone the upper hand. It is our fault and we should learn." - Everyone's permanently in debt for something, so what you're saying there is that everyone is stupid.

"I want to eat baked beans and live unfetted and free, not be angry
and play someones manipulative games for the rest of my active life." - I never liked baked beans. I'm too health conscious to eat them.

"A DCA is like a cancer." - True.

"It is part of the debtor." - Is it?

"They are constructed from our actions decisions and debts." - Unless the debt is legally unenforceable, made up of trumped-up charges, or if the named person doesn't actually owe it at all, among other possibilities.

"We are responsible for their existence as a much as a smoker is for his or her damaged cells." - Debatable.

"Like the way a patient learns to love and forgive a cancer." - Hardly. I had to watch several people die off from cancer, and their last priority was loving and forgiving cancer.

"Slightly weird reply?- which is the most effective strategy- calm understanding approach to people with greed gnawing them inside out, ( they can't help it until they learn not to be like this ) or sending them sand in the post which they can produce as evidence against you and they can laugh about as they drive back from that court in the 40 grand car you are helping pay for?" - A calm, understanding approach is fine. No-one says otherwise. Also, what laws exist regarding sending bricks or sand in the post? Sugar coated doughnuts? Well, that may be different...

hullight

When you consider how much post these companies send, and how much they must receive, I don't think being sent one brick is going to bother them.

If I got one I would use it as a nice funky doorstop or something (how very MSE!:j)

I'm glad that when you are wasting time in the post office sending a brick, holding up genuine users in the process, you feel that you have made a difference. :T

Hannah_10

If they would treat the people in finacial difficulties like people in the first place then they wouldn't be so hated and loathed, but when people are dealing with outright sadism from these companies several times a day then of course people are going to become hateful and spiteful towards them.

I remember one particularly harrowing phone call years ago in which the sadistic b*tch on the other end of the line (there is no other adjective accurate enough) saying to me "yeah yeah they all say that", "I've heard it all before", "you can't prove it", that old classic "people like you make me sick" and "I don't care" in a 4 minute ranted monologue. I had just told her I'd lost a child. I only mentioned it at all because I was asked if there was some reason I wasn't out working that day and so I simply answered it truthfully, that I had taken a couple of weeks off because of the loss. I wish I'd just said "none of your f*cking business", but being a nice person I did not. Being a nice person just makes you easier to abuse. Thus did the sadism continue, phone call after phone call, threatening letter after threatening letter.

That debt is now 5 years old, totally unpaid. I couldn't bear the sadism anymore and retreated from it. One massive nervous breakdown and three psychiatric inpatient stays later I still haven't contacted anyone about the debt or responded to any letters. Would I have totally fallen apart had I not been hounded night and day with insult after insult? Who knows. I'd have spent a hell of a lot less time curled in a ball on the hallway floor screaming in tears after finally hanging up though, that's a certainty.

Funnily enough I've got the same DCA on my case now for another debt and I'm just on MSE now taking a break from working on my first OFT complaint this afternoon! I say my first- they'll get no lenience from me. Every rule they break will be reported. In separate complaints to cost them even more. (Will bear that pay by credit card one in mind too).

Anyone know what an OFT complaint costs the DCA? I have some hazy idea it's £500 but I can't think where I got that from so I could be miles out. Anyhow I expect it's way more than a posted brick and a lot less unusual, if you really want to hit them in the pocket simply write and tell the OFT what made you hate them. Each upheld complaint to the OFT is billed to the DCA, I'm not sure about the complaints they don't uphold but here's hoping.

FTW

"When you consider how much post these companies send, and how much they must receive, I don't think being sent one brick is going to bother them." - It would bother them if they had to pay to get it. Collection agencies absolutely hate spending money, and that includes paying the people who work for them.

"If I got one I would use it as a nice funky doorstop or something (how very MSE!:j)" - They leave too much dust on the floor.

"I'm glad that when you are wasting time in the post office sending a brick, holding up genuine users in the process, you feel that you have made a difference. :T" - What do you mean 'genuine users'? The Post Office get paid to deliver post, so even with bricks in the post, it's still mail like anything else. Besides, most (if not all) DCAs have their mail delivered via business service pre-10am, so the general consumer is totally unaffected.

Marisco

FTW, if you varnish the brick first it leaves no dust;)

FTW

Hannah_10 wrote: »

If they would treat the people in finacial difficulties like people in the first place then they wouldn't be so hated and loathed, but when people are dealing with outright sadism from these companies several times a day then of course people are going to become hateful and spiteful towards them.

I remember one particularly harrowing phone call years ago in which the sadistic b*tch on the other end of the line (there is no other adjective accurate enough) saying to me "yeah yeah they all say that", "I've heard it all before", "you can't prove it", that old classic "people like you make me sick" and "I don't care" in a 4 minute ranted monologue. I had just told her I'd lost a child. I only mentioned it at all because I was asked if there was some reason I wasn't out working that day and so I simply answered it truthfully, that I had taken a couple of weeks off because of the loss. I wish I'd just said "none of your f*cking business", but being a nice person I did not. Being a nice person just makes you easier to abuse. Thus did the sadism continue, phone call after phone call, threatening letter after threatening letter.

That debt is now 5 years old, totally unpaid. I couldn't bear the sadism anymore and retreated from it. One massive nervous breakdown and three psychiatric inpatient stays later I still haven't contacted anyone about the debt or responded to any letters. Would I have totally fallen apart had I not been hounded night and day with insult after insult? Who knows. I'd have spent a hell of a lot less time curled in a ball on the hallway floor screaming in tears after finally hanging up though, that's a certainty.

Funnily enough I've got the same DCA on my case now for another debt and I'm just on MSE now taking a break from working on my first OFT complaint this afternoon! I say my first- they'll get no lenience from me. Every rule they break will be reported. In separate complaints to cost them even more. (Will bear that pay by credit card one in mind too).

Anyone know what an OFT complaint costs the DCA? I have some hazy idea it's £500 but I can't think where I got that from so I could be miles out. Anyhow I expect it's way more than a posted brick and a lot less unusual, if you really want to hit them in the pocket simply write and tell the OFT what made you hate them. Each upheld complaint to the OFT is billed to the DCA, I'm not sure about the complaints they don't uphold but here's hoping.

A great post - and a perfect example of why such companies should be treated with absolute contempt.

But in answer to your question about the OFT, the OFT will not take on or investigate individual companies as such.

However, the complaint is held and used to review whether that company is appropriate to continue holding its Consumer Credit Licence.

Enough complaints, and enough serious complaints, and the OFT may refuse that company to be allowed to trade.

Last year, three of the bigger DCA companies (Link Financial, First Credit and MacKenzie Hall) received OFT warnings for their dubious business practices.

If these companies are found to continue what the OFT have wanred them for, the OFT can either fine them a substantial sum, or refuse to renew their licence.

It's the Financial Ombudsman Service who charges £500 to investigate complaints, and yes, they can look into DCAs as well.

FTW

Marisco wrote: »

FTW, if you varnish the brick first it leaves no dust;)

But it's easily tripped over. Ask Father Ted.

Hannah_10

FTW wrote: »

It's the Financial Ombudsman Service who charges £500 to investigate complaints, and yes, they can look into DCAs as well.

Good to know, how would one find out what the FOS's guidelines are? I wouldn't like to think there had been any secretive non-compliance from the DCA. After all non-compliance is very naughty (the lady at the DCA said so). :A

WRINKLES

hullight wrote: »

When you consider how much post these companies send, and how much they must receive, I don't think being sent one brick is going to bother them.

If I got one I would use it as a nice funky doorstop or something (how very MSE!:j)

I'm glad that when you are wasting time in the post office sending a brick, holding up genuine users in the process, you feel that you have made a difference. :T

As you are or were a DCA by your own admission , you probably have lotts of bricks and bags of sand , perhaps we should all now send bags of cement , you could build a great big kennel to keep the rotwielers in , now that would make a difference.:D:eek:

FTW

Hannah_10 - Referring to the Financial Ombudsman site or sending them an email direct (which you can get from their site) is the best way to answer any questions you may have.

Even if the FOS take the side of the company over yours, it still costs the company.