Debtor Harassment

milegajo

Can I get some opinions on this? youtube.com/watch?v=-052C38x8zc&feature=youtu.be supporting documentation can be found here mediafire.com/?zckfdmdxh5wzc

Here's a bit of background

My partner was receiving phone calls of higher volume and frequency than was perceived to be reasonable.
After accumulating and recording some of the instances I filed a complaint of Harassment at my local Policy Enforcement centre.
Police receptionist tried to fob me off the first and second time. Now, in the video, the Sergeant tries the same. Interesting as no-one asked for their judgement nor opinions as I state in the video.
Are they right?
Is 'harassment' merely a civil NOT criminal matter? My research says it is both, however the police require sufficient evidence if they are to act upon it. I believe I had sufficient evidence.

Do we have a right to know the names of the people employed by our government and are public servants? I believe yes.

Is it unreasonable to expect a written acknowledgement within 21 days?

The assumptions made such as "she must not have contacted them" were very vexing. I am considering a formal complaint but would appreciate the opinion and criticism of others.

Best wishes to all.

misssarahleigh

I mean this is the nicest possible way.

Mountain, Molehill?

My mothers car was petrol bombed at 5am in the morning outside our house and they only sent a PCSO four hours and 2 phones calls later.

The case was shut within 2 days and the PCSO's best efforts were spent telling my mother she had to move the car (5 times he nocked on our door to do this).

The police get some stick, but on this occasion I would have suggested had you come onto here with your original issue of harassment of getting the ombudsman involved, not police.

i don't deny your highlighting a some good points. BUT, think you may have gone a little OTT?

mo786uk

Yes harassment is a criminal matter but he Police usually deal with a different type (i.e physical) so not used to dealing with this kind of issue. There is a fine line between harassment and a debtor hyping things up in order to try and get out of a debt.

I thin kyour entire approach was wrong - using a camera, reading out the law, your tone of voice etc.

You sgould have gone for the kill straight away and asked how many phone calls and letters deems harassment and if anything you should have taken THAT piece of criminal law with you to read out.

Do we have the RIGHT to know employees names? Probably not but they should give it.
Written response? You would think they would prvide it as a matter of course.

arcon5

You haven't told us who the debts with? How much for? Have you discussed a payment plan with the collection agency? Is the debt one you acknowledge you owe or are you in any way disputing it? And a million more questions..

I've been chased by collection agencyes a number of times in the past during financial hardship and what I did find was their attitude related wholely with how you was dealing with the debt. If for example you acknowledge owing the money and try and agree on a reasonable plan for payment they are okay whereas if you refuse to make any payment and make it difficult they are pushy and intimidating.

Although I understand this is simply my experience and not that of others -- but reporting the collection agency to the police will not resolve the problem. Maybe approaching the financial ombudsmen if you can't agree on anything or go to a debt management company who will take over correspondance for you and negotiate payments.

But I do think your approach in the police station was excellent. You didn't go in getting angry or shouting your rights, you remained calm and persistent which probably got you a much better response.

mo786uk

arcon5 wrote: »

You didn't go in getting angry or shouting your rights, you remained calm and persistent which probably got you a much better response.

Those kind of smart !!!!!! tend to get a worse response in a way because they look liek they are trying to make the Police look stupid on camera. That then is likely to elicit a slightly different response from the Police.

maninthestreet

mo786uk wrote: »

Those kind of smart !!!!!! tend to get a worse response in a way because they look liek they are trying to make the Police look stupid on camera. That then is likely to elicit a slightly different response from the Police.

You've won today's prize for the most ignorant and uninformed post today.

mo786uk

maninthestreet wrote: »

You've won today's prize for the most ignorant and uninformed post today.

Rubbish.

I have seen many many videos online where people are being filmed doing their job and their attitude changes when they see they are being filmed.

The simple fact is, from the coppers point of view the Op had a specific purpose when he went armed with a video camera and the legislation. He quite clearly wanted to engineer the situation to a certain point - which is partly suceeding in doing I am not saying he wasn't necessarily right or wrong to do it) but to me its quite obvious the copper thought the Op was something of a PITA and no doubt they treated him differently because he had a camera.

Anyhow, if he didnt have the camera he may have gotten what he wanted on paper

The textbook MO of someone who wants to record somehting about the Polcie on video camera and put it onto youtube is to ask lots of questions and remain calm throughout - I think most coppers have come to realise this.