A diary of a debt adviser

National_Debtline

mfmaybe wrote: »

Very interesting diary.

On the site, I like the way it's very obvious that you need to switch between the Scottish site and England and Wales. It's rare that this happens at all, let alone be so clear.

Hello there,

It's interesting you mention that as we thought it wasn't clear enough - and were going to make further changes!

David.

mfmaybe

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hello there,

It's interesting you mention that as we thought it wasn't clear enough - and were going to make further changes!

David.

Well I clicked your link (which went to E&W) and saw the saltire pretty quickly. And I didn't think about it before I clicked so I certainly wasn't looking for it.

National_Debtline

mfmaybe wrote: »

Well I clicked your link (which went to E&W) and saw the saltire pretty quickly. And I didn't think about it before I clicked so I certainly wasn't looking for it.

That's great.

I think we're going to make a few tweaks on some of the other pages to make it clearer.

I must say, I much prefer the debt options for those in Scotland than I do in England. I wish we had Debt Arrangement Schemes available for those south of the border.

David.

National_Debtline

Debt Collection Agencies

Back when I was struggling to manage my debts, one of the scariest prospects for me was a visit from a debt collector. My various credit card companies had started sending me all sorts of threatening letters. Most were written with red ink and quoted various laws. All used the word ‘breach’. To say I was frightened was an understatement, especially since I still lived with my parents at the time.These days I speak to callers who are getting exactly the same letters and have exactly the same feelings I did back then. I can certainly empathise with the feeling of blind panic; it can be all-encompassing.

Debt collectors are not bailiffs.

At the time of my letters I had no idea that a debt collector had no further powers than the original lender. In fact, I had no idea that often they ARE the original lender– just with a different name on the letterhead. Even if a debt had been sold on, I had no idea that the new owner could only take the same action as the original lender. Many of the callers I speak to also believe that debt collectors have more powers than the original lender. Once it is made clear what the true position is there is often a great deal of relief. Of course, some debt collectors are still incredibly aggressive, and the letters that are sent are often worded in a very clever fashion. The devil’s in the detail. One thing I should also point out is that very few agencies would actually send someone to visit you. The general approach is usually to contact you by letter or telephone. If a debt collector was to visit they cannot try and get in to your property, or take anything.

I fully appreciate that there needs to be debt collectors, although I also believe that the industry needs tighter regulation. I hope that the Financial Conduct Authority will take tougher action against those firms that do not play by the rules or act in an overzealous fashion. Those struggling with unmanageable debts are often in a very vulnerable position. They can also be unwell, or under alot of stress. The last thing we need is pressure placed upon people where it is not needed. Every day I hear about cases where a caller has been harassed and there have been several high profile court cases involving harassment of those that owe money in recent times. In addition there are various guidelines that highlight how all creditors should, and should not, treat their customers. You can find out more via our harassment fact sheet:

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/03 EW Harassment by creditors and debt collectors/Default.aspx

As a whole, I feel that the industry has improved over the years although there is still along way to go. We work with a number of agencies that are keen to improve their processes and standards, this is really encouraging. Those being chased have access to more information than ever before too; this will hopefully provide them with the tools and knowledge to deal with these companies effectively.

How to deal with a debt collection agency?

The golden rule is to deal with the company in writing. There are a number of key reasons for this. The first is that you get to keep a copy of their responses. You may also find it easier to negotiate an affordable payment in writing as often those that you speak to on the telephone have targets and incentives to pull in as much money as they can. An offer of payment should generally be supported with a copy of your financial statement, which you can send with your letter. The statement will show that your offer is fair and reasonable. Occasionally you may find yourself being chased for a debt you don’t agree you owe; - a letter can ask that no further action is taken while the company investigates. A letter can also often prevent further action being taken through the courts

No more fear of the unknown

Once the powers of a debt collector become clear, it can often restore the balance and make negotiating an easier task. It’s never a nice feeling to be bombarded with calls and letters but that is often the extent of what a debt collector will do. Do seek further advice if you feel that you are being harassed as there are options that you can investigate. Some firms have realised that taking a softer approach actually gets a reasonable repayment arrangement agreed far quicker than by constant badgering. Long may it continue!

David

National_Debtline

Hey all,

It's been a busy couple of weeks here at NDL towers, so apologies for not updating my blog. Last week we had a visit from the inimitable (and MSE debt diary stalwart) Skintdad. Ricky spent a day with us listening in to calls coming in to both the National Debtline and the Business Debtline services. You can catch up with his blog, and read about his day, right here: http://skintdad.co.uk/2014/03/a-visit-to-the-national-debtline/

On Monday we posted about the calls we received in real time. One of the really interesting aspects of the job is that you will never what type of calls you'll get from day to day. It can be a real mixed bag. You can have a read here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4926654

Normal service is now resumed, we will be spending a lot of time answering queries within the MSE forum as well as answering queries from our telephone callers.

Hope you all have a great week!

David.

rizla_king

Will you be updating your templates and site soon to refer to the FCA rules instead of the OFT?

National_Debtline

rizla_king wrote: »

Will you be updating your templates and site soon to refer to the FCA rules instead of the OFT?

Hello there,

We're doing that right at this moment. In fact, there are a few more changes happening too. As of Sunday, there are significant changes to the law surrounding bailiff powers. Although the primary legislation is several years old, it has taken the Ministry of Justice a long time to implement and finalise much of the subordinate legislation. I understand that there are still some areas that haven't quite been finished.

There are further changes too, on the 22nd April many court fees are changing. In addition, there are significant administrative changes to the county court system.

As you can see, with so many changes happening it takes an awful lot of work to ensure that the information we hold is up-to-date, current and relevant. We have a hardworking team responsible for much of the behind-the-scenes work, they have worked their socks off over the last few weeks.

Of course we are certainly not infallible, so if you spot anything that needs addressing please feel free to bring to our attention. You're more than welcome to drop me a line at [EMAIL="socialmedia@nationaldebtline.co.uk"]socialmedia@nationaldebtline.co.uk[/EMAIL]

Best wishes,

David.

National_Debtline

rizla_king wrote: »

Will you be updating your templates and site soon to refer to the FCA rules instead of the OFT?

We've just finished the bailiff updates here and are now working on the FCA changes as we speak. We hope to get it finished by the close of play today.

Best wishes,

David.

rizla_king

Thanks.

fermi

Thanks both. Am updating various templates on here to match.