Phone Call Harassment

Jetslick

Hi, everyone. Got a quick query regarding the harassment received by debt collectors (in particular phone calls).

It's likely I'm going to receive an official LBC/claim soon (just received the 16 day chase letter) for a private parking fine (Britannia Parking), so I'm starting to wise up for my defense. I've got past the main annoying Debt Recovery stage but now being harassed by the parking firm's legal representatives on the phone (as well as their letters). Is this potential legal grounds for a counter-argument against unnecessary stress and harassment? I know I can block numbers but I want to keep a log as evidence of potential harassment. I have not yet picked up the phone (as I don't want them having my phone number for this very reason) but have identified their number online.

I am also hearing impaired, so using a telephone for unexpected/unwanted phone calls is a further nuisance and not something I am comfortable with. If I notify by email that I am deaf and wish for no further communication by telephone (but instead suggest letter/email as the sole means of communication) yet they continue to call me (with the number being verified), do I have grounds to argue against them in court for harassment or potential disability discrimination? Would this not fall under the Equality Act 2010 as discriminating against a disability if they were to ignore my requests to not call me as I am deaf? Nevermind the fact that it is also extremely infuriating to receive such calls at work.

beamerguy

Assume it's BWLegal ???? Harassment is the name of their game

READ THIS
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5672664

Jetslick

beamerguy wrote: »

Assume it's BWLegal ???? Harassment is the name of their game

READ THIS[link]

Yep. I didn't pick up so cannot confirm for definite, but the phone number was '+441134870430', which reportedly belongs to BW Legal. So they are the shameful culprit.

In the meantime, will have a look through that thread. Thank you. But on that note, it's annoying that as a new user I cannot even quote a reply that contains a link and have to edit it out.

beamerguy

Jetslick wrote: »

Yep. I didn't pick up so cannot confirm for definite, but the phone number was '+441134870430', which reportedly belongs to BW Legal. So they are the shameful culprit.

In the meantime, will have a look through that thread. Thank you. But on that note, it's annoying that as a new user I cannot even quote a reply that contains a link and have to edit it out.

I think you can post a link after a dozen posts, it's done to stop spam artists popping in and out

The_Deep

Is not harassment by telephone over a debt that is in dispute worthy of a complaint to the SRA?

http://www.sra.org.uk/home/home.page

Jetslick

So I'm lodging a complaint to ICO about BW Legal. In the report forms I learnt about TPS (Telephone Preference Service). Check their website for more details but a good summary is below:

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a free service. It is the official central opt out register on which you can record your preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls. It is a legal requirement that all organisations (including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties) do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so.

Anyone had any experience with TPS? Furthermore, would this work with debt collectors and their unsolicited calls?

Redx

TPS definitely works with most of the UK sales and marketing calls, but not if they are from abroad etc, plus I am not certain that it would stop debt collectors or solicitors from calling you, but it does cut down on the rubbish

complaining to the DPO at these solicitors and debt collectors and opting OUT of any telephone calls and only allowing letters by mail may be a good starter before going down any harrassment route

I always opt OUT of any phone calls as far as possible, even if I give out my number to say a bank I am with etc

so do the TPS enrolment , complain to the DPO at the debt collectors and to B W LEGAL and insist that only postal mail is used, nothing else , so no texts and no phone calls

and complain to the SRA as well about B W LEGAL, regardless of anything else , because frankly I am not sure what they think gives them the right to make these phone calls, as you dont have an account with them and have not opted IN to being called by telephone anyway