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Underhanded Tactics?

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Hi...

This is my first post, and i have to say its a very negative one. I have a credit card debt (lloyds TSB) which is handled by a collection agency. There is an arrangement in place of £5 pcm toward the debt which for the past 3 months hasn't been made because i've been in hospital with a broken leg!

The collection agency during those 3 months have bombarded me with letters about it, to which my wife has tried to deal with but because the debt is mine they won't entertain her. They have also tried to contact me by telephone on numerous occasions but the telephone number on their file is for my parents and they have been told on more than one occasion that i no longer live at their address and the phone number isn't mine. They've even had this in writing, but they still phone my parents.

The final straw came on Friday when my parents got back from holiday to find the collection agency had left a message on their answerphone about the debt and subsequent action if i didn't pay off the balance in 14 days and that instalments were no longer an option blah blah blah...

I've brought my instalments up to date, but i'm angry about the way the collection agency have contacted my parents and caused them distress over something that has nothing to do with them.

Any advice?

Comments

  • stustu92
    stustu92 Posts: 92 Forumite
    In this case depending on how many calls the parents are getting i would be tempted to inform the police. Or maybe just tell the collection agency that you will be contacting the police in regard to their harrassment of the parents.

    In any case i would contact the national debtline to ask for their advice.

    Irrespective of what you owe, you and your family shouldn't have to suffer harrassment over debt. Especially when you have already agreed a payment scheme.

    Did you keep a copy of the letter you sent about you not living with your parents? You should keep copies of all correspondance. If you did keep a copy, write back to them enclosing another copy of the original letter and ask for them to write back confirming reciept of the original letter and confirmation of removal of inaccurate information from your file with them.
    I like to save the money...
  • lush_walrus
    lush_walrus Posts: 1,975 Forumite
    I agree with above, but the only point I would make is that you should make it very clear if you are going to miss a payment for whatever reason. From their perspective, as part of their job they have to chase many people who try to avoid paying for their debt.

    Although, this isnt the case with you as clearly you was not able to make the payments, but you may have been able to put a stop to them harrassing your parents and not listening to your wife, by calling them while you were in hospital.

    Although a bit of a bore it may have made the situation clear enough to enable them to leave your family alone and wait for you to make a catch up payment.
  • They have broken the data protection act! They are only allowed to speak to you and you only.
    They are not allowed to divulge information to anyone else apart from you?
    By leaving a message on your parents phone about the debt? they have broken the data protection act and can be prosecuted.
    They can only leave a message and ask you to get in touch as soon as posssible, they cannot phone your parents becouse its illegal and its harrasment.
    The debt is yours and not your parents, they have no right to phone them? or to speak to them?
    Tell them your parents now know about your debt? and also they have broken the data protection act by informing your parents about your debt that was private and confidential
    Its like me ringing up the collection agents and asking them how much you owe? they wont tell me becouse under the data protection act? they are not allowed.
    But they have done that to your parents?????
    I'm not poor i'm just skint
  • They have broken the data protection act! They are only allowed to speak to you and you only.
    They are not allowed to divulge information to anyone else apart from you?
    By leaving a message on your parents phone about the debt? they have broken the data protection act and can be prosecuted.
    They can only leave a message and ask you to get in touch as soon as posssible, they cannot phone your parents becouse its illegal and its harrasment.
    The debt is yours and not your parents, they have no right to phone them? or to speak to them?
    Tell them your parents now know about your debt? and also they have broken the data protection act by informing your parents about your debt that was private and confidential
    Its like me ringing up the collection agents and asking them how much you owe? they wont tell me becouse under the data protection act? they are not allowed.
    But they have done that to your parents?????

    That is exactly right! And it's why i'm really angry about the way they have gone about this. I'm not hiding from my debt and i'm paying it as best i can under the circumstances i am in, but to do something like this was way below the belt.

    I mean it could have been ANYBODY's answerphone, not necessarily my parents and the agency gave out everything about the debt. They mentioned the payment, the amount owed, the creditor, called me by name and their legal position should payment not be forthcoming among other things. :mad:
  • James240
    James240 Posts: 16,391 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    wow that is bad vagabond. is there any sort of governing body that u cant report this to? I would save the message on the answerphone just incase its needed as i must admit i wouldnt like my parents finding out whether or not i had Debts. That would so definatley !!!!!! me off i must admit!
    :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
    Savings Total so far for 2023: £8,062.58
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