Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

[Amethyst]

News

Dispatches to air debt collection exposé - 10/07/2009

A Channel 4 Dispatches reporter has gone undercover in a debt collection agency for a programme that will air on 20 July, Credit Today has learned.

Presented by Jane Moore, Channel 4 said the programme reveals "some of the tactics deployed to get debtors to pay up, and talks to those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of this treatment". Earlier this year, Dispatches reporter Tom Randall got a job as a debt collector inside "one of the UK’s fastest growing agencies".

The programme is understood to also focus on the sale of debt portfolios. "Some of the biggest high street businesses are cutting their losses and selling on their bad debts to agencies for as little as sixteen pence in the pound," it said. "Agencies who buy up these debts are entitled to pursue debtors for the full amount. In this multi billion pound industry the stakes are high, and Dispatches reveals the lengths collectors will go to, to recover their debts."

Kurt Obermaier, executive director of the Credit Services Association, confirmed that a CSA member had made the trade body aware of the situation. He said the company had the correct policies in place for collections but individual employees appeared to have deviated from them. He was not able to reveal the identity of the agency.

Credit Today understands that allegations include collection professionals putting undue pressure on vulnerable debtors, making premature threats of bankruptcy and chasing third parties and statue barred debts.

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

That response is a very typical. Our targets are not to blame it is the deviancy of the employee that is at fault. Surely it is the processes in places and the targets/bonuses available that cause this in the first place. It is easier to sack a few people(bet the program makers will have a statement from the DCA to that effect) than deal with the corporate issue at the heart of it all.

[Curlyben]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Ooooooooooooo that should be interesting

[Luminol]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

One to watch I think, ill diary it! x

[Guest]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

Typical of them to blame rogue employees, rather than accept that the fish rots from the head down.

[thankyouindia]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

when you people going to realise that if you borrow money that some point you will, and should, pay it back. Grow up people. I feel sorry fro noth the employess and company that will no doubt be targetted by another trash tv expose.

[enaid]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

when you people going to realise that if you borrow money that some point you will, and should, pay it back. Grow up people. .

We know and accept that, we just don't want ripping off and putting in a worse position while trying to do so.
Enaid

[Curlyben]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

when you people going to realise that if you borrow money that some point you will, and should, pay it back. Grow up people. I feel sorry fro noth the employess and company that will no doubt be targetted by another trash tv expose.

Wonderful comments there, but have you ever had to deal with baseless and unlawful threats and harassment from these so called "professional" companies ?
Or are you one of the many commission based operators that takes great pleasure in misleading and generally haranguing members of the general public ??

Yes, there is a moral obligation to repay debts, but there are lawful ways of achieving that goal.

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

when you people going to realise that if you borrow money that some point you will, and should, pay it back. Grow up people. I feel sorry fro noth the employess and company that will no doubt be targetted by another trash tv expose.

I worked within financial services for 10 years and to be totally honest the types of things exposed are things sanctioned from above until they are exposed. The next thing that happened is that someone who may have earnt the companies thousands is sacked as being a bad employee and they are vilified by the same bosses who praised their "best practices" and gave them those bonuses.

[thankyouindia]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

just accept it you borrow it you repay it. If you can't or won't its theft.

Stop making excuses, there would be no harasment if you paid what you owe.

[Mochamoo]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

just accept it you borrow it you repay it. If you can't or won't its theft.

Stop making excuses, there would be no harasment if you paid what you owe.

Are you just here to be an arse or can we help you with something?

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

.................................................. ................................ EDITED

[Curlyben]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

[michael]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

If you can't or won't its theft.

.

Let's see if you can back up your assertion. Name one instance, yes just one, where a credit card debtor has been prosecuted for theft

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Dispatches to air debt collection exposé

just accept it you borrow it you repay it. If you can't or won't its theft.(unfortunately its not called theft if the agreement is unenforceable, it's called a gift in law)

Stop making excuses, there would be no harasment if you paid what you owe.

"in the case of Wilson v First County Trust Ltd [2001] 3 All ER 229, Sir Andrew Morritt said:

26 The recognition that there is nothing in the 1974 Act which prevents an improperly executed regulated agreement from giving rise to contractual rights, nor which prevents the right to possess goods pawned as security passing on delivery of the goods, provides the answer, as it seems to us, to the principal argument advanced on behalf of the Secretary of State in support of his submission that there is nothing in s 127(3) of the 1974 Act which is incompatible with convention rights. It was said, in effect, in relation to art 1 of the First Protocol, that, where there was no document signed by the debtor--or where the document signed by the debtor did not contain all the prescribed terms of the agreement--neither the agreement, nor the delivery of the pawn, conferred any enforceable rights on the creditor. So, in the present case, the creditor had no relevant 'possessions' to the peaceful enjoyment of which it was entitled, or of which it was deprived by s 127(3) of the 1974 Act. In effect, the creditor--by failing to ensure that he obtained a document signed by the debtor which contained all the prescribed terms--must (in the light of the provisions in ss65(1) and 127(3) of the 1974 Act) be taken to have made a voluntary disposition, or gift, of the loan moneys to the debtor. The creditor had chosen to part with the moneys in circumstances in which it was never entitled to have them repaid; so there is nothing to engage the rights guaranteed by art 1 of the First Protocol. Nor, on that analysis, does the creditor have any civil rights in respect of which it is entitled to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal. Article 6 of the convention is not in point."