their sister company are Credit Solutions Limited. I have already complained to them about the cards and they say they are legal as they show no personal data. they merely send it to see if your actually at that address. Best just bin it and ignore it

No its just a fright tactic. Ignore it and write to them and tell them you will only deal by written correspondance.

I have typed up the following letter: any advice would be appreciated on any changes I should make to it. Name and address details 24 January 2008 Ref Number Dear Sir/Madam I am writing in reference to the debt you have been employed to collect from me on behalf of your clients (name of client). I am unfortunately in receipt of benefits. I have enclosed this letter and included a letter from the benefits agency as proof of my income. I would also like to point out to you the following facts. When you sent me an appointment card through Power 2 Contact I believe you may have been in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998. I have requested clarification of this from the Information Commissioner’s Office You also failed to adhere to your own guidelines as laid out on your own website Section 3. j) Not falsely imply by written or verbal means that criminal proceedings will be brought nor that civil action has been instituted in default of payment nor should members falsely state or imply that a judgment or document of debt (Scotland) has been obtained against the debtor. Your representative who took my debit card details on the phone stated that the post card was from Court appointed Bailiffs and that if I didn’t pay £40 immediately they would be calling to my home to recover the debt. As this debt has not been to court and the Post card was from a private company in the employ of/or a subsidiary of your own company this is obviously a false and misleading statement. I am reporting this to the Office of Fair Trading Before I would be prepared to consider a payment schedule with you for the debt I would need full details of the debt, and any costs you have added in the form of administration charges. Until I receive this I cannot make any payment on the debt. Secondly I would like all correspondence with regard to this debt to be made in writing. Phone calls and personal calls will not be accepted. Any future calls by phone will be recorded and will be used as evidence of harassment as will calls to my home by your representatives. Yours faithfully Name (printed only)

Actually it is her debt. Although it is in her Maiden name as we got married in October and the debt was before that. So there is no breach of the act.

While I was out Credit Solutions Limited poned my wife 23/01/2008 concerning a debt I have to Vodaphone. They bullied her into offering a down payment of £40 and she gave them her debit card number with a promise from them they wouldn't draw on it until the following monday 28/01/2008. I have just posted them a letter offering a payment schedule so I am obviously annoyed about this. I doubt whether there is any way I could stop them taking this payment but if there is I would be gratefull if anyone could give me advice about this matter. The told her if she didn't pay then the Baliffs will be sent round. Pointless me now trying to explain to her that they haven't taken the case to court yet so thats impossible. Any advice on how I should proceed from here? and is there any way I can stop them taking the payment?? Ian

But how would I do it? I don't have a speakerphone and I have no idea how to wire up some kind of recorder to the phone, I am afraid I am a confirmed technophobe Ian

Not sure I would have the equipment nor the knowledge how to record a telephone conversation, besides which isn't it illegal to do that without their permission? Ian

I recieved one of these little yellow cards with an appointment with a Mr J White (how original) power 2 Contact are indeed under the same roof as CSL and are probably a subsiduary of the same company. They rang my wife yesterday and she compained that no one had turned up for the appointment their rep said we were lucky as it was the baliffs that were coming round. Odd that considering the debt has never reached court, they must think we were all born yesterday. I don't think the card contravenes the Data Protection Act but I have enquired with the Information Commissioners Office just in case. I have also reported their behaviour the the OFT although I doubt any action will be taken. I have sent them a snotty letter regarding their actions and will wait now to hear back from them. They breached their own guidelines set out on their website too Credit Solutions Ian