hi there, ill try and keep this short and sweet.

i have been paying back money to scott and co for 2 years. i have not missed a payment of £50 per month since setting up an agreement. however i had changed bank acounts last month, and my direct debits were to change over automaticly, all of them did apart form scott and co.

they called my house and spoke with my flatmate. my flatmate then called me at work saying there was sherrif officers calling and i had to phone asap. i called them right away and realised the direct debit had not been switched over. i paid the money over the phone and appoligised and set up a new direct debit. After i had paid the money, my flatmate then phoned them back to ask if it was for council tax. the man then told him it was not for council tax but infact a student loan £4000 id had four years ago, that i was paying back £50 a month and the debt was down to £2500. (i couldnt afford to pay this untill i had a job after studying)

I was furious they would give out so much information!

i emailed them asking for a copy of their "code of confidentiality" and they have declined to do so, i have this in writing.

i have then emailed the sherrif office compaints people to compain, and they have said that Scott and Co are not sherrif officers and are only a debt collection agency, and cannot help me with this compaint.

where do i go from here?

Hello and Welcome, rachelw.

I've started a new thread for you, I would have to say the Sheriff Officers complaints people seem to be wrong.

Scott & Co are Sheriff Officers & Messengers at Arms, they are also debt collectors and recover a number of different debts including Council Tax and Parking fines.

I'm going to have a look around for more info, I'll be back shortly.

Regards.

Scott.

If you have a look at this link, they appear 3rd company down.................

http://www.smaso.org/dirdisplay.php?cid=9

You can make a complaint here.............

http://www.smaso.org/images/COMPLAINTS.pdf

Hello and Welcome, rachelw.

 

 

I've started a new thread for you, I would have to say the Sheriff Officers complaints people seem to be wrong.

Scott & Co are Sheriff Officers & Messengers at Arms, they are also debt collectors and recover a number of different debts including Council Tax and Parking fines.

I'm going to have a look around for more info, I'll be back shortly.

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

Thanks. I did go on Scott and co website and it says they are sheriff officers. X

They are still out of order giving any details to third parties, seem to think they can do as they please.

They are still out of order giving any details to third parties, seem to think they can do as they please.[/quote

 

ANY IDEA WHAT I COULD DO? X

 

ANY IDEA WHAT I COULD DO? X

 

You could make a complaint to the Society of Messenger at Arms and Sheriff Officers, but it looks like they have no disciplinary powers over their members.

Those powers lie with the relevant Sheriff Principal or the Lord President, you can make a complaint to them directly, the society would give you the contact details.

Sheriff Officers are all bound to abide by their code of practice,( not that I've read it ).

 

I very much doubt much would come of it but there's no harm in trying, see what they say after looking at your complaint.

I would certainly make a complaint.

You can make a complaint at the local sheriffs office at your local sheriff court

The following information applies to all firms of sheriff officers who are enforcing and or collecting council tax or any other debt.

Sheriff officers carrying out debt enforcement (ie bank arrestment, earnings arrestment, attachment, etc) are subject to regulations laid down by the Scottish Government. Any complaints about sheriff officers practice should be submitted to the Sheriff Principal at the local sheriff court for the area in which you reside.

Sheriff officers must hold a Consumer Credit Licence when collecting debt, and they must adhere to the Office of Fair Trading debt collection Guidance: http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/bus.../OFT664Rev.pdf

In general this guidance states that when collecting debt they have to treat debtors fairly; be transparent when dealing with debtors; exercise forebearance with debtors exercising difficulty; and act proportionately when recovering debts given the debtors circumstances.

Whether enforcing debt or collecting debt. sheriff oficers have to abide by data protection regulatiuons.

Rachelw221 you have grounds to make a complaint under the OFT Debt Collection Guidance. In the first instance make the complaint quoting this guidance. if this is not resolved to your satisfaction then you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service who can investigate the complaints as debt collection comes under the Consumer Credit Licensing:

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.u...complaints.htm

hi there, ill try and keep this short and sweet.

i have been paying back money to scott and co for 2 years. i have not missed a payment of £50 per month since setting up an agreement. however i had changed bank acounts last month, and my direct debits were to change over automaticly, all of them did apart form scott and co.

they called my house and spoke with my flatmate. my flatmate then called me at work saying there was sherrif officers calling and i had to phone asap. i called them right away and realised the direct debit had not been switched over. i paid the money over the phone and appoligised and set up a new direct debit. After i had paid the money, my flatmate then phoned them back to ask if it was for council tax. the man then told him it was not for council tax but infact a student loan £4000 id had four years ago, that i was paying back £50 a month and the debt was down to £2500. (i couldnt afford to pay this untill i had a job after studying)

I was furious they would give out so much information!

i emailed them asking for a copy of their "code of confidentiality" and they have declined to do so, i have this in writing.

i have then emailed the sherrif office compaints people to compain, and they have said that Scott and Co are not sherrif officers and are only a debt collection agency, and cannot help me with this compaint.

where do i go from here?

you can look at www . smaso.org/ code of practice 2012 sorry i cant post a link here.