Inside a DCA!

[foolishgirl]

What I really like about this thread is that we've gone from inside a DCA to inside a chinchilla cage to inside a police station - and all within the course of a week!!

Edited August 31, 2008 by foolishgirl
typo

[babybear39]

It'll be padded cells next

[The GodMother]

i fully agree with the fact the police are useless.

 

I posted the begining of the month about my recent attempt at getting a child who was throwing glass bottles at cars dealt with called going round in circles or what.

[andrew1]

Just as a matter of interest ( and in an attempt to suck this thread back to DCA's ) what do people feel has changed in DCA's over the past year?

 

Are they improving and trying to abide by more laws or are they still treating the laws with contempt?

 

I've had some dealings with people like iQor ( old Legal & Trade ) and whilst they have been chasing 'inappropriate' debt I can't actually blame them as they are being instructed by a bank.

 

I'm not happy they haven't got agreements before chasing, but I must be honest, the lady who called me was amazingly civil by comparison with the dregs who phoned 3 months earlier - if that is an example then it's the agreements side which needs improving ( are you listening DCA's?) as they really should be afirming prior to attempting to collect, that the debt being chased is a bone-fide account. Other than that their attitude to my request not to phone as is my right to request and their attitude stunned me into silence - maybe they figured out who I am

 

 

Sarah

[JonCris]

I don't think anyone has a problem with DCA's chasing overdue accounts it's just the way they achieve their ends that matters

[andrew1]

I don't think anyone has a problem with DCA's chasing overdue accounts it's just the way they achieve their ends that matters

 

Precisely my point Joncris. Nobody minds them chasing a debt SO LONG AS they have checked it out before hand and ensured it is a bone-fide debt, with all the legally acceptable agreement and prescribed terms well and truly in place, the debt is not in dispute and they are going about their business in a manner acceptable to both the regulatory bodies and the Law.

 

However, I am sick to death with DCA's having contacted me over disputed debts, already in query with the original creditor, backed up by application forms which are accompanied by threats of legal action and followed up by ignorant and arrogant twits who do not understand the profession they are in, the OFT Guidelines on debt collection or the laws pertaining to enforcing debts. If they did, not only would their success in collecting bone-fide accounts increase, so would their bonuses and we would get our lives back to some normality. Consumers would not need to spend countless hours writing futile letters complaining, disputing, remonstrating and wasting their hard earned cash on postage, recorded delivery letters @ £1 + each, answering telephone calls which are nothing short of criminal in a lot of cases, intimidating and threatening.

 

 

Apart from that, as you say, nobody has a problem!

 

 

Sarah

[foolishgirl]

It's possible that DCAs are becoming more wary, if not actually aware of the implications of the all the new legislation that is coming thick & fast but there are still an awful lot of complaints on this forum re. their tactics.

 

My own recent experience would bear out Sarah's thoughts - I currently have 3 accounts in dispute on which the DCAs have backed off 'cos they can't produce CCAs but I do suspect that eventually they will come at me again.

 

And changing the phone no. & then never phoning them has certainly helped I'm sure - not as easy a target for the DCA, quiet life for me!

[andrew1]

 

My own recent experience would bear out Sarah's thoughts - I currently have 3 accounts in dispute on which the DCAs have backed off 'cos they can't produce CCAs but I do suspect that eventually they will come at me again.

 

And changing the phone no. & then never phoning them has certainly helped I'm sure - not as easy a target for the DCA, quiet life for me!

 

As Joncris implies, if you are in debt and someone comes chasing its payment and you are satisfied that company has all the rights to collect, the documentation to support it and can prove it then whilst the whole world and his uncle won't like it, we accept our duty to pay our debt and make an arrangement to pay it. If they come back then they'll know we know what it is they have to have and the more people that remind them the sooner they are going to get it right and the whole industry might, just might, get a little more respectable which is all CAG and the Cabot Fan Club have been trying to achieve over the past 2 years, hence my original question.

 

It is for the credit industry itself to ween out these dregs who flout the law and kick them out of business, it should not be left for the public to do that, but we are and I feel it's working.

 

Why should people have to change their phone numbers? - Why should people be threatened? Life is hard enough to get through for hundreds of thousands without this on top of their troubles. I went through a hell once upon a time with these people when life wasn't so kind to me, I swore then I'd get my own back somehow, then came along CAG, the Cabot Fan Club and all the hundreds of thousands of wonderful folk coming here who provided the synergy to achieve it...and we are doing it!

 

 

Sarah

[ScarletPimpernel]

I suspect that some DCAs are realising that the days of getting away with flagrantly disregarding the law and regulatory obligations aren't going to last much longer. Some of the letters I have seen recently are much more carefully-worded than before, and DCAs certainly seem more wary about disputed debts.

 

However, I also suspect that they will be seeking new ways to circumvent what they see as obstructions; vide, for example, the rapid increase in the use of SDs by Worst Cretins and capquest.

 

Others, like MBNA, appear to have the stupid chromosome so deeply embedded that nothing short of prosecution by TS will stop them, and that seems to be as likely as Broon winning a gold medal for honesty at the next Olympics.

 

I think we will see change, however, both because of legislation, and because of the economic circumstances. When the host is sick or dies, its parasites go with it. As financial institutions start to lend more responsibly, so the number of debtors will reduce; as money becomes harder to borrow in the commercial world, debt buyers will suffer. Many DCAs are owned by investment companies, mostly overseas-based; companies that aren't performing will find themselves dropped or down-sized.

 

It's fairly clear that the credit crunch was largely caused by banks, and this has done nothing for their popularity. Also, the FSA was seen to have messed up big style over Northern Wreck and other issues. All of this has led to a downturn in confidence in financial institutions, and the politicians will be keen to demonstrate that they are doing something about it. I expect that enforcement of consumer law will become more of a priority as the economic decline continues.

[foolishgirl]

However, I also suspect that they will be seeking new ways to circumvent what they see as obstructions; vide, for example, the rapid increase in the use of SDs by Worst Cretins and capquest.

 

I agree SP - this will almost certainly be the next wave of attack for the bottom feeders, you can see the number of reports on here steadily increasing already. Sadly there are always the unethical, immoral & unscrupulous in society who seek out the unwary & the law of the jungle can apply anywhere, no matter how civilised we like to think we are.

Others, like MBNA, appear to have the stupid chromosome so deeply embedded that nothing short of prosecution by TS will stop them, and that seems to be as likely as Broon winning a gold medal for honesty at the next Olympics.

 

Love your pithy comments & metaphors !

 

FG

[citizenB]

Sarah, I am finding that DCAs are backing off fairly quickly once they have been advised that there is a dispute.

 

CapQuest have been the only one who have waded in first with a really threatening letter.. then changed their tune when I sent a "THIS IS DISPUTED" response

[tiglet]

Hmm - until they send you the SD, that is!

[andrew1]

Hmm - until they send you the SD, that is!

 

....and what do you do when they write and tell you the accounts 'on hold'?

Are we supposed to think they've withdrawn the SD? - yeah right!

 

 

Sarah

[tiglet]

I for one certainly did not take the risk!

[The GodMother]

I dont think that DCAs care if the acc is in dispute or not let alone care about the OFT guidelines.

 

For example Moorcroft wrote to my OH recently about a debt that Littlewoods have said dont belong to him they have also been told to deal with me only but have they no. I have now wrote a 2 page complaint letter and just to be awkard i have made it in different colours for each paragraph.

 

They dont seem to care about OFT guidelines so i have complaind to TS and have a file for the OFT to see on littlewoods and moorcroft.

 

I will tell u something if i was in power a few changes would be made and trust me they would be liked by CAG

[blackambermay]

Onthebrink: What about the Inland Revenue? I know they passed my details to a debt collection agency for a debt that had absolutely nothing to do with me last year.

[blue4ever]

BLACKAMBERMAY--ONTHEBRINK-Has not had any activity on the forum since he was chased away by the forum members.15 july 08

if you have questions start your own tread and they will be replied to by proper members who will direct you in the right direction.(read this tread and you will found out why he`s not been on here).

Cheers B4E:-)

[car2403]

Can we lock this thread?

[blue4ever]

Good Idea

[banker_rhymes_with]

Can we lock this thread?

 

Agreed.

 

May I suggest we finish it with a Warning that you should never believe anything that a DCA says.

 

Indeed, in the unlikely event that you see a good DCA, shoot him, shoot him quick, before he turns bad.

 

Cheers,

BRW

[Mr lex]

I have asked for this thread to be Locked. It will be unlocked at the request of Onthe brink.

 

Never belive anything a DCA tells you.

 

Lex

[sequenci]

unstuck due to age of thread