Calling the police

[mintygit]

Hi

 

When asking for doorstep callers not to come around from a DCA we normally quote in the letter '...police will be contacted...'

 

I'm just curious if anyone has ever done this?

 

Has anyone had a caller who has refused to go and you have called the police? If so did the caller leave before the police came? Did the police come and they removed the caller or did the police come and side with the caller?

[BankFodder]

Nver heard it being done - and also I can miagne that the police wouldn't come unless the person really pleaded very hard that they were being frightened.

 

Still, it is worth contacting the police and making the complaint

[lickthewallfatboy]

you'd be better telling them that you have 3 or 4 very hungry dogs who don't like strangers

[42man]

I remember one story on CAG, where a DCA threatened to doorstep call, and the cagger, who knew a local copper, got him to call the company to find out when they were going to visit as the police wanted to be in attendance....I seem to remember they never bothered again...

[mintygit]

Yeah I thought it may be a bit difficult to get the police out, unless you are being threatened or know the local coppers as friends.

 

I've never had a doorstep caller come around, and wouldn't care if they did as they would soon be leaving.

 

My only concern is that I work all day and my wife is at home all day, and she can be a bit frail on days due to long term illness, and if they come calling looking for me with her there I am concerned that they may try their luck with pressure tactics etc. Also my daughter is off school for a few weeks due to an operation and she could end up in the middle of these scumbags insisting to see me etc.

 

I'm not one for hiding behind the door in my home and wouldn't want my own wife not to be able to answer the door while I'm out because of these mugs.

 

I know you can write to them not to call and then complain to OFT if they do but does this really deter them? I'm not sure it does with most of the DCA's as they will try all they can to get the money.

 

Just wondered what kind of tactics they have tried with people on here at the door?

[dcakiller]

I used to have 2 border collies who soon saw of doorstep callers.Incidently out of loads of leters threatning doorstep callers only 2 ever showed up 1 legged in as soon as my dogs started going ballistic and wanting to kill him. and the other left when I pointed at the cctv camera(fake) and warned him he was beeing recorded both audio and visually and was not getting any money,nor was I discusing anything with him or accepting any documents,and the police had allredy been called

[mintygit]

yes, I was going to go down the cctv camera route.

 

I do have one (but have never put it up) and should go well with a tv screen set up by the door just so the caller can see themselves on the screen

[dcakiller]

I would also put up a notice saying no callers without appointment any persons calling without appointment agree to pay £50 per hour or part thereof. With an action in the small claims court if not paid in 14 days. I have used this mysef to great effect against sales reps ect ect

[Blondmusic]

CCTV is the way to go. I used to have 2 CCTV cameras at my old house (not because of DCA's it was the neighbours kids tormenting me). I now have a dog and she can look very scary when she jumps up to look out of the window. She has frightened quite a few people.

[bigandyuk1]

My daughter was beaten up by her Ex boyfriend on Sunday at about 5pm and she managed to dial 999 during the event. She was put on hold because all the operators were busy. Unfotunately while she was on hold the ex took the phone from her and smashed it up. She managed to get away with her baby and call me from a friends house. I collected them and when we got home I put her sim card in one of my phones (this was now 10pm, there was an answerphone message from the police @ 8:10pm asking if there was a problem....... She called them and they managed to attend yesterday afternoon.. So I wouldn't bank on the Police in my area getting to you at all for a doorstep caller

[JonCris]

The problem with calling the police is that all to often they will actually assist the debt collector eg it's not unknown for the police to threaten to arrest the debtor when they won't let the debt collector into their home even though the debt collector or bailiff has no legal right of entry at that stage of the proceedings.

 

If anyone watched the TV program on cops & bailiffs you will have seen the police fully supporting the unlawful not to say illegal conduct of the bailiffs

 

So unless your fortunate enough to live in an area where the police actually understand the law in this regard & more importantly are prepared to enforce it then don't count on to much help ensure that when you make the call make sure they understand what you require them to do & why - in other words as tactfully as possible try & show you at least understand the law & are no dummy

Edited July 2, 2009 by JonCris

[dcakiller]

My daughter was beaten up by her Ex boyfriend on Sunday at about 5pm and she managed to dial 999 during the event. She was put on hold because all the operators were busy. Unfotunately while she was on hold the ex took the phone from her and smashed it up. She managed to get away with her baby and call me from a friends house. I collected them and when we got home I put her sim card in one of my phones (this was now 10pm, there was an answerphone message from the police @ 8:10pm asking if there was a problem....... She called them and they managed to attend yesterday afternoon.. So I wouldn't bank on the Police in my area getting to you at all for a doorstep caller

 

Iwould complain to the chief constable and your mp even better if you can take say12 freinds to the mp's surgery and peacefully but forceably demand somthing is done. The same goes for demanding the mp's make the oft an ico do there jobs and clamp down of dca's, not just have tea and scones and a cosy chat but start to slap them with fines. Remember we pay taxes for this protection it is time to make these agences do there job for a change

[dcakiller]

The problem with calling the police is that all to often they will actually assist the debt collector eg it's not unknown for the police to threaten to arrest the debtor when they won't let the debt collector into their home even though the debt collector or bailiff has no legal right of entry at that stage of the proceedings.

 

If anyone watched the TV program on cops & bailiffs you will have seen the police fully supporting the unlawful not to say illegal conduct of the bailiffs

 

So unless your fortunate enough to live in an area where the police actually understand the law in this regard & more importantly are prepared to enforce it then don't count on to much help ensure that when you make the call make sure they understand what you require them to do & why - in other words as tactfully as possible try & show you at least understand the law & are no dummy

 

 

Then it is time for people to begin to sue the police as an orginsation and the officers as individuals they will soon start to understand the law and tow the line.

[kel123]

I phoned the police, be it for a bailiff not a debt collector, they came and said to me the bailiff knows the law better than us, so we will follow their lead. And they (police) asked me to let him in?

 

Knowing what I know now a bucket of pee is the best option!

[dcakiller]

Another tactic is if you have some large neighbours that you are freindly with is to call them and get the neighbours to eject them from the property. It quite effectivly puts them on the back foot if say 3 or 4 people turn up to suport the person being harassed. If they happen to get a bit roughed up mores the pitty

[mintygit]

Or just shoot them? Or is that still illegal in this country? (sorry bad taste joke!)

[cerberusalert]

Or just shoot them?

That's only legal if they are Welsh, in Chester on a sunday & you shoot them with a crossbow.

 

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Ever been drunk driving a steam engine?

[meols cop]

A mate of mine was doorstepped by a DCA. he also happened to live in a red light district so whilst he was sat in his car my mate rang the Police and said he was a suspected kerb crawler. They attended within 10 mins and he was taken for questioning.

[dcakiller]

A mate of mine was doorstepped by a DCA. he also happened to live in a red light district so whilst he was sat in his car my mate rang the Police and said he was a suspected kerb crawler. They attended within 10 mins and he was taken for questioning.

 

Class :D

[dcakiller]

A mate of mine was doorstepped by a DCA. he also happened to live in a red light district so whilst he was sat in his car my mate rang the Police and said he was a suspected kerb crawler. They attended within 10 mins and he was taken for questioning.

 

Class:D:D sorry posted twice

[JonCris]

I phoned the police, be it for a bailiff not a debt collector, they came and said to me the bailiff knows the law better than us, so we will follow their lead. And they (police) asked me to let him in?

 

Knowing what I know now a bucket of pee is the best option!

 

Precisely I hope you told them to take a hike AND complained as it's entirely against the guidelines that a police officer should 'assist' the collection of a debt in anyway whatsoever & asking you to 'let them in' is just that I'm afraid

[JonCris]

PS the more times people complain about the police practice of assisting the DCA's in the collection of debts the sooner it'll become an issue - so please complain even if you think it's futile

[andie_303]

I know of someone that a dca came to his door and literally sat on his doorstep shouting things so the neighbours would hear and shouting through the letterbox. He calmly walked over to the phone picked it up and walked back to the door, made a big deal about pushing the buttons so the eyes through the letter box could see and then calmly and loudly said into the phone......"police?? Come quickly, I think i've just killed a burglar"

 

[dcakiller]

Agree with joncirs complain and complain put presure on our mp's,chief constables( whom I think should be elected by the people they SERVE) and insist they do there jobs

[kel123]

No wishing to open old wounds, because it is still a pain in my side about the whole thing

 

DON'T COUNT ON OFFICAL BACK UP; AS THE LEAD DISTRICT JUDGE OF WORCESTER SAID "YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS MR KEL" AS LONG AS HE DOES NOT REMOVE A BARACADE SUCH AS A IRON BAR PROPING AGAINST THE DOOR HE CAN DO WHAT HE WANTS"

 

So untill Judge ******* and the ilk die off and the puppet quango's are given political will then it's a waist of time complaining!

 

PS this judge was quoting from somebody or others guide to the law he even had the cheek to show it me and tell me that it's his bible.

 

I could not see if it was Micky Mouses guide to the fairy kindom law though

 

So complain about the judge - yes and you get snarled at and I hate being looked down on by pompass ass's and no I mean NO! solicitor would take it on? Bucket of piddle next time

 

A still smarting old hector even after 10 months

Kel