Dispatches: A letter to my MP

[citizenB]

Alf, I linked to it ok.. could be your browser !..

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/annual_report/438243/hc532b.pdf

 

try copy and pasting it into your browser, sometimes CAG puts in spaces to stop direct linking.

[izzitme101]

hope all those of you that sent the letters to opposition parites made sure to cc it, andmake it clear that it has been sent to all candidates, would get them in a right old pickle.

Always the way is to make them fight about it, once they get enough you will start to hear a little about it here and there hopefully

[alfwithhair]

Received my first reply from the House of Commons;

 

Dear Mr X

 

Many thanks for your email of 23rd July. Unfortunately I did not see the television programme myself so cannot make any specific comments on it.

 

However, I am aware of the concerns around the actions of some debt collection companies and I have now written to the Minister to ask what action, if any, the Government intends to take.

 

As soon as I receive a response I will of course get back in touch.

 

Matthew Taylor MP.

 

Has anybody else had a reply yet?

[citizenB]

No, I havent, Alf. However, my MP is probably fed up with me writing to him on these issues and will no doubt consider that he has already responded in previous replies

[noomill060]

Mathew Taylor is a good guy. He made a speech about bank charges in the early days of the campaign. I wrote to him and he repied very quickly, even though he isnt my MP.

[marlinhater23]

hi new here!

i saw the dispatches and i was amazed! the guy called mark or paul, depending on what side of the company he decides to be on on the day, is an absolute idiot. i have had dealings with him and he led me to believe that he was a solicitor and that he would make me bankrupt. this was very upsetting for me. anyway i paid to get him off my back. i am going to write to my local mp, although dewsburys mps r not the most trustworthy.......mr malik! thanx

[yhs4260]

Hi Guys,

 

I ammended the letter that was sent and send it to my local MP. I was extremely surprised to firstly get a response and not only that but the actual response seems to have got to the right people!

 

Here is a copy of the reply:

 

Dear Mr YHS4260

 

Thank you for your email of 29 July about unfair debt collection practices.

 

I appreciate your concern about unscrupulous and unlawful practices by debt collection agencies, and I share your concern about the affect such practices can have on vulnerable people.

 

I have therefore written on your behalf to Peter Mandelson, the Business Secretary, asking for a response to your concern that debt collection agencies are poorly regulated. I have also written on your behalf to the Chief Executive of the Office of Fair Trading, with a request that he respond to your concern that it is not doing its job.

 

I will contact you as soon as I receive the replies, but in the meantime, I hope you will not hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss this, or any other matter, further.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Rt Hon. Michael Wills

MP for North Swindon

[alfwithhair]

Another reply today from an MEP

 

Thank you for your email regarding the behaviour of debt collection agencies.

I should first point out that the European Union has no remit in this area and regulation of debt collectors is the preserve of member states. However, as a Liberal Democrat I feel strongly about preventing excessive personal debt and also the right to be free from intimidation.

In May the Council of Mortgage Lenders announced that the number of homes repossessed in 2009 was already up 50%, a clear indication that increasing numbers of people in Britain are struggling to cope with the recession. With unemployment rising, it is entirely unfair that many thousands of people should have to deal with unwarranted bullying and intimidation from debt collection agencies on top of their existing worries. That is why I was pleased to see that in February of this year the Office of Fair Trading took steps against 1st Credit in response to their complete failure to meet minimum basic practices. However, in the future, I hope that the OFT will not hesitate to use their power to impose fines of up to £50k on each instance of malpractice, and send a clear signal to the industry that intimidating practices will not be tolerated.

Tackling insolvency should not just start here though. Action must be taken to increase financial awareness and clamp down on irresponsible behaviour so that debt levels do not spiral out of control. There is a distinct lack of preventative advice for people before the burden of debt becomes too much. Although there is some financial education and help for people when they are in difficulty, the focus should be on tackling this problem before it occurs. Vulnerable individuals should have access to a network of support from an early stage, and one which advises that person of their rights if they are forced to deal with a debt collection agency.

I am afraid I was unable to access the information on the Office of fair Trading website via the link that you provided. However, perhaps you would like to send the details to your local Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor? As a Westminster MP he will be much better placed to act on the information.

Yours sincerely,

Graham Watson MEP

Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for South West England and Gibraltar

[zazen.warrior]

No response at all to my letter.