Are DCA's afraid of the OFT?

[jimdev1976]

After spending quite a long time on this forum and others on CAG, I am under the impression that’s it’s not just us consumers that have no faith in the OFT, but it seems like the actual DCA’s are not too bothered about them as well. We read day in, day out posts on here that show the DCA’s contravening the OFT guidelines on debt collection. These companies must surely know what they can and can’t do in regards to the law, however generally just ignore them on the principle that the chances of being caught are slim, and if they are brought to book on any of their practices will generally get away with it with the proviso from the OFT that they will change their ways, which they wont. Even if the OFT came down hard on a DCA and say fined them £250k, would that really bother them when the profits they make from ignoring the guidelines bring in a hell of a lot more.

It seems a sorry states of affairs when consumers have no faith in the regulator and the companies that are regulated by them think they are a joke and ignore them probably 90% of the time.

What I want to ask is what can actually be done to make DCA’s comply with the guidelines? Or is it a case of no matter what happens, DCA’s are DCA’s and a leopard will never change its spots?

[welshcake]

I made a complaint to the OFT regarding the conduct of Ruthbridge Ltd, I received a reply stating that they do not get involved in individual disputes, I wrote back to them stating it was there responsibility to investigate the way the company was handling it's business according the rules set out by the OFT themselves and I believed that Ruthbridge were in breach of this. I have not heard nothign back from them so NO, i've not much faith in the OFT so I don't expect the DCA's to be pretty scared either.

[lickthewallfatboy]

I think they're not much more than useless,to be honest

 

I await to be proven wrong

[bsj]

I am too of the impression DCA's are not afraid of the OFT.

 

Wescott are still operating although they have no authority to do so since 6/2/09.

 

OFT comfirmed to me in telephone conversation only this morning that they, Wescott are not licensed to purchase or sell debt's yet are still doing so.

They sold my debt on on 19/7/09.

 

Seems there is nothing in the way of stopping this behaviour.

 

And little recourse for the comsumer or debtor.something needs to be addressed here,but what course of action do we have?

 

I will be complaing very vigourously to my local MP later today,on this very topic.

[Bazooka Boo]

Then complain to the OFT themselves about their lack of a spine!

 

The Office of Fair Trading: Complaint procedures

 

We are always interested in the views of businesses and consumers about our procedures and how we operate them.

We shall listen carefully to any views that are put forward and if problems are identified we shall take remedial action.

Anyone with a concern or complaint about our procedures or the handling of a case may wish to try to resolve the matter by writing to the Head of Enquiries and Reporting Centre at the following address:

 

Head of Enquiries and Reporting Centre

Office of Fair Trading

Enquiries and Reporting Centre

Fleetbank House

2-6 Salisbury Square

London

EC4Y 8JX

 

We hope that our response will satisfy complaints. However, if anybody is dissatisfied with the response, they may write to the General Counsel of the OFT at the above address. If upon receipt of a letter from the General Counsel's office the complainant is still dissatisfied, their complaint can be referred through a Member of Parliament to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsmen who has the power to investigate further.

 

They cannot act with near impunity, tell them all of their shortcomings, it might take you a while but you might have a weekend free?

[dcakiller]

We should all put pressure on our mps to make the oft do it's job, and not just have tea and scones with the dca's but to slap a few with £50000 fines and licence revocations.

[babybear39]

The OFT has had plenty of reasons to act but choose not to instead imposing laughable sanctions which the DCAs are flagrantly breaching in the OFT's face

[mr.ton]

New Labour has turned this country into an a farcical mess when it comes to just about everything sadly.

[tamarindo]

After spending quite a long time on this forum and others on CAG, I am under the impression that’s it’s not just us consumers that have no faith in the OFT, but it seems like the actual DCA’s are not too bothered about them as well. We read day in, day out posts on here that show the DCA’s contravening the OFT guidelines on debt collection. These companies must surely know what they can and can’t do in regards to the law, however generally just ignore them on the principle that the chances of being caught are slim, and if they are brought to book on any of their practices will generally get away with it with the proviso from the OFT that they will change their ways, which they wont. Even if the OFT came down hard on a DCA and say fined them £250k, would that really bother them when the profits they make from ignoring the guidelines bring in a hell of a lot more.

 

It seems a sorry states of affairs when consumers have no faith in the regulator and the companies that are regulated by them think they are a joke and ignore them probably 90% of the time.

 

What I want to ask is what can actually be done to make DCA’s comply with the guidelines? Or is it a case of no matter what happens, DCA’s are DCA’s and a leopard will never change its spots?

 

 

so what shall we do, give up!!!....very worrying, can CAG organize a way of escalating these issues to the ministry of justice or to the

european parlaiment!!!

 

any ideas???

[angry cat]

Never give up, is my motto!

 

Complain to Jack Straw and the shadow minister for Justice;

Complain to Ken Clarke, you can try Mandy as well if you so wish;

complain to your MP's & MEP's.

 

AC

[natalie]

Strangely the status of Wescot's licence has changed to current today.

 

Its still listed as pending when you go into the history, but on the licence details it says current.

[tamarindo]

Never give up, is my motto!

 

Complain to Jack Straw and the shadow minister for Justice;

Complain to Ken Clarke, you can try Mandy as well if you so wish;

complain to your MP's & MEP's.

 

AC

 

 

and did you get any results????? very worrying!!!!!!!

[dcakiller]

Never give up, is my motto!

 

Complain to Jack Straw and the shadow minister for Justice;

Complain to Ken Clarke, you can try Mandy as well if you so wish;

complain to your MP's & MEP's.

 

AC

 

Totaly aggree put presure on your mp mep and local council and make them understand you will not be fobbed off with soundbites or spin letters but you want them to do there JOBS and put presure on the oft and trading standards to slap the dca's hard, It can be very effective if you can take 12 to 40 suporters along to an mp's surgery and pacefully but forceably make your point and that you demand action

[tamarindo]

Totaly aggree put presure on your mp mep and local council and make them understand you will not be fobbed off with soundbites or spin letters but you want them to do there JOBS and put presure on the oft and trading standards to slap the dca's hard, It can be very effective if you can take 12 to 40 suporters along to an mp's surgery and pacefully but forceably make your point and that you demand action

 

 

good idea!!!!!!

[natalie]

If you want to make a complaint about OFT you can go to these

 

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - home

 

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

 

I'm not saying they are any better, but it might be worth a shot if loads of us lodge complaints at the same time about OFT's failure to deal with the banks and DCAs.

[spark1]

New Labour has turned this country into an a farcical mess when it comes to just about everything sadly.

 

 

Correct

[bsj]

Strangely the status of Wescot's licence has changed to current today.

 

Its still listed as pending when you go into the history, but on the licence details it says current.

Now that is worrying,i'm phoning the OFT again tommorow,this is a disgrace after what i was told only this morning,i specifically asked the question,has wescott lost the right to buy and sell debt's as their status states they are un-orthourised,i was told that is the correct.

 

A situtation worth keeping an eye on i think.

[natalie]

Application / Licence Details

 

 

 

Licence Number:0148091

Licence Status:Current

 

Current Applicant / Licensee:

 

Business NameCompany Registration NumberWescot Credit Services LimitedSC84131

[natalie]

Okay after a bit of digging I think we are getting confused.

 

It is on the FSA register that they are not authorised.

 

They have a current credit licence but they are not authorised by the FSA

[natalie]

Basic details for:

 

312029 - Wescot Credit Services Limited

 

Current status:No longer AuthorisedEffective Date:06/02/2009Tied Agent:Undertakes Insurance Mediation:Registered under Money Laundering Regulations:Address:PO Box 137

Dunedin House

45 Percy Street

Hull

North Humberside

HU2 8HF

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Website:

44 01482 590 590

44 01482 590 591

[email protected]

[bsj]

Okay after a bit of digging I think we are getting confused.

 

It is on the FSA register that they are not authorised.

 

They have a current credit licence but they are not authorised by the FSA

 

Thank you for taking the time to clear that up the confusion,no wonder the DC industry is in the state it's in if Wescott are allowed to operate with a licence,but not be authorised by the OFT.

I thought that had to authorised by this goverment body,i do think this must surely add some weight to any complaint we may have again'st the DCA in question and the way the OFT operates.

 

Could it be because Wescott are not authorised by the OFT,be the reason they don't adhere to guidlines and seem to show comtempt for them.

[natalie]

They are not authorised by the FSA, the register on the OFT website is credit licences, which shows they have a current licence, issued in 1984 and expires in Feb 2010

[bsj]

Whoops getting mixed up with the FSA and the OFT,it's clearer to me now thankyou.

[cashins]

Are DCA's afraid of the OFT?

 

In answer to the original question - NO!!!

 

Some might consider them a tiresome nuisance, (1st credit for one), many really don't give a damn.

 

David

[TheFonz1]

What about asking the OFT to not renew their licence in Febuary 2010?

If enough of us made a fuss we may just get these shysters closed down?

 

Anyone with any kind of debt which is really credit you created with your signature should consider going down the Mary Croft route however it is only a route for those who have spiritually awoken and are not the PERSON.