On the debt collectors side

[Jordan1983]

OK here goes! i've worked for a debt recovery company for 1 year and have been reading this forum for some time and in most cases I'm bemused at peoples comments to a unbelievable degree.

 

Most debt recovery companies ACTUALLY are very reasonable, they will freeze interest if not reduce it. The reason companies refuse to reduce to freeze or reduce interest is when people send in financial statements and 'blag' it by over exaggerating their expenditure just so they do not have to re pay increased amounts to clear their debts. We would all like to take a £8k loan and credit card, spend the money and pay £10 a month unfortuntely thats not the case. Most people I encounter are not bothered about defaults on theie credit file they just want to pay as little as possible.

 

Another annoying thing is people seem to think if there is no credit agreement the debt does not stand... at the end of the days were all adults, you've borrowed the money, stop trying to 'wangle' your ways out of it and re pay what you owe as QUICKLY as possible.

 

Bank charges again, we ALL know if we go over the overdraft limit WE GET CHARGES its common knowledge MOST banks if its a genuine error or a first time they will refund you. Persistant offenders should not be allowed to CONSTANTLY get away with refunds.

 

In term ive also been in financial difficulty and in fact prior to me starting work in debt recovery had the stereotypical view that all debt recovery agents are w****rs. But from starting there and dealing with people who when your trying to help swear down the phone, dont listen to what you say, and are quite simply trying to scab any possible way to not pay what they owe.

 

I personally disagree with customers being patronised down the phone, swore at and even threatened, there may be the odd case of being spoke to in a aggresive or over assertive manner but nothing as to some posts ive read. TCF guidelines make sure of that.

 

Regards

[Deb T]

Be prepared for some stick from the forum...

 

I've spoken in the pst to DCA's and they're never very nice, they're never very compromising and they're almost always far more interested in money as opposed to the situation the alleged debtor is in, from experience they (dca) pay scant regard to circumstance and are driven by revenue alone.

 

At the same time as this they threaten people with unreasonable terms, they never accept they're in the wrong, the make outlandish claims in court documents, they usually do not have much documentation to go on, they always take the moral high ground, they churn out letters with ridiculous temrs in them, they have in the past made false claims against other people, they've sometimes falsified documents against their alleged clients, they've told people they've been assigned a debt when they haven't and they've added charges that they're not entitled to and they've put people through the mill all in the name of their so called business.

 

Nah, some DCA's may be polite and helpful but those are in the minority and by a long way, the majority are hired hounds that are only one step away from being a 'thug'

[Jordan1983]

Thanks for you reply the thing I struggle with is all these 'irregularities' i sure are all over exaggerated.

 

The customers in question are themselves at times obnoxious, patronising and aggressive. Eg last Tuesday i was explaining something to a customer in a normal manner when he called me rude. Another example of someone not listening and then wondering why they are being pursued for a debt when payments are late or missed.

 

A the end of the day there is paying back the debt and making 'significant effort' in clearing the debt. This is the big problem esp with the likes of CAB

[Blondie40]

 

A the end of the day there is paying back the debt and making 'significant effort' in clearing the debt. This is the big problem esp with the likes of CAB

 

Can you expand on "This is the big problem esp with the likes of CAB". What exactly do you mean?

[camuk]

I have to say I do feel sorry for you Jordan I worked for a bank a long time ago and you can get people who are very rude about the situation or keep putting themselves there. However it is nice when you get someone who is willing to listen and have the situation explained.

[Blondie40]

OK here goes! i've worked for a debt recovery company for 1 year and have been reading this forum for some time and in most cases I'm bemused at peoples comments to a unbelievable degree.

 

Did the DCA you work for ask you to join CAG

 

Most debt recovery companies ACTUALLY are very reasonable,…

 

That statement sounds like someone I know.

 

Another annoying thing is people seem to think if there is no credit agreement the debt does not stand...

 

I think you mean the debt is unenforceable, but guess your not trained to acknowledge that this is the case.

 

…at the end of the days were all adults, you've borrowed the money, stop trying to 'wangle' your ways out of it and re pay what you owe as QUICKLY as possible.

 

Again that statement sounds like someone I know.

 

 

Bank charges again, we ALL know if we go over the overdraft limit WE GET CHARGES its common knowledge MOST banks if its a genuine error or a first time they will refund you. Persistant offenders should not be allowed to CONSTANTLY get away with refunds.

 

Could it really be possible

 

In term ive also been in financial difficulty and in fact prior to me starting work in debt recovery had the stereotypical view that all debt recovery agents are w****rs. But from starting there and dealing with people who when your trying to help swear down the phone, dont listen to what you say, and are quite simply trying to scab any possible way to not pay what they owe.

 

…and was that 15 years ago…

[Jordan1983]

organisations like the cab have a habit of saying 'pay a £1 and they cant do anything' which is obviously untrue.

 

now dont get me wrong you will get the odd 'bad call' where there is conflict. but the bottom line is people exagerate there expenditure. This month alone ive spoke to people in Portugal, Spain and Mexico who are paying £1 a month yet are on holiday. People have a right to live and enjoy themselves but the people who blantently take the mick are the one who come on here wining about how hard done by they are and personally i find it disgusting.

[Blondie40]

organisations like the cab have a habit of saying 'pay a £1 and they cant do anything' which is obviously untrue.

 

now dont get me wrong you will get the odd 'bad call' where there is conflict. but the bottom line is people exagerate there expenditure. This month alone ive spoke to people in Portugal, Spain and Mexico who are paying £1 a month yet are on holiday. People have a right to live and enjoy themselves but the people who blantently take the mick are the one who come on here wining about how hard done by they are and personally i find it disgusting.

 

Bet you find it deeply offensive.

[unclebulgaria67]

I personally disagree with customers being patronised down the phone, swore at and even threatened, there may be the odd case of being spoke to in a aggresive or over assertive manner but nothing as to some posts ive read. TCF guidelines make sure of that.

 

 

You mention TCF guidelines from the FSA. As you claim to work for a debt collection agency, can you confirm from the training received, what you have been told about what FSA rules apply to your company.

 

I have never had debts personally, but I have had experience of dealing with relatives debt problems. My experience is that DCA's operate in a very shambolic way, that skirt around any regulatory requirments, rather than follow them strictly. One example I have had is a CEO of a major DCA ignoring complaints correspondence, by not responding. Then years later admitting and paying compensation for not responding to complaints.

[Jordan1983]

Blondie you miss the point if you read my post Ive also been in fin difficulty before and therefore see 2 sides to the argument.

 

And im explaining the side from a debt collector who has been in fin diff and experienced most of what people on here are commenting on.

[huggys boss]

Jordan, can I ask how old you are and what your home situation is? (obviously I don't expect an answer).

 

Most of the DCA's I have spoken to, sound as though they are just out of school. They sound as though they are reading from a script and have no experience of the real world.

 

I would say that the majority of people who use this site are where they are through no fault of their own. Job losses, relationship breakdowns etc etc.

 

The reason why I for one, and probably most of the people on here dislike the DCA's is because of the attitude they give over the phone. When a mature adult answers the telephone to have a young child (for want of a better word) dictating to them, demanding personal info and income and expenditure, how do you expect them to respond?

 

I give you credit for showing your face in here, but in all honesty your opening post has done you no favours.

 

And as for people swearing at the DCA's, you try answering your phone 20 times a day to be asked the same questions by a differrent snotty nosed kid, I am sure you would get frustrated.

 

Yes, you may be one of the good guys - but going by your post, I think not!

 

When your trying to preach your morals to us, just remember all the people who have taken their own lives because the industry you seem to be proud to work for pushed them to it!

[Deb T]

Thanks for you reply the thing I struggle with is all these 'irregularities' i sure are all over exaggerated.

 

The customers in question are themselves at times obnoxious, patronising and aggressive. Eg last Tuesday i was explaining something to a customer in a normal manner when he called me rude. Another example of someone not listening and then wondering why they are being pursued for a debt when payments are late or missed.

 

A the end of the day there is paying back the debt and making 'significant effort' in clearing the debt. This is the big problem esp with the likes of CAB

 

 

Paying back a debt is one thing but an awful lot of these DCA's have no power to collect and often do not have the correct documentation to enable them to collect and at the same time as this they attempt to set amountsw fo alleged debtors to pay back that are both unrealistic/unachievable.

 

Debt is a way of life, it is inevitable that people will get in debt, creditors allow for it but where a creditor is perhaps more reasonable (not all and not always) the DCA is usually unreasonable and bullying in their technique.

 

I can say that had some of my alleged creditors and the associated dca's collecting for them had been more reasonable in the first place I'd have maybe been paying them off each and every month with a view to paying them off altogether. Indeed most of the problems found on this website are borne from the underhanded tactics of the DCA .

 

You could of course widen the debate and extend the problem to banks lending criteria being shoddy and giving money out like confetti only to then tighten up and wanting blood when it comes to collecting.

 

Right now the banks are not lending so much but when they do they're high on interest, this will eventually lead to problems again. Base rate is currently 0.5% and yet most credit cards are upping their interest rates to close to 20% and they wonder why a client of theirs at a later date goes belly up and struggles to maintain the payments and then the cycle starts..

 

But in any case, the majority of DCA's are worthy of the contempt they for the main are held in and one only has to read on this forum for a few minutes to see the kind of tricks they (dca) employs to try and extract money from a person..

 

Just as an example to the aggressive manner you say some clients display when talking to a dca....well, when that dca calls them 20 times, sometimes at work and then wants details from them they're not entitled to have such as d.o.b etc....it's ever likely a client is going to become just that little bit miffed with them, wouldn't you?

 

In any case, thats my point of view, DCA's deserve nothing but scourn poured over them.

[Jordan1983]

uncle bulgaria if you write a complaint its obvious that its not going to got to the ceo, most companies have there own internal complaints dept.

 

tcf outlines dealing with customers in a understanding manner etc, ie treat them how you would expect to be treated yourself etc etc.

 

my point being if people on here told the true stories re their grievances then you'd understand.

 

the bottom line is people dont want to pay there debts

[car2403]

Jordan, can I ask if you've contacted Site Admin to identify yourself to them and outline your reasons for being here? If you haven't, please do so by email to admin @ consumeractiongroup.co.uk

 

You'll know this as you've just read the forum rules on registering

[Jordan1983]

Huggy im 27 and rent property ive worked prev for 2 collections companies and being truthfully the youngest person i work with is 23.

 

Most collection companies wont from what i gather employ 'kids' as it is a demanding job.

 

I think (if you read my prev posts) think people hold dmc in contempt but if you were speaking to someone correctly and being swore at for no reason there are 2 sides to every story.

 

In my opinion debt management companies and cab are to blame for claiming laws that dont exist.

[Huff&Puff]

Every single time we get one of these DCA trolls thy come out with the same old tosh

 

Maybe it's he only way they can live with themselves, to bedliv that we are al driving round in luxury cars and living it up on expensive holidays. Maybe believing that makes them think that bullying people to suicide is OK.

[harrassed senior]

I really do not want to get drawn into this, but feel I must have my say.

 

In all walks of life there are rude and obnoxious people who do not know, or perhaps do not want to conduct themselves in a respectable manner.

 

Another annoying thing is people seem to think if there is no credit agreement the debt does not stand... at the end of the days were all adults, you've borrowed the money, stop trying to 'wangle' your ways out of it and re pay what you owe as QUICKLY as possible.

To answer the above point you make: Banks, Loan Companies and Credit Card Companies are in business to make money, there is nothing wrong with that, but what is NOT alright is their 'cavalier' manner and sloppy business practices when it comes to keeping records. The borrower cannot be blamed in any way for those problems. The banks have plenty of staff paid a wage to do their jobs during their hours of employment.

Now, someone comes along and, as in most walks of life, they are astute enough to spot a 'loophole' and take advantage of that, this then spirrals as others in similar positions find out what can be achieved by taking such advantage. Now, where does the blame lie, with the Banks etc. and their staff, who are well paid to do their jobs, or their customers who pay for the priviledge of the services they are given? It is a fact of life that loopholes exist in almost every form of statute/Law/ etc. and people take advantage I am afraid that is just human nature. The people who drew up these faulty documents and used them 'should' have known better, but they didn't and now they are the ones who as you put it are trying to 'wangle' your ways out of it, by lying to their 'customer' ie people who may or may not owe money. Would your company, would you give me most of your weekly earnings because I SAY you must, I don't think so, you would, just like us, expect us to prove you owe us money by producing a valid document!.

 

I will draw a breath now and contemplate your other comments.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jordan1983]

huff and puff and blondie your post prove a very good point as to my initial post.

[Jordan1983]

Harrassed Senior i fully agree with your post. I initally (for the millionth time of saying) brought levelled response to the table.

 

What i was getting at people cry wolf over being harrassed etc, now what would they do if someone owed them money???????

[huggys boss]

Huggy im 27 and rent property ive worked prev for 2 collections companies and being truthfully the youngest person i work with is 23.

 

 

OK cards on table, I am 43, with a disabled husband and 2 children at home. We rent our home.

 

Yes, we are in a little bit of debt.

 

What right do you or any other DCA have to tell me that I need to explain every penny of my finances. I say, I am on benefits and offer x amount, they say its not good enough, they want double. I know what I have spare at the end of the month regardless of what an I/E sheet says.

 

Luckily, we found this site because 3 years ago I was terrified to answer the phone because of the nasty people on the other end. Surely you must think it is wrong for somebody in their 20's to make a mature woman feel like that?

[BankFodder]

Just to flag up that we are aware of this thread. Everyone is welcome here and entitled to express their own view however unpopular.

 

Keep the thread polite please - and all parties try not to labour the same points over and over again

[camuk]

Huggy im 27 and rent property ive worked prev for 2 collections companies and being truthfully the youngest person i work with is 23.

 

Most collection companies wont from what i gather employ 'kids' as it is a demanding job.

 

I'm afraid Jordan is right here, the bank I worked for only recruited people for their bad debt side who could be emotionally cold. However some of the staff were older.

 

I left after getting chewed with the same old same old. The bank I had worked for had strict lending procedures and it was really hard when you heard some of the stories.

[Jordan1983]

ok flip side you someone owes you £8k you work full time you receive £1200 per month your rents £450 yet your only getting £10 per month.... Honestly now what would you say?

[Huff&Puff]

All these thousands of posts, detailing peoples broadly similar experiences, are all "crying wolf" are they? Do you really think that people have nothing better to do than make up stories and post them on forums?

 

I just don't know what you are trying to achieve here

[twofoot]

As I see it my problem is not with DCA's being rude or turning the screw to get paid. My problem is the ethics of what they stand for. Ok so a guy loses his job and cannot pay up. If his situation doesn't improve his debt is sold off to a DCA. Thhe creditor writes it off and gets tax relief on the full amount. He the sells it for peanuts to some scrooge who tries to cane the life out of some poor sod who lost his job. They paid a couple of hundred quid for the debt and insist poor joe bloggs pays 5 grand or loose his house. This may not always be the case but it is the norm even if he doesn't loose his house his stress levels go through the roof. There is nothing morally right about a DCA's job. DCA's prey on peoples misfortunes and the sooner it is stopped the better for all. Creditors should be made to do their own collecting and it they write it off that should be the end of it. Why should a bank claim tax back on a bad debt that is being collected by someone else.