Clear Associates

[Mkel100]

Hello everyone

 

New on the forum - I have three or four debts outstanding at the moment - a couple informal arrangements - nothing major overdue or in litigation etc but today I received a letter, the brief outline as follows:-

 

Clear Associates, PO Box 7292, Corby, NN17 9BX Tel: 0800 1804136.

 

Dear Sir

 

Our client as requested that we contact you in relation to an important matter.

 

Please telephone this office, quoting reference xxxxxx to discuss this matter further etc.

 

Our client has a legilative obligation to update their file with data concerning change of address ....etc

 

If we do not receive any contact in the the stipulated time (NOT GIVEN!!), the record will be passed to our investigations department who will undertake various procedures which may include visiting the property .....etc.

 

 

This has worried me - I cannot seem to find any info on Clear Associates..has anyone dealt with them and if so who do they act on behalf of any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

 

 

Mkel

[Guest Cartaphilus]

If we do not receive any contact in the the stipulated time (NOT GIVEN!!), the record will be passed to our investigations department who will undertake various procedures which may include visiting the property .....etc.

Well, they cannot just invite themselves to your property. Invesitgations department sounds pretty pretentious and also ideas perhaps above their station where saying they 'may include visiting the property' ... more exploitation of consumer knowledge ie they cannot just show up and do that without your permission and of course you aren't going to give it are you.

 

 

Our client has a legilative obligation to update their file with data concerning change of address ....etc

 

Oh, well, if they are going to start quoting 'legislation' maybe they should look up what the OFT says about such things ie contacting a debtor not making themselves clear who they are nor what they want.

 

Yet another letter I presume from the mysterious DCAs not using a proper address ... Hmmm.

[Brigadier 1JCS]

If they don't identify their client ignore this until they do, silly threats which are

meaningless.

should be reported to the Office of Fair Trading asap.

[Bazooka Boo]

Make a complaint to Consumer Direct - Contact us who will pass it on to the OFT and TS.

[Hardupnotfedup]

legilative obligation

 

Even making words up to sound all menacing and important.

[Guest Cartaphilus]

Maybe, Clear needs some window cleaning, maybe Windowlene or something, then they can be more 'clear' to people who they are. Tsk tsk!

[Mkel100]

Legislative - sorry about the typing!

 

I will inform consumer direct, one other thing? should I ignore, phone/write to see who they are - who their client is?

 

The letter has no other details other than the PO box address, telephone number - no details of the legal status I.e company, partnership or sole trader/practitioner etc - which i assume is wrong - I can scan and upload if required.

 

Thanks again

[blueboy6970]

if it was addressed to you at that address then they have no need to update their records

[Bazooka Boo]

I will inform consumer direct, one other thing? should I ignore, phone/write to see who they are - who their client is?

 

When you ring Consumer Direct tell them that you are aware of the OFT's Debt Collection Practices, and these clowns fall way short of complying with the OFT in not making it clear as to who they are, why they are contacting you, and what they want.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

 

Specifically this section;

2 UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES

Communication

2.1 It is unfair to communicate, in whatever form, with consumers in an unclear,

inaccurate or misleading manner.

2.2 Examples of unfair practices are as follows:

a. use of official looking documents intended or likely to mislead

debtors as to their status, for example, documents made to resemble court

claims.

b. leaving out or presenting information in such a way that it

creates a false or misleading impression or exploits debtors'

lack of knowledge

c. those contacting debtors not making clear who they are, who

they work for, what their role is, what the purpose of the

contact is

d. unnecessary and unhelpful use of legal and technical language, for

example, use of Latin phrases

 

And NO, DON'T phone them EVER,

[ricknaldo]

I have received one of these letters today and i called Consumer Direct and all they told me was to write to them and ask for more information, but should i be contacting them?

[Bazooka Boo]

Rick, you should start your own thread as this will go missed here,

Try this http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=167

 

Give it your own title, "unclear Associates" or whatever and others will be able to see your new post and advise accordingly, welcome to CAG, happy New Year and all that Jazz!

 

You will need to explain what they want. how much roughly, and what it is for? How old it is etc etc etc....any dramas reply to this and I will hopefully be able to guide you further, but MOST importantly DO NOT RING THEM or speak to them OVER THE PHONE keep EVERYTHING in WRITING!!

[blueandi]

I had the exact same letter this morning, but however it was addressed to a female version of my first name! All very suspicious, and as far as I am aware I don't owe anybody anything now although I've had problems in the past due to divorce etc.

I am going to ignore the letter as it is far too vague, and I think it may be a Phishing [problem].

[JohnBoy73]

I've had numerous voicemails left by an automated sort of thing: "Please call Clear Associates now on XXXXXXXXXX quoting reference XXXXXXX". Never a letter or any other form of contact. I'm totally ignoring them. I'd suggest the OP does the same until they actually reveal who they're representing. The reference number they gave me doesn't correspond with anything.

[diesel dom]

they have phoned my work, my work will not pass on any details but they passed this info on to me. Hannah French from Clear associates wants to speak to me on 08001804136, but wouldn't say why. HOW DID THEY GET MY WORKS OFFICE NUMBER, AND HOW DO I STOP THIS!!!!

[Bazooka Boo]

Ignore them, make a formal complaint to the OFT&TS via consumer direct, and then to Ofcom. Keep a diary of events, with a SERIOUS view of taking legal action against them in court for the criminal offence of harassment.

[Queens_king]

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/06868481

 

Hi all, this is not from Companies House but it does give all an insight into this company and what it is trading as.

[cerberusalert]

Duke Munday's directorships give a better insight. http://company-director-check.co.uk/director/906306920

[TrainDriverLondon]

Just received a letter from them today, addressed to 'The Occupier' at my address, requesting information as to whether I currently reside here so 'they can update their records'. I have no knowledge of why they have a record for me, who they are working on behalf of (if anyone), what should I do with this letter, destroy it, keep it, ignore it?

 

Seems like an unfair business practice as outlined above however!

[cerberusalert]

Ignore it but keep the letter for future use.

[sameagle]

I wonder how they would update their records if they were to receive a letter, from your address, stating that, "The Occupier can confirm that he, [or she], does not live here"?

 

Sam

[Bazooka Boo]

A copy of that needs to be sent to the OFT,

[Pimpernel2012]

clear associates contacted me by pretending to be another company dealing with"very important confidential mail" can t remember the exact name as I was expecting a courier delivery but sounded like HAYMAT. Is this legal?

[jb000]

I've just had a phone call today from these jokers saying that they have confidential mail for me. It must be for a very old debt as I have behaved myself for the past 6 years. It makes me wonder how they got hold of my mobile number because I hardly advertise it. Obviously not through fair means.

 

Anyway, I hope to start playing with my new friend shortly

[GrumpyScot]

I received a letter today from this crowd addressed to "the occupier". They say that they are trying to contact me and as per the data protection act 1998 they are attempting to confirm the data they hold is up to date.

They are part of Empingham with whom I currently have dialogue. There is no reason to contact me since I have never returned mail as not known etc.

Can they in fact legally make that statement about the dpa?

[Bazooka Boo]

They can and will do whatever they want, sending a letter addressed to the 'occupier' is a very clear breach of the OFT debt collection guidelines and is a very clear indication of just how much they really care for legislation and guidelines.

 

Ignore the fools, they have NO legal powers to do anything, send a copy of that childish letter to the OFT&TS along with your complaint.