Letters, the big issue: Debt agencies - we need protection from rogue firms
The article “Debt agencies act illegally and chase wrong people” (News, 28 June) struck a chord. In 2005, we were relentlessly called throughout the year by a debt collection company wanting to speak to a “Miss Ellis”. Only two of us live at our address and neither is called “Miss Ellis”. It did not matter how many times we explained to the random callers that they had the wrong number; they persisted, becoming increasingly aggressive. We eventually changed our phone number, which solved the problem.
There should be some form of arbitration to prevent this sort of abuse of the privileged position enjoyed by these rogue debt recovery companies.
Alan Miller
Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex
I had a lodger who rented rooms in my house for five years, always paying his rent. Then he left, leaving only a letter saying that he had decided to emigrate. He did not leave an address. At first I returned his mail, but it kept on coming. So I opened it: he owed £45,000 for credit cards, loans, store accounts etc. To each creditor I returned their demand, enclosing a note explaining the situation.
It is now nearly four years since he left, and demands for payment are still arriving, now from debt agencies rather than the original creditors. Many have sent legal-sounding letters threatening court action. So far, there has been no move to turn these threats into action. After he left I unplugged his phone, so I have not been bothered by importunate calls. I have applied for credit without problem, so it seems my credit rating has not been caught up in his indebtedness. My experience suggests that people should not be panicked by debt agencies.
Paul Myers
London W5
Your article hit the spot. My trouble started with a disputed bill from a telephone/broadband company, which I reluctantly agreed to pay. By then, it was too late to stop a barrage of letters and intimidating phone calls from a debt collector. Twice a week for five months I trotted out to post the latest threats through my solicitor’s door. He was not worried, saying that it was all hot air.
The weak element in all this is that, once the debt collection agency has been informed of a non-payment, the nice lady from the CEO’s office told me, it is well-nigh impossible to rescind their actions. If I were a little old lady, living on my own, I might well have slit my throat.
Celia Velarde
Battle, East Sussex
Could I reassure readers in need of legal advice on debt issues that help is at hand. Last year over 130,000 people received legal aid to help them resolve debt problems. Legal aid is available to people who pass financial means and legal merits tests laid down by parliament. Generally, a client is eligible if they and their partner have a combined monthly disposable income of less than £733. In addition, we fund the Community Legal Advice service, which offers free, confidential and independent legal advice for residents of England and Wales.
Carolyn Regan,
chief executive
Legal Services Commission
London SW1
If you’ve got a problem with an unpaid debt in somewhere like Nigeria or Mexico, where there’s an under-culture of corruption and interminable delay, your only hope is to work through an honest and effective local law firm who know their way round the system - and they’re not easy to find.
I was speaking a few days ago to a leading lawyer in Zambia whom my company was considering using for the first time. I said: “Derek - our client is a bit worried about going to court with this claim in case the judge gets bribed.” Misunderstanding me, he replied immediately: “Not a problem, Peter. We can always bribe the judge.’
Peter Gibbs, director
ATTI Consultants
Maidenhead, Berkshire
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