Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

[winjas]

Hi all

I was under impression that debts shouldn't be disclosed to other people at your home etc for intimidation and harassment etc.
But i have had two letters now, one from Wonga and one from Quick Quid to my address (family house share) where they have there name emblazoned all over the outer envelope and then they have different dodgy tactics to show my debt to all and sundry..

Wongas envelope had URGENT OVERDUE in red huge letters on front, and Quick Quids had a window envelope that you could clearly see above my name "overdue debt, act now"

So now i have my brother and family members who had no idea my private finances all going on about me having load of PDL debts now....

Bastards! Sure there in grey area on harassment with clearly dodgy envelopes etc...?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

You can complain to the ICO about this. They all do it, it's the only way they can get to us really.

[ScabHunter]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Bastards! Sure there in grey area on harassment with clearly dodgy envelopes etc...?

Not a grey area, just a bloody great black one.

It is Section 3.7 (q) of the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states

Examples of unfair or improper practices are as follows:

acting in a way likely to be publicly embarrassing to the debtor, either deliberately or negligently (that is to say, through lack of care)

Of course, the "Guidance" isn't statute and the Office of Faffing and Twaddling is an impotent boondoggle, but you do have a right to submit a formal complaint, which I would do to those loathsome PDL leeches immediately.

Let's face it, these scum operate by charging extortionate interest rates and just writing off what doesn't come back, so I would use this to put the matter in dispute and then make no further payments.

There is always the Fobbing Off Service to which complaints can be referred, which, although as bent as a nine bob note and utterly useless, does at least charge the lender a mediation fee if it takes the case.

SH

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Maybe you could blow quickquid up for us...

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

I'd speak to SnV - he knows all the right people to complain to but forget FOS - they have no jurisdiction. The OFT whom issue their licence and the ICO are the main two bodies to complain to.

Good luck

[winjas]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Thanks guys, yea i am kind of embarrassed in front of family now! Grrrr
Would love to blow em up Niddy, dont want to get caught though, guy fawkes didnt do to well!

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Well if its causing distress at home and embarrassment to family members then you can pursue it as that is a breach of debt collection guidelines and data protection; the latter being the one that *could* get you something as a result of the distress caused. So you'd go to ico & if they uphold in your favour, THEN consider asking for compo....

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Hi all

I was under impression that debts shouldn't be disclosed to other people at your home etc for intimidation and harassment etc.
But i have had two letters now, one from Wonga and one from Quick Quid to my address (family house share) where they have there name emblazoned all over the outer envelope and then they have different dodgy tactics to show my debt to all and sundry..

Wongas envelope had URGENT OVERDUE in red huge letters on front, and Quick Quids had a window envelope that you could clearly see above my name "overdue debt, act now"

So now i have my brother and family members who had no idea my private finances all going on about me having load of PDL debts now....

Bastards! Sure there in grey area on harassment with clearly dodgy envelopes etc...?

Hi Winjas

What PDL companies shouldn't do, and what they actually do, are usually very different.

As has already been pointed out what is that the above conduct is a breach of OFT guidelines on debt collection.

Wonga and Quickquid have recently been under scrutiny by the OFT so I would take photo's of the envelopes and send them as a formal complaint to the OFT stating that this has caused you embarrassment and distress.

I would also consider contacting Stella Creasy (MP for Walthamstow). Stella was the driving force behind the 'Sharkstoppers' campaign which has successfully lobbied the government to give powers to the new FCA (replacement for the OFT) to limit the prices that credit companies can charge.

This does not come into effect until 2014 however which means that 2013 will be a 'wild west' in the UK for PDL companies as they seek to issue as many loans as possible with the possibility of their charges being capped in the future (I say the possibility because although the FCA will have the powers doesn't mean they will use them - expect more lobbying from the PDL industry to try to prevent this from happening).

The 'Sharkstoppers' campaign is now looking to the OFT in 2013 to toughen up its act in enforcing against PDL companies who are breaching OFT guidelines.

You can find information on this campaign here:

www.workingforwalthamstow.org.uk.

Best

SnV

[winjas]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Thanks SnV i will look up that MP and draft a strong letter!
Did you get chance to take a look at this for me at all? Help, Barclays ignoring complaint AND wont cancel CPAs? - allaboutFORUMS

Thanks

[Tinkers78]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Oh dear god, I've defaulted on wonga and sent 3 emails, the 3rd also addressed to the CEO, I'm now panicking about a letter coming now and my partner seeing it.

Wingas is this happened even after sending emails for repayment plan???
God I'm near sick now with worry

[winjas]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Ermm i believe it was, sorry i dont wish to add to your worry but i think i had sent emails at that point.

Sorry

[Tinkers78]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Sorry for bothering again, eg what date did u default the payment and what date letters sent? Much in between???!

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: Letters that clearly show my debt on outside!?

Tinkers

I know its hard but please stop worrying. The letters are intended to frighten you and coerce you into paying more than you can afford. If you start stressing about them this is exactly what they want.

If you do get any letters they will be in the first couple of months, after that it will go quiet, unless they farm your account to a DCA, which is very unusual anyway.

Second thing - you need to understand the difference between defaulting on your loan, a default on your credit file, and an actual default notice.

A default on your credit file is just a marker to indicate that you have defaulted on the agreement

The creditor is legally obliged to then issue in the post (an email is NOT sufficient), a default notice as per the terms laid out in the Consumer Credit Act. If they do not (and I have yet to see a correct default notice issued by a payday loan company) then they are on dodgy ground.

Payday loan companies will make a lot of noise and threats, but that invariably is all it will be, as legally they operate on the fringes and were they to be challenged in court (and lose) their entire industry would collapse.

Best
SnV