OFT Complaints - credit fitness

[stevep]

Under the advice of the good members of CAG, I recently made an enquiry of the OFT and received a response which made be of help to others.

 

A bit of background for those who are not aware - in order to carry out Bailiff activities, Bailiffs (or their companies) need to hold a consumer credit licence. To hold such a licence, the holder needs to prove that they are "fit" to hold a licence and this is tested via a "Section 25" test. If their fitness is called into doubt, the OFT can investigate and potentially remove the licence.

 

SO, they sent me a link to a document which will make interesting reading for anyone who has received communication from, or who have dealt with, a bailiff

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/OFT664Rev.pdf

 

misrepresenting your powers, misrepresenting outcomes, not being clear on charges, adding charges not legislated for, failiing to accept a reasonable offer of payment, etc etc ALL REASON FOR COMPLAINT AND REGARDED AS UNFAIR PRACTICE

 

enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk is the email address you'll be wanting. They will not give you advice, but they will take your complaint against any licence holder and either investigate, or keep it on record pending an application to renew a licence.

[outlawla]

Thanks for that.

 

I have been advised to submit a complaint to the OFT, and I have every intention of doing this. Your post has served as a reminder to kick myself into gear and get on with it.

 

EDIT:

 

That is for Rossendales by the way.

[brassnecked]

Most interesting and useful, thanks stevep

[old bill]

Under the advice of the good members of CAG, I recently made an enquiry of the OFT and received a response which made be of help to others.

 

A bit of background for those who are not aware - in order to carry out Bailiff activities, Bailiffs (or their companies) need to hold a consumer credit licence. To hold such a licence, the holder needs to prove that they are "fit" to hold a licence and this is tested via a "Section 25" test. If their fitness is called into doubt, the OFT can investigate and potentially remove the licence.

 

SO, they sent me a link to a document which will make interesting reading for anyone who has received communication from, or who have dealt with, a bailiff

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/OFT664Rev.pdf

 

misrepresenting your powers, misrepresenting outcomes, not being clear on charges, adding charges not legislated for, failiing to accept a reasonable offer of payment, etc etc ALL REASON FOR COMPLAINT AND REGARDED AS UNFAIR PRACTICE

 

enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk is the email address you'll be wanting. They will not give you advice, but they will take your complaint against any licence holder and either investigate, or keep it on record pending an application to renew a licence.

 

We've been doing that for a while, Steve, but thanks for reinforcing the importance of reporting the ****** bailiff companies to OFT Credit Fitness Team and reminding caggers of the contact details.

[wonkeydonkey]

Good to have in print though..it helps caggers identify the reasons they must complain and gives good insight to what they can use to compile their complaint.

Much appreciated steve.

 

WD

[stevep]

Thanks all

 

OB, I have received the advice to complain to the OFT on a few occassions - and on each occassion the cagger has given me their opinion of what the flavour of the complaint should be. This has always been helpful and well received. However, this document was so easy to read that knowledge of its existence would have promoted a bit more self help/empowerment and potentially made my individual complaints made more complete, so I thought i'd share it here. I understand I am not promoting anything new, and never thought I was, but it has been helpful to me to be able to read through the doc and word my most recent complaint more appropriately - referencing statements as necessary from this document added credibility.

[brassnecked]

Thanks all

 

OB, I have received the advice to complain to the OFT on a few occassions - and on each occassion the cagger has given me their opinion of what the flavour of the complaint should be. This has always been helpful and well received. However, this document was so easy to read that knowledge of its existence would have promoted a bit more self help/empowerment and potentially made my individual complaints made more complete, so I thought i'd share it here. I understand I am not promoting anything new, and never thought I was, but it has been helpful to me to be able to read through the doc and word my most recent complaint more appropriately - referencing statements as necessary from this document added credibility.

Exactly stevep, CAG is all about empowerment and getting the information that helps out there, your posting of the link is of immense help when formulating a complaint.

[old bill]

Thanks all

 

OB, I have received the advice to complain to the OFT on a few occassions - and on each occassion the cagger has given me their opinion of what the flavour of the complaint should be. This has always been helpful and well received. However, this document was so easy to read that knowledge of its existence would have promoted a bit more self help/empowerment and potentially made my individual complaints made more complete, so I thought i'd share it here. I understand I am not promoting anything new, and never thought I was, but it has been helpful to me to be able to read through the doc and word my most recent complaint more appropriately - referencing statements as necessary from this document added credibility.

 

It's very empowering to have the document to hand to see just how you can have a bailiff company brought to book. When read in conjunction with the OFT's Debt Collection Guidelines, it is dynamite. Playing "Spot the breaches" is very educational, but it also helps the OFT's Credit Fitness Team to see just how the law is being flouted and does influence their decision to either refuse renewal or revoke a bailiff company's licence.