Provident debt collecting ?

[johnnyscouse]

hi

i need some advice im normally on form but this hit me for six

Today (12/10/2012) i went to visit my nan and whilst there a bloke turned up for provident personal loans, nice chap nan pays £20 a week for a loan she took out he seemed ok to me and my nan was dealing with him for last few months no issue, her bill is £19.50 a week and always pays twenty so she is not in arrears and frimly can afford this.

Anyway after siiting on the couch filled in the book turned around to my nan and asked he was there to collect £350 debt for O2 if she could pay £250 today would right thre rest off.

My instinct was to ask for Id he was now a debt collector and he didnt have any but provident credit servies (same company) are now also collecting debts

the knob was rude and discussed my nans personal info in front of me, to which i feel is data protection surely and how can a loan company give money doorstep loans and collect debts at same time,

i understand if they have gone into that kind of work then they should have one agent to give a loan and another to collect debts, the morale of story i threw the guy out

i was right to do this? any advice?

i am considering contacting trading standards does my nan have a case ?

please help

[ajs444]

They have been doing this for over a year now, mostly catalogue debts and mobile phone accounts, agents get megabucks for collecting, usual send letter as a preliminary approach.

 

Mostly all of the "debts" are statute barred and as such are unenforceable.

[dosb123]

I have had this happen to me. I dont have any accounts with provident but the other day a man knocked our door saying he was from provident and then explained to my husband that I owed money to another company and that provident has paid the other company the money in a form of a loan to me from provident. Therefore he would like to set up a regular payment to him for the money I owe him. This must have been a major breach of the data protection act!

 

My husband said he would contact the police if the man came back asking for money as he does not donate to people who beg. We have not heard from them since.

[dosb123]

Also, how much does your nan have left on her original provident loan? Could she not find a way to pay the loan back outright so that she can tell the man to never visit again?

[ashmk]

They CANNOT collect on these 'debts' unless you sign up to a loan agreement to replay them. If you do not sign up, they will just go away with their tail between their legs. They may try again to convince you with some wishy washy story on how it's your debt and only xxx amount a week but it's all nonsense to get you to sign.

 

provident has paid the other company the money in a form of a loan to me from provident.

 

They is nonsense also. They cannot just go making up loans for people.

 

The whole Provident debt collecting idea relys on you signing a new agreement for a load to repay the debt. If you have not signed there is nothing they can do, they are just chancing their luck that you sign for a loan. Don't do it, tell them to sod off your not intrested.

[ashmk]

And please please please, pay of your loans and have nothing more to do with them.

 

They WILL just keep flashing cash in front of your face when your nearly paid off and they WILL just keep you trapped in a repayment plan FOREVER!!

[planet27]

I too would be interested in whether the data protection act applies here. A debt collector has just knocked on the door & discussed my flatmate's debt in front of me without checking first. I'd be furious if it was my details being so openly discussed.

[Old Cogger]

report to ICO complaint inform company and all events at the time. get them fined.

[planet27]

report to ICO complaint inform company and all events at the time. get them fined.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "all events". Th debt collector was on the doorstep discussing with my flatmate, but I was in plain view of the open door.

[Old Cogger]

I'm not sure what you mean by "all events". Th debt collector was on the doorstep discussing with my flatmate, but I was in plain view of the open door.

 

What was passed whilst you were within listening distance, that is your complaint as it was personal to the other person?

[planet27]

What was passed whilst you were within listening distance, that is your complaint as it was personal to the other person?

 

Yes. I don't think it was right to disclose the info in front of me without asking my flatmate's permission

[Old Cogger]

Yes. I don't think it was right to disclose the info in front of me without asking my flatmate's permission

 

 

 

You are correct, so a Complaint to FOS would be in oreder outlining the said event including the companies representative concerned.