I am a debt collector AMA

[PTW1234]

Well actually I don’t like to think I am. I work for a Global company who specialises in collecting debts of on behalf of creditors and also purchase some debts off creditors too.

I have worked in this field in various roles from IT to my current management position, and have also freelanced as a consultant.

I have experience in all aspects of unsecured debt collection. But specialise in more financially vulnerable customers. Such as those who are in informal or formal debt solutions.

I can’t give debt advice as a caveat (I am qualified but don’t have a license to do so) but willing to answer any questions you’ve may have about the process and sign post you to where you can get help for debts needed.

How do you know what class they are?

You misinterpret me. I'm not talking about working v middle class. I'm talking 'ordinary people' v the people in power

There but for the grace of God.

I would never do this job - too much empathy for my fellow human being. I dont care how much you paid me.

@LEMtheoriginal you have too much empathy? So if I owed you £10,000 which you really needed back, you wouldn't ask for it back as you have too much empathy!

What happens if person you’re collecting from never lets you in the house?

A scenario for you. You to come a house to collect a debt. A person answers the door and says they're not the debtor and the debtor doesn't live here. They won't show you any ID. What do you do next?

A friend of mine won a claim in the Small Claims Court after she was sold faulty goods worth over £1,000 and the seller refused to give her a refund. The seller didn't pay up, so my friend requested enforcement action. The bailiffs/sheriffs were unable to collect the debt as they were either unable to gain access or there were no assets to seize. Does she have any other options to get her money back?

safari, they quickly break in whilst you hold the door ajar (sorry I mean ‘peaceful entry’) then go through your house looking for documents.

@LEMtheoriginal

Don't assume all debtors are innocent victims and don't assume all debt collectors are callous bullies.

How do you feel about people who fight their corner and win ? For example in the case of debt buyer disputes ?

Why start the thread if you aren't going to answer any questions?

What do you do about people who after paying out for essentials literally haven't got a penny to pay.
They don't have anything of value to sieze so going down the bailiff route is a bit pointless.
There must be such people.
With the best will in the world you can't get blood out of a stone.

Why start the thread if you aren't going to answer any questions?

There have been lots of genuine questions that the op could have answered. Says it all really.

OP never came back?

I all sorry I was taken a back with some of the questions and have been really busy at work recently, you know ruining people’s lives and also not sleeping!

To set the scene before I answer sensible questions, I started in this industry 12 years ago and a lot of things have changed in this time. The FCA has really changed things for the better.

1. if someone says they don’t owe the debt the reason for them saying so is fully investigated. We liase with action fraud if the customer agrees, and always suspend collections activity. However unfortunately those who do really have a fraud claim, for every say 5 claims we receive 4 are actually just debt avoidance. (We don’t keep statistics on it as it’s not a complaint) but it is painfully obvious when it’s debt avoidance and we have so many other procedures and action plans that we can put in place to make sure a repayment plan , or none of that’s the case, is affordable.

There are a lot of problematic forums and advice centres on the internet that tell you to send certain letters, it would be much easier for all involved if people just ignored the bogus advice on these, and if struggling call an actual specialist like stepchange or any other debt charity.

2. people with SEN, we try and work out of the money was legitimately borrowed in the first place. A lot of money has been written off, although it has been slowing down now the new guidelines from the FCA re borrowing are starting to trickle in. Any one with any sort of specialist needs or specialist circustances, if they announce them, our or call handler has a number of triggers, are triaged to a specialist team. This team basically act as social workers in a way, advising some of our vulnerable members of society about who they might need to contact and send them out information sheets. We also offer counciling to the specialist team for handling the calls, most are young people who have to handle calls from customers who have been in abusive relationships, are suicidle, dying from cancer etc. Taking these kind of calls everyday, even if you are helping someone can be really taxing.

3. how can you sleep at night? I honestly sleep soundly, not to sound like a total dick head but well I do. There are people out there believe it or not that just avoid paying money they owe, even if they can afford to.

However there are plenty of people who can’t and I can honestly say that I would like to help them all! Sometimes I lose sleep about them

Did you watch Murdered by my debt, did you cry, or did you see the other point of view

Was that the thing on Netflix? If so I cried.

I will always get emotional about people who feel like there was no way out of their debts that they have to end their lives.

I speak to people like this daily. I work in the back end of the problem, those who can’t afford to repay what they owe. And I do think this end is cast on a negative light over those who lend the money in the first place..

An interesting fact came to light in a recent debt charity conference I was in, the debt collectors pay more in a fee we on the industry call “fair share” than the lenders..

I just wish places like bright house stop loaning phones to people on ridiculous aprs

To answer more questions, if people are earning less than the affordability ratings (set by the debt charities) we just stop collecting and try again depending on the truce of situation the customer is in, eg made redundant try again in 6 months, long term terminal illness, site the debt off

Hiya,

NC for this. I work as a debt advisor in Scotland and spend much of my working life on the phone to you and your colleagues!

My question is this:-

• how familiar are you and your colleagues (in general) with Scottish debt relief options such as DAS, PTDs & sequestration? It is frustrating to have to explain these over the phone as obviously, generally the advisor on the phone is working from an English perspective.

@GreenBrick

Hopefully this will help the person you support:-

www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/debt-and-mental-health/mental-health.aspx

If the person has severe mental health issues, then you may wish to consider asking (on their behalf) their HCPs to fill in a Debt & Mental Health Evidence Form (DMHEF) to submit to their creditors.

Another question!

Do you work from CFS trigger figures when looking at financial statements?

at people asking how OP sleeps at night.

I may be using debt collectors soon as the tenant in my flat has basically destroyed it and hasn't paid rent for months. I've served a section 8 and heard nothing. Next steps are a court order, which asks him to leave, but if he doesn't (and he won't) I'll have to hire high court enforcement officers to get him out. People can literally rent and property, not pay rent for half a year and fuck all can be done. If it wasn't for debt collectors he could live in my property forever at my expense.