Bree complained to us about the way her lender chased her for an outstanding debt.
What happened
The business tried to get Bree to repay a debt she owed. Bree said the way it went about this was unfair – she was in financial difficulties and experiencing mental health issues. She said that it refused to deal with her representative, ignored her offers of payment, and continued to send her letters and statements threatening court action. Bree said the business phoned her constantly demanding payment.
What we said
After considering the relevant debt collection guidance from the regulator, and the specific circumstances of this complaint we felt that the business had acted unfairly. We said that it wasn’t fair to bypass Bree’s representative without good reason. And the almost daily phone calls about the debt were unreasonable.
Although the business had now agreed a suitable repayment plan with Bree, we concluded that their previous actions were unacceptable, particularly considering what they already knew about Bree’s personal circumstances. We told them to pay Bree £300 compensation for the distress and inconvenience they had caused her.