The Southern Regional President of The Society of St Vincent De Paul
(SVP) has claimed that some debt collection companies are hounding
people with no cash.
Brendan Dempsey claimed that some debt collectors are a major
problem, harassing people with nothing, and that the law seems to be
powerless to stop them.
He said, “They are phoning three times a day, calling to their house
demanding money. I know one person who does not have her house anymore,
she has lost everything so what is the point of it.”
He continued, “One bank has three different debt collection agencies
chasing this person. This person has lost a home and a business, has no
income and is been fed by the SVP. All the laws seem to be on the side
of the financial institutions and they won't take no for an answer.
There is no regulation governing the operation of private debt
collection agencies.”
He pointed out that there are rules covered by the Consumer Credit
Act 1995.
Under the Central Banks Consumer Protection Code a lender
cannot phone you or visit you in connection with your loan without your
consent between 9:00pm and 9:00am on weekdays or at any time on a Sunday
or public holiday.
Also, a lender is not permitted to call you or
visit you at your place of work unless you are also living there, or
unless all reasonable efforts to contact you elsewhere have failed.
Dempsey said that the current economic climate “is dire” for the
self-employed and that the social welfare system, “is needlessly harsh
on those that are relying on it'.”