Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
One in four renters behind on payments according to new research by Paypoint. The survey has revealed significant concerns regarding the future ability of renters to pay on time. 25% of respondents are already at least a month behind on their rent, and a third are concerned about the impact COVID-19 has had on their…
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The Government must act to prevent council tax loading £158 million in bailiff and court fees on to people who can’t pay following the pandemic according to debt charity StepChange. Bailiff visits, often used to enforce debt owed to local authorities in the form of unpaid council tax, will start up again from 23rd August,…
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The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) is backing its members’ use of technology to improve the process of collecting outstanding debts on behalf of UK companies. Andrew Wilson, Chairman of the High Court Enforcement Officers Association, said “Many of our members have been using technology such as video calls and making extra efforts to…
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Enforcement market integrator, Just has appointed Victoria Oliver as its Director of Client Development to assist in the delivery of its strategy. Oliver has over 18 years’ experience working in debt recovery, having held senior roles at Fredrickson International, Lowell and Qualco, where she spent over five years as Head of Strategic Projects, Governance and…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that Second charge mortgage new business volumes fall by 80% in May 2020. Commenting on the latest new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Head of Consumer and Mortgage Finance at the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), said “The severity…
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Just has announced that it has launched a virtual enforcement solution. The new virtual enforcement solution means collection will be performed by qualified and trained enforcement staff from the comfort of a desk rather than in a debtor’s home. Debtors will be able to arrange suitable payment plans and arrange a time and day for…
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The Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline, has welcomed a new Cabinet Office call for evidence on fairness in government debt collection, calling the move an opportunity to bring about ‘real and lasting improvements’ to protect people in financial difficulty. The call for evidence comes at a time when…
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The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) has welcomed the Government announcement that visits to residential properties to enforce debts owed to UK companies can restart from 24th August. High court enforcement agents will be re-starting visits at this time to residential properties in order to take control of goods. The restrictions on visits have…
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Three-quarters of people will struggle to pay off their debt after lockdown according to new research bey free debt advice company, PayPlan. The company conducted a survey to find out how people in debt have been affected during the Coronavirus outbreak. The FCA have extended payment holidays for mortgages and other debts, and although the…
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The UK’s three largest debt charities – Citizens Advice, Money Advice Trust and Stepchange – have today written to the Local Government Minister to call for urgent action on council tax. The charities are urging the government to implement simple measures that could protect millions of people from the prospect of spiralling council tax debt Following legislation…
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The Ministry of Justice has announced that it will allow enforcement visits to recommence from 24th August 2020. Responding to the announcement, debt charity StepChange says that it believes this is unsafe, and deeply troubling when compared with the more careful approaches being taken in other sectors where regulators are closely overseeing the practices of…
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Energy regulator Ofgem has given the green light for collections on unpaid bills can resumer but has urged suppliers to avoid aggressive collection tactics. Ofgem has told energy suppliers it is not in anyone’s interests for an open-ended debt collection delay. In an open letter, the regulator set out it’s updated approach to regulating domestic…
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Councils in deprived and affluent areas face serious financial risks from the COVID-19 crisis as incomes fall and costs grow. A new report from IFS researchers and funded by UK Research and Innovation says that the government has provided an additional £3.2 billion of general-purpose funding to English councils to help support them through the…
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