Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Marston Holdings has announced that Alistair Townsend has joined the business as Group Client Services Director. Townsend was previously Head of Revenues and Benefits at Milton Keynes Council. He joins the Group with extensive knowledge of local taxation, revenue collection and local government. He has represented local government on a number of working groups for…
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Aberdeenshire Council is sending messages through Facebook and WhatsApp in a bid to recoup unpaid rent. The Council has been contacting people living in council homes who are in debt using methods other than just post. A total of 35 evictions were carried out by the local authority in 2015/16, with £104,830 owed to the council.…
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Perth and Kinross Council was forced to write-off nearly £300,000 of outstanding debts mainly due to rent arrears. In response to the problem the local authority launched its Rent 1st campaign to highlight the importance of making payments and offering extra support and advice for people who are struggling to pay. Now the housing and health…
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Scottish Councils could be handed more powers to limit the number of controversial pay day loan shops opening on Scotland’s high streets. The Scottish Government has faced calls to introduce legislation even though there is now a cap of 0.8 per cent APR on the amount pay day loan firms can charge, campaigners have expressed concern…
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Struggling businesses could face earlier intervention after the amount of business rates lost by Aberdeen City Council soared sixfold in the space of two years. Finance convenor Willie Young promised a “more proactive” pursuit of debtors after the local authority was forced to write off almost £183,000 last year. Since 2010, the council has written…
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http://www.cityam.com/252276/challenger-bank-cybg-confirms-williams-glyn-takeover-talks
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The Government has announced that they will be creating a new single public body responsible for delivering advice to consumers on money, debt and pensions. The new service will replace the Money Advice Service (MAS). The government thinks a single advisory body will be more efficient but has yet to decide how the new service will…
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The government has resumed the sale of a failed bank’s £15.65 billion pound mortgage portfolio after it was delayed in the aftermath of the country’s vote to leave the European Union. UK Asset Resolution, which is selling off the Bradford & Bingley loans, is planning to send out non-disclosure agreements to prospective bidders this week,…
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A new report from Citizens Advice Wales “Fairness for all – Improving council tax debt collection in Wales” highlights the findings of research undertaken to better understand the recent increase in council tax arrears seen over the last few years. Council tax arrears is now the largest debt issue representing 13%t of all debt issues. Council…
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Government figures reveal that tens of millions of pounds in unpaid council tax and business rates is owed to councils across the Black Country and Staffordshire. The figures owed are as follows: Walsall £20.3 million Sandwell £23.3 million Wolverhampton £14.7 million Dudley £8.7 million Cannock £6 million Stafford £4.4 million
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Marston Holdings (Marston) has confirmed that subsidiary Rossendales has been granted full authorisation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Rossendales is the second Marston business to become fully authorised. Burlington Credit was authorised in 2014.
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The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has blamed policy changes for the delay in Universal Credit rollout. Damien Green, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, issued a statement to parliament outlining three major changes to the roll-out. The full statement can be found here. Source: Parliament UK
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A report by charity Stepchange has found that bailiffs, government departments and bailiffs are among the most unfair when dealing with people in problem debt. The report titled Creditor and debt collector conduct: What’s making debt problems worse? also found that some creditors are failing to take vulnerabilities such as depression and other ongoing mental health conditions into…
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