FOS publishes latest complaints data shows 3% decrease in complaints

28th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

The Financial Ombudsman Service has published its latest six-monthly complaints data on individual business and groups today. The data features complaint numbers about banks, insurance companies and other financial businesses received by the ombudsman service between 1 July – 31 December 2017. • 219 businesses feature in the complaints data – down by 11% when compared…

Read more

Growth in credit card debt surges to 12-year high

27th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Credit card debts have surged at the fastest annual rate in 12 years in February. The latest figure from UK Finance shows that consumer spending use of credit cards, with outstanding levels of card borrowing, grew at a rate of 6.3 percent over the year, whilst the use of loans and overdrafts continues to fall.…

Read more

Barclays to refund some arrears customers

26th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Barclays has announced that it will refund some of its loan and credit card customers in arrears. Barclays says the refund will be given to customers who weren’t provided with adequate service. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules state that if a customer is in default or in arrears difficulties, the lending firm should, where appropriate, inform the customer that free and…

Read more

Consumer finance shows 12% growth

22nd March 2018 Consumer Collections |

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show growth of 12% in consumer finance new business in January, compared with the same month last year. Credit card and personal loan new business together grew by 12% compared with January 2017, while retail store and online credit new business increased by 13% over…

Read more

Chip and pin remains’ first choice for card payments

20th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

 Online research from Equifax, shows that using a debit or credit card with a pin number is still the preferred method of payment for 42% of people in the UK. Contactless methods followed at 34%, with the vast majority of these respondents (31%) preferring a contactless card to using their phone or wearable technology (3%).…

Read more

Paperless billing ‘hassle’ for a third of consumers

20th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Research by GoCompare finds that 80% of UK consumers now receive at least one financial service and utility bill or statement electronically 4 out of 5 (80%) UK consumers now receive at least one paperless bill or statement for a financial product or utility, new research from GoCompare has found. However, the result for many…

Read more

Money Statistics: March 2018

20th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Here is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for March 2018: Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1.576 trillion at the end of January 2018. This is up from £1.52 trillion at the end of January 2017– an extra £1,077.51 per UK adult. Per adult in the UK that’s an average debt…

Read more

CSA to host industry technology awards at UKCCC

19th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

The Credit Services Association (CSA), the voice of the UK debt collection and debt purchase sectors, is to host the Credit and Collections Technology Awards at this year’s CSA Gala Dinner on 13 September. The co-branded event, which will form part of the CSA’s UK Credit and Collections Conference (UKCCC), reflects the Association’s growing recognition…

Read more

Finance industry prevents £1.4bn in fraud

15th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Banks and card companies prevented £1,458.6 million in unauthorised financial fraud last year, equivalent to £2 in every £3 of attempted unauthorised fraud being stopped, the latest data from UK Finance shows. In 2017, fraud losses on payment cards fell 8 per cent year-on-year to £566.0 million. At the same time, card spending increased by…

Read more

Consumer CCJs hit record high in 2017

12th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

There were more County Court Judgments (CCJs) against consumers in England and Wales during 2017 than any other year since current records began in 2005, according to figures released today by Registry Trust.  In 2017, 1,138,058 judgments were registered against consumers in England and Wales. Rising almost a quarter on 2016, the total number of…

Read more

Tesco cancels credit cards after fraud concerns

9th March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Tesco Bank has cancelled some of its customers’ credit cards, after concerns that a number of accounts may have been compromised. The bank said that only a tiny number of its three million credit card users would be affected, and apologised for the inconvenience. A Tesco Bank spokesman said “We take the security of our customers’ accounts…

Read more

Call for common Code of Practice for all consumer collections

2nd March 2018 Consumer Collections |

Peter Wallwork, Chief Executive of the Credit Services Association (CSA) has again called for the adoption of a Code of Practice as the de facto best practice ‘standard’ across all sectors and organisations collecting consumer debts. Whereas agencies collecting financial services debts are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and adhere to the CSA Code,…

Read more

Consumer credit grows by 9.3%

2nd March 2018 Arrears and Recoveries |

The Bank of England has today published its latest monthly Money and Credit report showing growth in consumer credit of 9.3 percent in the year to January 2018. Outstanding balances for consumer credit now stand at over £207.5 billion. Commenting on the latest figures Money Advice Trust Joanna Elson OBE, Chief Executive said “Whilst the…

Read more