FEATURE: GDPR – The Accountability Principle

11th April 2017 Arrears and Recoveries |

With the implementation date just over a year away, there is still a lot of conjecture surrounding the impending General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), particularly around its appropriateness and applicability once the UK leaves the EU. One thing that is clear, however, is that now is the time for any firm handling personal data to…

Read more

Intrum Justitia to buy Romanian Debt Purchaser

5th April 2017 Consumer Collections |

Intrum Justitia has entered into an agreement to acquire Top Factoring, one of the leading companies for purchased debt in Romania. The purchase price on a cash and debt free basis (enterprise value) is about EUR 25 million, attributable mainly to a diversified portfolio of receivables. Top Factoring has about 210 employees, primarily involved in…

Read more

Irish Central Bank announces appointment of Acting Deputy Governor

3rd April 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Central Bank of Ireland has announced the appointment of Bernard Sheridan, as Acting Deputy Governor (Financial Regulation) with effect from 8 April 2017. This interim appointment follows the resignation of Deputy Governor (Financial Regulation) Cyril Roux, who gave notice of his resignation on 28 February last. During this interim period, Bernard Sheridan will take…

Read more

Ireland’s Money and Banking Statistics – February 2017

3rd April 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Central Bank of Ireland has released Ireland’s Money and Banking Statistics for February 2017. Here is an overview of the main findings. Irish residents’ draw-downs of non-housing loans were €162 million higher than repayments over the year to February 2017. This compares with net repayments of €614 million in the year to February 2016. The…

Read more

Central Bank of Ireland publishes Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions Statistics

23rd March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Irish Legal rights group FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) has raised concerns over mortgage arrears figures released by the Central Bank of Ireland’s latest statistics on Residential Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions from Quarter 4 in 2016.  The group said the data confirms that worrying trends continue where family homes are in mortgage arrears. Over 5,000…

Read more

Phillips & Cohen Associates opens Spanish office and appoints Country Manager

22nd March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Phillips & Cohen Associates has confirmed the opening of its Spanish operation, headquartered in Madrid, with the announcement of its business leader for Spain. The group, celebrating its 20th year of global trading, is delighted to announce that the Spanish operation will be run by Melania Sebastian Marino. Melania has over 12 years’ experience leading…

Read more

Banks urged to implement realistic NPL reduction strategies by ECB

22nd March 2017 Consumer Collections |

The European Central Bank (ECB) has urged Banks to implement realistic and ambitious strategies to address Non Performing Loans (NPL) reductions. European banking reforms should include a range of policy options such as non-performing loan workout, servicing and portfolio sales, the ECB said in a report statement. In its final guidance on non-performing loans, the…

Read more

EU warns banks may face higher bad loan risk

17th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

European Union banks may face increasing risks from bad loans totalling 1 trillion euros (902.8 billion pounds) when the European Central Bank cuts back its economic stimulus programme according to Reuters. Banks have been saddled with more so-called non-performing loans (NPLs) following the 2008 global financial crisis, as companies and households have struggled to pay…

Read more

Irish Credit Union fined by Central Bank

15th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Central Bank of Ireland has fined Drimnagh Credit Union €125,000 and reprimanded it for two breaches of the Credit Union Act 1997 (the “CUA 1997”) and five breaches of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 (the “CJA 2010”). All seven breaches have been admitted by Drimnagh Credit Union. The breaches…

Read more

Permanent TSB appoints new Chairman

9th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Permanent TSB Group has confirmed the appointment of Robert Elliott as the next Chairman of the Group with effect from 31 March 2017. Elliott retired recently as Chairman and Senior Partner Linklaters LLP. Jeremy Masding, Group Chief Executive of Permanent TSB, said that the Group was delighted that Mr. Elliott would be the next Chairman; “Robert is…

Read more

BUDGET 2017: Brexit Businesses must not get complacent over lower borrowing predictions

8th March 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

Following the Spring Budget announcement from Phillip Hammond, Markus Kuger, Senior Economist at Dun & Bradstreet has given his thoughts on what this means for UK Businesses and how they still need to be vigilant in light of Brexit.  “In the latest spring budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond has announced his vision to make…

Read more

Lindorff Group announces 70% debt collection revenue growth

24th February 2017 Consumer Collections |

European debt collections specialist Lindorff Group has announced it’s 2016 full year net revenue and adjusted EBITDA excluding non-recurring items (NRIs) were EUR 647million and EUR 433 million, representing an increase compared to last year of 21% and 24% respectively. Lindorff‘s full year collection performance on its own portfolios was at 106 percent of active forecast. In…

Read more

British expats routinely rejected for mortgages

21st February 2017 Consumer Collections |

Overseas buyers and British expats without correct advice are finding it increasingly difficult to purchase property in the UK, according to research provided  deVere Mortgages. The observation follows the introduction of new tougher requirements for buy-to-let borrowers year by UK lenders. Darren Mead, Head of Mortgages at the firm, which is part of deVere Group, one of…

Read more