Govt may crack down on debt collectors

The government is considering cracking down on debt collecting firms that use aggressive tactics, such as refusing to deal with debt advisory services, it has been revealed.

According to a report in the Guardian, consumer minister Gareth Thomas has revealed that he has summoned the debt collection industry`s main trade body - the Credit Services Association (CSA) - to a meeting to address the issues.

He said that, while it was too early to say what the outcome of the discussions would be, it may involve changes to legislation or enforcement action by the Office of Fair Trading.

Mr Thomas said: "We may need to do more on the enforcement side, or it may be there are legal changes required."

However, the minister added that most of the industry is responsible and it is "perfectly reasonable" to expect people to repay their debts.

With a history dating back to 1902, the CSA has members which deal with around 20 million debt cases each year.