An investigation has been ordered by the BBC into “abusive” debt collectors and their “greedy” bosses tasked with obtaining money from people who fail to pay their TV licence fee. It has been alleged that the enforcement agents in question have “hounded vulnerable people” in an effort to hit targets.
The debt collection agents and bosses in question belong to private firm Capita. It is Capita that gets tasked with collecting money from those who watch television but do not pay the licence fee, a contract which is reportedly worth £58 million per year for the firm. However, the practices used by the company have been seriously called into question, most recently after an investigation from the Daily Mail.
It is claimed that the debt collectors working for the firm not only use “abusive” methods to collect the licence fee and associated fines for non-payment, but have also “hounded vulnerable people” such as a mother currently residing in a refuge and people suffering from dementia. This approach, it is claimed, stems at least in part from an effort to hit targets that have been set by “greedy” bosses which qualify collectors for bonuses. Allegedly, when an undercover reporter interviewed for a job at the company they were told by one such Capita boss “We will drive you as hard as we can to get as much as we can out of you because we’re greedy.” Bosses are also accused of putting pressure on their staff to gather evidence that could be used in court against people who have not paid the licence fee.
The BBC has ordered that Capita investigate the matter urgently, asking for “swift and appropriate action.” A spokesperson said that the broadcaster is “very disappointed by the conduct of Capita’s interviewing managers in this particular case, which is not in line with the high standards we expect and does not reflect the policies in place.”
A spokesperson for Capita defended the firms practices, saying that the company “[expects] inquiry officers to behave in a courteous, professional manner and abide by a published code of conduct.” She also said that Capita only gets paid for fee collection and not for prosecution.
Consumers dealing with collection agencies, for TV licence or any other debts, should make themselves aware of the limitations on a debt collector’s powers in order to understand if they are being unfairly pursued. For example, a debt collector cannot force entry to your home or refuse to leave when asked, act in a threatening way, visit you at work, or speak to other people such as family or neighbours about the money you owe.
