Bank Calling at weekend on debts

dragon_wannabee

Hey,

I am not sure if I am posting in the right forum.
But I am out of work at the moment so I contacted my bank to say that I would not be able to keep up loan repayments in the interim period between now and when I begin to receive social welfare payments.

The bank accepted this and simply requested that I send in a letter stating all this, which I sent in.

On Saturday I received a call from the bank acknowledging receipt of my letter and they then went on to pressure me to make some sort of payments.

I told them being both out of work and not in receipt of social welfare that I had no income at the moment whatsoever, and the continued to pressure me to make some sort of a payment.

In the end they finally accept my position and that was the end of the call.

But I have been wondering since, is it legal for them to call people up putting them under pressure at weekends? Especially since I had made an agreement to start paying once I had an income and had indicated this in writing, as they had requested.

Thanks guys..

godtabh

Why would it be illegal to call you at the weekends?

dragon_wannabee

Well, logically it must be illegal to call you at some times. Otherwise they could routinely call me up at 3am or 4am. I'm sure they can't do that?

Paulw

They can call you at any time. There is no legal time when they can and cannot phone you.

However, the cost for them having someone call you at 3am isn't worth their while.

So, they call during normal day hours, even on weekends.

godtabh

If with in normal working hours i dont see the problem. A lot of people work Saturdays.

Sponge Bob

The bank wants to know how to classify their loans, if you paid them €1 a week the loan would be in arrears rather than non performing and they would be happier.

Dempo1

Banks / Debt collection agencies are prohibited from calling customers on Sundays and Public holidays in relation to the above matter.

keithclancy

http://keepingyourhome.ie/debt_collection.html.en

Contact between lenders and consumers

Under the Financial Regulator's Consumer Protection Code (pdf), your lender cannot phone you or visit you in connection with your loan without your consent between 9 pm and 9 am on weekdays or at any time on a Sunday or public holiday.

A lender is not permitted to call you or to visit you at your place of work unless you are also living there, or unless all reasonable efforts to contact you elsewhere have failed. Only the person involved in the loan can be contacted in connection with it. This means that your lender cannot contact your employer or a member of your family in relation to your loan.

Dempo1

keithclancy wrote: »

http://keepingyourhome.ie/debt_collection.html.en

Yes indeed my point, was'nt sure where the info was, thanks!

lau1247

while it might be illegal, you're behind in payment is the reality..

Is them calling you on the weekend really your main worry at this point in time?

Looking at the bigger picture, it is relatively a small matter.

Maybe that's just me.

Dempo1

lau1247 wrote: »

while it might be illegal, you're behind in payment is the reality..

Is them calling you on the weekend really your main worry at this point in time?

Looking at the bigger picture, it is relatively a small matter.

Maybe that's just me.

Fair enough the debt exists but the OP raises an important issue regarding debt collectors calling at all sorts of hours and at weekends. People are in real trouble without the stress of harassing calls which ultimately serve no purpose. If the debt can not be met or paid. Its a sad reality that these agencies have little option to resort to such practices as there are no Legal Methods working in the current climate. Personal debt is at an alarming level currently and is soon going to implode if things don't improve, Jeez our government is practically bankrupt led alone a large part of its citizens.

keithclancy

lau1247 wrote: »

while it might be illegal, you're behind in payment is the reality..

Is them calling you on the weekend really your main worry at this point in time?

Looking at the bigger picture, it is relatively a small matter.

Maybe that's just me.

Its not illegal, they called him/her on a Saturday.

Pythia

Often banks can't get through during the week and are more likely to get through on Saturdays. They have special Saturday teams for this purpose. Considering you're unemployed, does it make a difference whether they call you on the weekend or mid week?

dragon_wannabee

Thanks for all the info/input guys and especially to Dempo1 & keithclancy.

I figured that there must be some sort of legislation on when you can be called alright. I suppose it makes sense to figure in Saturday as a callable day.