At National Inquiry Agency, we’ve had a fair share of dealings with Debtors on behalf of clients, particularly those who frequently attempt to skip out on paying their legal fees or accrued costs. We’ve compiled a list of FIVE of the most common signs that your CLIENT is turning into a DEBTOR.
- They are INCONSISTENT from the beginning.
Your client is difficult to get a hold of. You have called their mobile number, their landline and sent them an email, but they rarely return your calls. You’ve heard their Voicemail more than you’ve heard their actual voice and you struggle to get direct instructions from them.
- Their invoice mysteriously goes MISSING.
You’ve completed your services to the client or requested a partial payment and the invoice has been sent. Seven days later the invoice period has lapsed, and you are yet to receive payment. When you contact the client, they claim they haven’t received the invoice, have somehow managed to misplace it, or it’s been lost to the internet void.
- Payment is by ODD means.
The client finally has their invoice, but now they wish to pay by instalments, in person with cash, or by cheque. Remember that if they attempt to pay by cheque, this creates a delay in payment and there is always the chance the cheque may bounce.
- Their CONTACT DETAILS don’t hold up.
They never respond to your emails, their mobile number has been recently disconnected, and their only address is a PO Box. Or, if they have given you a physical address, it is ‘outdated’ or simply false.
- Letters sent go UNANSWERED.
You have sent numerous letters to an address that have been unanswered or returned to sender.
Unfortunately, in the current economic climate, more and more people are failing to pay their debts, which leads many to desperate measures such as skipping out on costs.
Where do we fit in?
At National Inquiry Agency we operate also as a field specialist in terms of debt recovery. We undertake debt collections on behalf of the client by contacting the debtor by phone, mail, or in person to request payment. In the event they do not pay we will recommend escalation through legal process and legal proceedings.
It’s important to note that debt collectors are not allowed to use threatening or abusive language, misrepresent the amount owed, or contact third parties (such as family members or employers) about the debt without the debtor’s permission. Debtors also have the right to dispute the debt if they believe it is inaccurate or if they have been the victim of identity theft.
Our Code of Conduct in relation to Debt Collection
At National Inquiry Agency we are aware of these requirements under the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and are aware of the Privacy laws around it. We are also stringent in terms of following the debt collection guidelines whereby:
- Contacting debtors: National Inquiry Agency will only contact debtors between the hours of 7:30am and 9:00pm on weekdays, and between 9:00am and 9:00pm on weekends. We will not make contact with them on any of the Public Holidays. Our debt collectors also physically attend their place of residence and employment address to get results and establish contact with the Debtor.
- We will not use physical force or coercion, or use harassment or undue harassment, in order to collect a debt. We make thorough notes of all interactions to ensure we and our clients are protected from harassment allegations.
- We as debt collectors do not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct. We do not inflate the debt amount in order to ‘scare’ a Debtor or make deadlines that don’t exist.
- We abide by strict privacy rules. We do not disclose a debtor’s personal information to third parties, except in certain limited circumstances, such as where the debtor has given their consent or where disclosure is required by law.
- At National Inquiry Agency we are also open as debt collectors to consider the Debtor’s financial position and whether a payment arrangement can be negotiated into. We also attempt to try settle if an amount close the debt is offered if the creditor is open to this.
- We have a National Inquiry Agency Portal that records and keeps all our information, communications, phone calls, emails and a copy of any letters that are sent out. If we make any physical attendances to visit debtors’ face-to-face, photographs are taken of the property to show the date and time of our attendance, and notes of any conversations are recorded thoroughly.
What if the Debtor has moved addresses?
It’s quite common that a Debtor often moves houses for personal reasons, OR for the sole purpose of skipping out on their responsibility to pay? a Debt. As private investigators as well as licenced debt collectors, we can undertake skip tracing to locate the debtor.
Skip tracing is often used by private investigators, and debt collectors, to locate individuals for a variety of reasons. It is the art of finding someone difficult who has moved without a forwarding address, someone who has changed their number or is actively avoiding detection. Skip tracing involves the use of databases and industry-based techniques to hone in on the Debtor and confirm their whereabouts.
Once a location is confirmed, debt collection action can recommence.
If you have trouble collecting a Debt, contact us at National Inquiry Agency!
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