ARTICLE...
Tessera Viewpoint
As I write this, Wimbledon is sweltering in a heat wave as Centre Court benefits from its newly fitted roof only to shade the Royal Box as the sun beats down almost relentlessly. At the same time, the Government and the regulators are tasked with deciding just how much protection the honest consumer needs, while maintaining our ability to collect debt on behalf of UK Plc without overburdening sellers, intermediaries and buyers with unnecessary red tape. While some would maintain that CCA06 and the new OFT regime go far enough, the new White Paper clearly indicates the need is felt for a bigger roof in some areas.
At such times, a sense of balance and proportion are vital, and it is the role of DBSG to represent the positive aspects of debt sale to those in power. Against a background of growing regulation and legislation, and thanks to the unstinting efforts of Head Office, the members and our external partners at AGA and the Public Affairs Company, we are definitely beginning to change some of the outdated views held about our industry, and to promote a much greater understanding of what we do and how we do it - more of this in a second.
I would like to firstly mention the new word on everyone's lips - BIS (the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, formerly known as BERR). The name change is apparently the fourth in two years, but it remains to be seen whether policies will change too. We were sorry to hear of Gareth Thomas' departure from BERR, following good progress and a greater understanding from both sides, and we hope to work just as productively with the new Minister for Consumer Affairs, Kevin Brennan. In fact, continued engagement with Government and the regulators is one of the DBSG top three priorities for my final year as DBSG Chair.
The second priority is to further strengthen the image and portrayal of the DBSG in all our Public Relations and media contact. An excellent example of this good work are the new fact sheets we now have available to both members and the world at large to help explain what we do, and to clarify any misunderstandings about our industry. With debt sale becoming a hot topic in the media, it is vital that we provide a consistent source of accurate information so that we can dispel the rumours and assumptions that tend to be circulated in the media and on consumer websites, and counteract uninformed critics with the facts. By addressing, and acknowledging, the hard facts we can tackle outdated perceptions head on.
Of course, all this can only be achieved by presenting a concerted front, so the third vital priority for DBSG this year will be for all members to work together on continuing to improve standards throughout the Group. Work in this area will include the adoption of best practice guidance for members throughout the debt sale process, working together on data accuracy and access to the full electoral register so as to minimise the possibility of mis-trace, and generally "joining the dots" across each part of our process to ensure the honest consumer in financial difficulty is treated in a fair and professional manner at all times.
DBSG is uniquely placed to fulfil this role, and I am confident that the new members of the DBSG Governing Committee will help us steer the Group through the coming year. Elections will take place in September at the DBSG AGM in Brighton, and invitations to stand will be sent out shortly, so if you would like help shape the course of our industry, why not stand for the DBSG Governing Committee in September or become more involved with our working party groups? If you are interested you can contact me via Head Office at info@dbsg-uk.com
Returning briefly to Public Affairs, it is pleasing to note that the CSA and DBSG are making good progress when it comes to lobbying for access to the full electoral roll. In a recent Commons debate the Government promised an MoJ public consultation on the removal of the edited register, and it is also enlightening to see that Lord Norton of Louth (Conservative) is supporting the CSA`s arguments, as he also believes that it is "illogical that the Ministry of Justice supports the continued use of the full register by credit reference agencies to check the names and addresses of people applying for credit, so helping them to get into debt, but not for the process of recovering sums borrowed and helping people to get out of debt." Let's watch this space!
The CSA and DBSG have also been proactive in lobbying for a consultation on the proposal to reduce the Limitation period. The DBSG has been voicing its concerns to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in a series of meetings last month. As a result a consultation has now been agreed to and released. It is imperative that members respond to both the DBSG and the MoJ. Claire Aynsley has sent all members a copy of the consultation, however if you do not have one please either visit the Lobbying section of the DBSG website or contact Head Office.
In further good news, I am pleased with the response we have received for our Annual Conference, with in excess of 150 delegates registered so far. If you haven't done so already, I advise you to book your place at this year's event as soon as possible, since places do become limited. DBSG Members should also be expecting the Annual Meeting Notification, which will be sent out in late July.
Finally, I would like to mention that we have now set a date for the next seller's lunch, to be held on 28th October at the Priest House, Castle Donington. Any interested DBSG seller members should contact Ashleigh Quinn on: 0191 286 5656 or e-mail ashleigh@csa-uk.com
Leigh Berkley,
Chairman, DBSG
Original article courtesy of DBSG. For further information visit www.dbsg-uk.com/dbsg
