75ZT Community

Wifey is an agent for Greenwood perosonal credit. http://www.greenwoodpersonalcredit.com/
which is part of the Provident personal credit group (who's agents are also in this situation), they are a doorstep loan company.
Yes their rates are sky high, but Wifey loves her job and tbh, she is damn good at it.
She is paid on a commission basis only. Also she is the designated new agent trainer. Her commission is paid weekly from the office that she works out of.
The company has brought in a new policy "without any written notice" that the agents can be "fined" if a customer doesnt pay!! The fines on a £76 loan (including interest) and assuming the customer is 9 weeks in arrears (yes it happens) can amount to as much as £45, Now we all have experience times of hardship, most agents are born out of previous customers. But there are genuine cases why a customer cant pay or pays a nominal amount, in some cases a customer wont pay at all because they dont want to.
The agents can force a customer to pay, all the agent can do is keep calling, spending money on petrol, sometimes for nothing.
Why should an agent get fines if a customer simply wont or cant pay? for reasons beyond the agents control!
There are many many agent who whole heartedly disagree with this situation, surely to fine the agents cant be legal, especially when they dont give any written notice week to week, yes the agents are classed as self employed, but still?????
several threads on forums on the net opened up, on blogs and Money saving expert etc, nothing structured and designed for agents though, so i formed a forum just for them http://agentsunited.proboards.com/index.cgi also designed as a support forum. wifey organised a meeting of agents from her office to lobby head office. I am running the forum as wifey is a net numpty, any thoughts or idea's on this situation from you guys would be appreciated.

Seems like your Mrs is doing the right thing by organising what to all intents and purposes will be a trade union. I wonder if it is possible to become affiliated with one of the larger trade unions?

It is legal if made part of any contract I believe.
Many companies that do this type of Credit, don't pay commission till the first six monthly payments have been received, when thereafter it becomes the companies responsibility for debt.
Others will recall the commission paid if person becomes a debtor.

Only alternative would be loads of small claims court cases but that would cost in Petrol, loss of \Income while attending etc and then you don't always get what you want.

Hard times.
Check also with Banking ombudsman or CAB if they can offer legal advice.

Sounds a bit like the banks, they are now being far more discerning about who they loan money too.. And all loan agencies should adopt the same policy, after all, bad debts cost us all money in the end..

Is it legal to fine agents.. I don't know.. But I doubt they did it before checking the legalities of it..
...

If there are a number of people who are keen for action then I would have thought they could share the cost and take legal advice so they know exactly how they stand and could also have a solicitor write to the company pointing out any laws that they are breaching

Personly if thats the way the company want to play it i think i'd be inclined to seek alternative employment as its just not fair the agent gets lumbered with someone elses debt.
After all it wasnt in the contract your wife signed when she first took the job

The same is happening with "Club Books" to now.
Dodo read the new T & C on hers and quickly cancelled.

So what happened?