Many people who get themselves into debt trouble don’t fully understand what their rights are. Your creditors can’t simply do whatever they like to you. They have to follow the law the same way we all do. So, don’t let them bully you or push you around. You need to know your rights and defend them if necessary.

Here is what those creditors can and can’t do to you.

They Can Send Collectors to Your Home

Sending doorstep collectors to your home is something that most creditors will do if you miss many deadlines. They will try to take items from you in order to cover the debt. But they do have to follow certain rules though. The fair debt collection practices act outlines what these rules are. If you think that they are not playing by the rules, then you should take action as soon as possible. It’s important to remember that these collectors are not the same as bailiffs.

They Can’t Harass You

Harassment is something that bad creditors do quite often. You should definitely report it if you think that it is becoming too much though. Yes, they do have a right to chase the money you owe by calling you and sending letters. But that doesn’t mean that they can call you every hour of the day and make your life a misery. That is against the law, and these kinds of creditor practices are simply not acceptable, so don’t accept them.

They Can Take Money from Your Account

When you have given a creditor your details, they can take the money from your bank account. They can also take money from connected bank accounts. So, if you owed money to a credit card company, they could take the money you owe out of a connected account. This might seem intrusive to you, but if the money is there, they are within their rights to take it when it’s owed. Obviously, they can only take what you owe though.

They Can’t Break Data Protection Laws

Creditors have no right to break any of the data protection rules that are written into law. This is something that is very important to know. Many people worry that creditors will contact their friends and family and let other people know about their debts. But that is not possible at all. If they do try to scare you by contacting people you know, you should report them to the police. The chances are they have broken the law by doing this.

They Can Hire a Debt Collection Agency

If your creditor tells you that they are passing your case onto an external debt collection agency, you might get worried. This is probably why they do it. It makes it seem like they are upping the stake and sending thugs to your home. But in reality, this debt collection agency cannot do anything that wasn’t possible before. They have to abide by the same laws, and they have no new powers at all, so you shouldn’t worry about it too much.