Citizens Advice has warned that consumers are being failed by regulations to control nuisance callers, as their evidence shows that the current law is failing to punish companies who flout the rules. Now, the national charity is calling for MPs to support a Private Members Bill to clamp down on unscrupulous cold callers.
Despite rules that people must give permission to be contacted, recent research by the charity has shown that 98% of those who received these calls and texts weren’t expecting it.
Even when a company is found to have done something wrong the unreasonably high threshold of harm, which sets out how much damage a company must do before it can be punished, means that companies can rarely be fined.
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of national charity Citizens Advice, said: “Huge loopholes in the current rules allow companies to hound people with a barrage of unwanted calls and texts. It’s good to see MPs recognising this and fighting for changes to the inadequate laws.
“Everyone knows how annoying it is to be interrupted by someone hawking unwanted products. But at Citizens Advice we also see people who are left out of pocket by scams and unsuitable products and vulnerable people who are menaced in their own homes by silent or repeated calls.
“The proposed bill could make a real difference to people who have been exposed to cold calling for too long. I’d also like to see financial services banned from cold-calling so that consumers know , if they get a cold call from such a firm it is either a scam or company not to be trusted.”
A survey of 5,682 British Adults aged 18 and over revealed that 72% of people have received received an unrequested call, text or email in the last 12 months.
The most common unexpected sales calls, texts and emails made to households in Britain are: Personal injury and accident claims (42%), Gas and electricity suppliers (40%), Double glazing firms (29%), Firms selling debt relief services (23%), Offers for extended warranty on products (14%) & Firms selling pension unlocking services (10%).