Debt Collection Round Table Summary - Legal Services ...

APPENDIX 1
Statistics on debt collection complaints
The below information provides an overview of complaints received by the Legal Services
Commissioner between the period of 12 December 2005 and 31 December 2008 which involved
the issue of debt collection.
How many complaints were received about debt collection
• In the three-year period from 12 December 2005 to 31 December 2008 the
Commissioner received 6326 complaints about practitioners.
Of these, 306 (or 5%) were made about lawyers in relation to debt collection.
What allegations do people make in complaints
In the 306 complaints received, the top fi ve allegations made were:
Allegation made
No. times allegation
featured in complaints*
% complaints featuring
the allegation
Professional conduct (including abusiveness,
129 42%
rudeness, dishonesty and/or intimidation)
Costs/Bills – predominantly overcharging 93 30%
Poor service (including negligence and delay 76 25%
Money (including trust monies) 45 15%
Communication (including failure to correspond,
failure to provide information on costs)
44 14%
*The number of allegations far exceeds the total number of complaints made as a complaint will
often include a number of different allegations.
What did people complain about
Disciplinary complaints:
• Practitioner was negligent.
• Practitioner was dishonest and/or misleading.
• Practitioner failed to correspond with complainant.
• Practitioner failed to return calls.
• Practitioner was abusive and/or rude.
Civil complaints:
• Practitioner overcharged for services.
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