Rogue Hove debt collector convicted and fined

A rogue debt collector from Hove has been convicted of using threatening and aggressive behaviour.

Eddie Ottewell, 34, of Connaught Road, Hove, formerly of The Drive, Hove, was trading as B2B Collection Services when he committed the offences.

Ottewell also admitted running a debt collection agency without a licence and was ordered to pay fines and court costs of £3,350 yesterday afternoon (Thursday 14 April).

His bullying tactics included calling a client, Vicki Oliver, at work and telling her employer that she was in debt.

He tried to intimidate the employer by threatening to send bailiffs round, Brighton magistrates were told.

Ms Oliver had taken out a short-term loan but had been unable to pay it back two months later because her circumstances had changed.

After Ottewell threatened her bosses, trading standards officers from Brighton and Hove City Council investigated the case.

They found that Ottewell was named as director of Hove-based B2B Collection Services at Companies House.

But he denied being involved with the company.

The law requires debt collection companies to have a consumer credit licence but trading standards officers found that B2B Collection Services did not have a licence.

Jo Player, acting head of the trading standards department, said: “The practices carried out by Mr Ottewell’s company fell well short of the Office of Fair Trading guidelines for debt collection agencies.

“They are there to protect consumers from being targeted by aggressive practices to collect debt.

“These cause great distress to often vulnerable people.”

Brighton and Hove Trading Standards also found that Blaenau-Gwent Trading Standards had sent a warning letter to B2B Collection Services about similar tactics used against a consumer in their area.

Ottewell was fined £1,000 for his aggressive tactics and £1,250 for running an unlicensed debt collection company.

He was ordered to pay £1,086 towards the council’s legal costs and a victim surcharge of £15.