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.
But what of the people who owed him money?
Is it written off?
Who gets the £3,350 fine?
what a joke, if she cant pay then she should be punished. The law is all wrong
My family and i have known Mr Ottewell for over 25 years and this is a charachter assasanation of a very generous and kind family man. It seems that once again this is the justice system failing society.
If a person willingly and knowingly accepts the
Rules … Then he/she must at least honour their
Commitment..!!
Always two sides to a story….ever believed any thing published in the Argos !!!?
Get the facts and publish them correctly.
he is also former director of aossa tickets. a fraudulant company now taken over by ian oliver.
Directed to this article after reading about the ticket agency AOSSATICKETS.COM – mentioned on the BBC website as fraudulently selling Stone Roses tickets
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18644630
Eddie Ottewell is named as the owner on the Domain registration documents