• UOKiK has instituted proceedings against One Debt Partners.
• The company collected debts from persons who had been earlier misled by PGT, a telecommunications operator.
• If you have received a payment order from a court, you can seek help from the Aquila Association.

The proceedings instituted by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection against One Debt Partners concern the manner in which it collected debts acquired from PGT, a telecommunications operator, in February 2017. PGT, which operated under “Telefonia Polska Razem” brand, pretended to be the existing operator, offering a change of the agreement’s terms and conditions over the telephone. In fact, however, the consumers would conclude a new contract. The President of UOKiK issued a decision in which it stated that PGT used practices infringing collective consumer interests.

One Debt Partners should not collect debts which arose as a result of unfair practices. In accordance with acceptable practices, the party which has acquired debts should find out, in advance, how they arose. The information on the UOKIK decision on PGT was widely available both on the UOKIK website and on various industry websites, before the companies entered into the agreement in February 2017 - says Marek Niechciał, President of UOKiK.

The next practice we questioned was the fact that in the contents of the payment orders the debt collector included a warning on the intention to provide the data concerning the debt to Biuro Informacji Gospodarczej InfoMonitor. However, it failed to inform that the debtor may object. Furthermore, such a warning appeared even in the case in which the total debt amount was less than PLN 200, which does not comply with legal regulations.

The information gathered suggests that One Debt Partners sent to consumers information on the purchase of the debts as late as after taking debt collection activities, and pursued the amounts due despite the fact that it filed a court petition for their payment.

The debt collector should, first of all, get in touch with the debtor and provide them with the information that it has purchased their debt. If the consumer fails to pay voluntarily, and the creditor has filed a court petition, then until the case is resolved, it should not request the payment, as it may prove not to be due. It may be an attempt at exerting pressure, which violates acceptable practices. Our proceedings may lead to the undertaking being fined up to 10 per cent of its turnover from the previous year - adds Marek Niechciał.

Consumer support

Have you entered into an agreement with a company which pretended to be the existing supplier of electricity, gas or telecommunications services? Have you received a payment order or a letter from court? Contact the Aquila Association, which provides legal assistance in the judicial phase, as soon as possible. Remember that you only have 14 days following receipt of the order for payment to defend yourself against it. Assistance is also offered by Municipal or Poviat Consumer Ombudsmen.

Consumer support:

Phone: +48 801 440 220 or +48 22 290 89 16 – consumer helpline
Email: porady@dlakonsumentow.pl
Branches of the Consumer Federation
Consumer ombudsmen – in your town or district

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone: +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
Email: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL