Nuisance callers to be fined up to £500,000

Changes to the law made by the Government will make it easier to fine nuisance call companies for making unwanted marketing calls and texts.

From 6 April 2015, businesses behind these types of calls can be fined up to £500,000 and the Government has also confirmed it will look into introducing measures that will hold board level executives responsible for nuisance calls and texts.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will now be able to intervene in more cases after a legal threshold has been removed to make it easier to fine and deter rogue companies from harassing people with cold calls.

As well as being annoying to consumers, the Government has highlighted these types of calls as being particularly harmful to older people and those who are housebound.

Justice and Civil Liberties Minister Simon Hughes said: “Being pestered by unwanted marketing calls and texts can bring real misery for the people on the receiving end. This new change in the law will make it easier from now on for the Information Commissioner to take quick and firm action against companies who give so much grief to so many people.”

Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey said: “For far too long companies have bombarded people with unwanted marketing calls and texts, and escaped punishment because they did not cause enough harm.

“This change will make it easier for the Information Commissioner’s Office to take action against offenders and send a clear message to others that harassing consumers with nuisance calls or texts is just not on.”

As well as the ICO, Ofcom has powers to fine offenders that persistently misuse a service through silent or abandoned calls resulting in annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety. Seven companies have already been fined a collective £1,618,000.