The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has had its decision to revoke the consumer credit licence of Carltons Business Limited, a debt collection agency based in Dartford, Kent, upheld by a first-tier tribunal.

In dismissing Carltons’ appeal, the tribunal found that Carltons lacked sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to operate a consumer debt collection business and did not have practices or procedures to deal fairly and properly with consumers.

Carltons’ payment demand letter was designed to look like an official or legal document, against OFT guidance, while the managing director’s decision to describe himself to debtors as a lawyer intended to create a misleading impression, the OFT said.

David Fisher, the OFT’s director of consumer credit, said: “This decision reinforces the need for licensed debt collection businesses to comply with the relevant OFT guidance