Debt Collector Harassment in Ontario: Know Your Rights

Your Rights When Dealing with Debt Collectors in Ontario

Ontario's Collection and Debt Settlement Services Act (CDSA) and its regulations strictly regulate how collection agencies and their agents can contact and communicate with debtors. Debt collectors who violate these rules are committing an offence under Ontario law.

What Debt Collectors Cannot Do

• Contact you on Sundays before 1 p.m. or after 5 p.m., or on any day before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
• Contact you on a statutory holiday
• Contact you more than three times in a seven-day period (including leaving messages) regarding the same debt, unless you give permission for more contact
• Use threatening, profane, intimidating, or coercive language
• Give false or misleading information
• Make communications of such a nature or frequency that the person can reasonably regard them as harassment
• Contact you at work if the employer prohibits contact at work
• Contact third parties (family, employer, neighbours) except to obtain your address or telephone number — and even then with limitations

The Six-Day Wait Period

A collection agency must wait at least six days after sending you a written notice of the debt before making any contact with you by telephone or in person.

How to Stop Collection Calls

You have the right to require that a debt collector deal with you only in writing. Send a written notice (by registered mail) to the collection agency stating that you dispute the debt or require all future communications to be in writing. Once received, the agency must cease telephone contact.

What to Do If a Collector Violates the Rules

• Keep a detailed log of every contact: date, time, what was said
• File a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery
• Consult a lawyer — repeated harassment may give rise to a civil claim for damages