Nuisance call companies to face £1m fines in 2016, watchdog warns

The ICO imposed a total of £1,135,000 in fines in 2015 up from £330,000 in 2014

Poorly performing companies make people feel like a nuisance, according to the report. File photo (Corbis)

Companies behind nuisance calls have been warned to expect fines of up to £1 million in 2016.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) against nuisance calls have imposed fines of more than £1 million in 2015.

The ICO imposed a total of £1,135,000 in fines in 2015 up from £330,000 in 2014 , after receiving 170,000 complaints from customers receiving nuisance calls and text over the past year.

Andry Curry, ICO Enforcement Group manager, said the ICO will continue to fine companies who do not follow the law.

“Nuisance marketing calls frustrate people. The law is clear around what is allowed, and we’ve been clear that we will fine companies who don’t follow the law.

“That will continue in 2016. We’ve got 90 ongoing investigations and a million pounds worth of fines in the pipeline,” he said.

Call blocking companies and payment protection insurance (PPI) compensation firms led to the biggest number of complains and penalties this year.

Direct Assist, Point One Marketing, Cold Call Elimination, Home Energy & Lifestyle Management, Nuisance Call Blocker and Telecom Protection Service had to pay £575,000 for nuisance calls.

Help Direct UK, Oxygen and UKMS Money Solutions were fined £400,000 for nuisance text messages.

Other penalties included online pharmacy Pharmacy 2U, which sold the details of more than 20,000 customers to marketing companies. It was fined £130,000.

The ICO has also fined the Telegraph Media Group £30,000 after it sent hundreds of thousands of emails on the day of the general election urging readers to vote Conservative.

Nuisance calls are on the rise despite tougher actions demanded by a special task force over a year ago, according to research by consumer group Which?.

Some 72 per cent of British consumers have had at least one cold call from a company in the last month on their mobile, up from 55 per cent in 2013.

“Despite some good progress, we're still seeing high levels of unwanted calls and texts so more needs to be done to put an end to this everyday menace once and for all, ” said Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director.