You're in debt warning . . . by text message!

COUNCIL housing firm 2010 Rotherham is exploring new ways of communicating—by using text messages to contact customers about rent arrears.

“Text messages are proving an effective way of encouraging customers to contact us,” said housing income team leader David Bagnall.

“They take less than 30 seconds to generate and are received by the customer almost instantaneously. “

The texts messages include our telephone number, which is local rate, and most mobile phones will allow the number to be dialled directly from the text.

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“By using texting alongside the more traditional communication methods of letter and telephone, there is a greater chance that we will be able to speak to customers and therefore help them with their rent arrears.

“This in turn can help prevent any need to escalate the arrears recovery process.”

If the text message does not generate customer contact, a letter is sent but 2010 prefer to text as letters take longer to produce and several days to arrive.

Mr Bagnall added: “Rent arrears are dealt with on a case by case basis and texts are sent to customers where we have already first tried to call by phone and only when there is a genuine need to speak to the customer.”

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