Repairs firm HomeServe fined for making silent and abandoned calls

OFCOM has fined international home insurance and repairs company HomeServe £750,000 for making an excessive number of silent and abandoned calls to UK consumers.

The regulator opened an investigation into HomeServe last year as part of its monitoring and enforcement programme aimed at reducing harm caused to consumers by silent and abandoned calls.

HomeServe exceeded the limit on the number of abandoned calls it is allowed to make on 42 separate occasions during February 1 and March 21 last year, the communications regulator said, resulting in an estimated 14,756 abandoned calls being made to UK consumers during this time.

Claudio Pollack, Ofcom’s consumer group director, said: “Our rules are there to prevent consumers suffering annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety from silent or abandoned calls.

“We hope today’s fine will send a strong message to all companies that use call centres that they need to ensure they are fully compliant with the rules or face the consequences.”

A HomeServe spokeswoman said: “HomeServe is reviewing the detailed determination.”