OFT revokes licence of businessman with 23 criminal convictions

09 July 2010

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced that it has revoked the credit licence of a Middleborough-based businessman, preventing him from carrying out consumer credit activities such as lending money, arranging credit or collecting debts.

Peter Hall, who trades in Middleborough as Westminster Services, is a private landlord, estate agent and property management agent. In the past, he has offered credit to tenants living in properties he manages.

After investigating information received from the North East Illegal Money Lending Team, the OFT concluded that Mr Hall obtained a consumer credit licence in September 2007 by failing to declare 23 unspent criminal convictions, including offences of theft, harassment and Grievous Bodily Harm, in breach of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

The OFT had already obtained an interim order from the High Court in April to stop Mr Hall from engaging in licensable activities pending the outcome of the OFT's revocation process. The High Court order also prevented him from engaging in threatening, violent or intimidatory behaviour in connection with his consumer credit or ancillary credit business.

The OFT issued a minded to revoke notice on 12 March 2010. Mr Hall did not challenge this notice and the licence has now been revoked.