I’ve been in this space long enough to know one uncomfortable truth: debt collection is an industry that suffers from a branding problem.

Say “collector,” and most people picture something unpleasant. Aggressive calls. Shame tactics. Maybe even threats. And let’s be honest, some of that reputation is earned. A few bad actors have cast long shadows over what should be a professional, human-centred service.

But that’s changing.

The new Consumer Credit Bill 2025 introduces something this industry has never truly had: a real framework. For the first time, collection agencies and NPL buyers will need to register with the Consumer Credit Commission. That means minimum standards. Fit-and-proper tests. Ethical recovery practices. Actual accountability.

For those of us who’ve built our businesses around trust, transparency and respect , this is long overdue.

You don’t need to be harsh to be effective. You don’t need to shame people to get results. Collection is about communication, timing, empathy. It’s about helping someone who has fallen behind get back on their feet, without making them feel like they’ve failed.

I’ve sat across from borrowers who were genuinely trying. I’ve seen the relief on someone’s face when they realised we weren’t there to attack them , but to help them figure a way forward. And I’ve seen the impact of that approach. It works. Not just for the borrower, but for the lender too.

Now, with regulation coming in, the playing field is finally being levelled. No more race to the bottom. No more undercutting each other with brutal tactics. We’re entering an era where professionalism wins. Where good practices become best practices.

And if we get this right, the benefits go far beyond recovery rates.

We rebuild trust. We show the public that our role isn’t to punish, but to resolve. We create room for more banks to offload NPLs with confidence, knowing the accounts will be managed with care. We turn distressed debt into a space of second chances , for borrowers and the industry itself.

This bill is a turning point. But it’s just the beginning. We need to keep pushing for a culture of responsibility , not just regulation. That means investing in training, tech, systems and above all, people.

Because at the end of every debt is a human being. And if we want to build a future-ready credit ecosystem, we have to start treating them like it.