Debt Collection Act 2022 · Updated to 1 Dec 2023 · Part 4 · Administration and Enforcement
24. Immediate suspension of licence or application of class licence
Official textFrom Singapore Statutes Online, unchanged
This section applies if —
a licensee or class licensee is subject to criminal proceedings in respect of —
an offence under this Act;
an offence, whether in Singapore or elsewhere, involving dishonesty or the conviction for which involved a finding that the licensee or class licensee (as the case may be) had acted dishonestly; or
an offence specified in the Second Schedule; and
the Licensing Officer is of the opinion that it is undesirable in the public interest for the licensee to carry on a debt collection business or the class licensee to carry out any debt collection activity mentioned in section 6(2), as the case may be,and this section applies despite section 23.
The Licensing Officer may (without compensation) —
Licensing Officer
“Licensing Officer” means the public officer appointed under section 3(1)(a);
in the case of a licensee — serve on the licensee a notice of immediate suspension of the licensee’s licence; or
in the case of a class licensee — serve on the class licensee a notice of immediate suspension of application of the relevant class licence with respect to the class licensee,which takes immediate effect and remains in force until the Licensing Officer makes an order under subsection (5)(a) or any appeal to the Minister under section 37 against an order under subsection (5)(b) is determined.
The licensee or class licensee must, upon a notice being served under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (5), immediately cease to carry on the debt collection business or carry out the debt collection activity mentioned in section 6(2), as the case may be.
licensee
“licensee” means a person who is the holder of a licence, but does not include a class licensee;
A licensee or class licensee who is served with a notice under subsection (2) may, within 14 days after being served with the notice, apply to the Licensing Officer to review his or her decision under subsection (5).
class licensee
“class licensee” means a person to whom an order under section 14(1) applies;
The Licensing Officer may, on reviewing his or her decision, by order —
rescind the immediate suspension of the licensee’s licence or the immediate suspension of application of the class licence with respect to the class licensee; or
refuse to rescind the immediate suspension of the licensee’s licence or the immediate suspension of application of the class licence with respect to the class licensee.
Terms defined in s 2
class licence
Defined · s 2“class licence” means a class licence determined under an order made under section 14(1);
class licensee
Defined · s 2“class licensee” means a person to whom an order under section 14(1) applies;
debt collection activity
Defined · s 2“debt collection activity” means any activity undertaken in Singapore that involves finding the debtor of a debt or requesting, demanding or collecting from the debtor money due under the debt;
debt collection business
Defined · s 2“debt collection business” means the business carried on by a person of collecting any debt from a debtor —(a)on behalf of another person; or(b)where the firstmentioned person has acquired the debt;
licensee
Defined · s 2“licensee” means a person who is the holder of a licence, but does not include a class licensee;
Licensing Officer
Defined · s 2“Licensing Officer” means the public officer appointed under section 3(1)(a);
Part 5
Appeals
Part 6