£250,000 fine for Port Talbot PPI nuisance call firm

A Port Talbot company has been fined for making more than 15 million nuisance calls in just three months.

Barrington Claims Limited (BCL) was investigated after "a significant number of complaints" were received about automated calls offering payment protection insurance compensation.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it had "seriously contravened" regulations concerning privacy and electronic communications.

The firm was fined £250,000.

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The ICO report said between 23 February 2016 and 20 May 2016, BCL made 15,288,474 automated calls to people without their consent, resulting in 41 complaints.

One complainant recovering from major surgery said: "I am finding these calls annoying and distressing as I have to have the phone free for district nurses."

Another said: "Unwanted phone calls on the landline wake sleeping kids up, cause anxiety... it's not ok."

Andy Curry, ICO enforcement group manager, said: "Firms cannot get away with failing to follow the rules designed to protect people from the irritation and, on occasions, distress nuisance calls, emails and texts cause."

BCL has 28 days to appeal the fine.