I have an outstanding bill with Hydro one in Ontario of 800.00 owing since 2003, with interest the bill has now doubled to 1600.00, I was unable to make payments on this bill due to financial reasons, but this past month & half I have been paying 100.00 /month to the collection agency, they are still calling me and harassing me to take out loans etc.. To get the bill paid... my question is... now that I am making payments which was agreed by the collection agency, do they still have the right to continue to call me and verbally abuse me?? The girl is quite rude and intimidating on the phone... ie.. "I should send my 14 yr old son out to get a job to pay for the bill." among many other comments made by her. WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS?

I don't know what the laws are in Canada, but I believe they have a similar law to the US Fair Credit Reporting Act. And part of that lawyer is you can tell them to correspond only by mail. Do you have the payment agreement in writing?

Do you have the agreement to make payments in writing, if you do not have it in writing, then to them, there really is no agreement so to speak, expect that they are happy to get that 100 each month, but their agents will make more money if they also talk you into sending more.

So if not in writing, ask for it in writing

No agreement in writing , this was done over the phone, but can they still call and harass me now that I am making payments? I would think that they should be happy that I am making payments now, but they want the full amount.Asking me to borrow money from friends, get a loan etc... I just called wells fargo to apply for a personal loan to repay them but I know my credit is shot and don't think that I will get approved... this will piss her off more and I don't think that the calls will stop.. what can I do?

Of course they can, they can stlll sue in court for a judgement and deny there was ever a phone agreement done.

Your mistake is even talking to them on the phone, write them a letter notifing them that they are not to call on the phone any longer but only contact you in writing.

I would also send them a letter with the next payment stating this payment is made per your agreement ( date and time) and name of person you made the agreement with, that this debt to be paid over so many months at certain payment. Ask them to confirm this agreement in writing,
If they will not, they have no intention on honoring it latter.

I will give you a big help, collection people lie, they will tell you anything, try to scare you, what ever it takes to get their money,
They are paid a percentage of the money they get, that is why they are pissed, they are not making more money off you