Dealing With Debt Collectors: Your Rights (UK)

Letters, calls, and the threat of "doorstep collection" can be frightening — but debt collectors have far less power than they imply, and you have clear rights. Here is how to handle them calmly and correctly.

What collectors can and cannot do

• They cannot harass you, call at unreasonable hours, contact you at work after you ask them not to, or pretend to have legal powers (like bailiffs) that they do not.
• They cannot force entry to your home. A "doorstep collector" has no more rights than any other visitor — you can refuse to answer.
• They must treat you fairly under FCA rules, especially if you are vulnerable or in financial difficulty.

Make them prove the debt

If you are unsure a debt is yours or correct, send a "prove the debt" request. For regulated credit agreements you can ask for a copy of the original agreement; the collector must pause enforcement until they provide it.

Statute-barred debts

In England and Wales, most unsecured debts become statute-barred after six years if you have not paid or acknowledged them in writing and no court action was started — meaning the creditor can no longer enforce them through court. Do not acknowledge or make a payment on a possibly statute-barred debt before checking, as that can reset the clock.

A response letter template

Dear [Debt collector],

Re: Reference [number]

I do not acknowledge any debt to your company. Please provide proof, including a
copy of the original credit agreement and a statement of account, before
contacting me further. Until you do, please treat the account as in dispute and
pause collection activity.

[If relevant: I believe this debt may be statute-barred, as I have not paid or
acknowledged it in writing for over six years.]

Please contact me only in writing.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name]

If they harass you

Keep a log of calls and letters. Complain to the collector, then to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and report aggressive behaviour to the FCA. If you are struggling with debt, free help from National Debtline, StepChange or Citizens Advice is invaluable — and dealing with debt early always beats avoiding it.