Phillips & Cohen Associates Debt – Should You Pay?

Got a surprise letter from Phillips & Cohen Associates about a debt? You’ve come to the right place. Every month, over 170,000 people visit our website looking for help with debt problems.

With our knowledge and experience, we’re going to help you understand:

•  Who Phillips & Cohen Associates are.
•  What to do when discussing the debt with them.
•  How to manage your payments to them.
•  What to do if you don’t owe the money they say you do.

Research shows that 64% of people in the UK find dealing with debt collectors stressful¹. So we truly understand how you feel.

Don’t worry; we’re here to help you find the best way to handle this situation. 

Discuss It with Them

The first thing to do after you receive a letter or call from Phillips & Cohen is to understand what the debt is referring to.

Do not just pay the debt; make sure you owe it first.

If you are unsure of the debt or it is not your debt, you should call Phillips & Cohen Associates on 0800 030 4101 in the first instance.

Make sure you get confirmation in writing about the debt, even if your initial discussion is over the phone.

It is imperative that you have proof that you owe the debt and if possible, a breakdown of the costs.

Follow our ‘prove it’ guide with letter templates and get them to prove that you owe the money.

What If You Don’t Owe the Money?

Debt collecting agencies like Phillips & Cohen are desperate to get payments on the account, and in some cases, they may chase you for money that is owed by someone else.

If this is the case, do not make payments to them.

If you don’t recognise the payment, you must get written proof from Phillips & Cohen that you owe the money and a breakdown of the costs.

Under no circumstances should you pay any debt you don’t owe.

Your Rights

It’s common for Phillips & Cohen and other debt collection agencies to try to intimidate you. However, they’re not allowed to harass you.

We’ve prepared this table that explains what debt collectors are allowed to do. If you’d like to learn more about your rights or require further advice, please read our complete guide.

Remember that even if you’ve missed a payment, debt collectors should never harass you. If needed, you can make a complaint to stop them.

Making Payments

It is better to pay your debt in one full payment if you can afford it, but if not, you will be able to pay the debt back in instalments. It is important that you pay the most essential bills first before you make payments to your debt.

For example, your mortgage/rent and utilities (gas/electricity) should be paid first.

It is a good idea to sit down and work out your finances and budget available to make payments.

If you can only afford a small payment each month, Phillips & Cohen Associates may ask for proof of your income. Ideally, you will be able to make substantial payments each month, as this will get the debt dealt with and cleared as soon as possible.

Not only does debt have a consequence on your credit rating, it can also be highly stressful dealing with debt-collecting agencies.

If you owe the money, start making payments as soon as possible.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

What If You Can’t Afford to Pay?

The average unsecured debt amount has increased by 27% year-on-year (to £16,174).² As you can imagine, it’s common for people to struggle with debt.

If that’s your case, and you can’t afford to pay the debt Phillips & Cohen are chasing you about, you should contact them to discuss the options in the first instance.

There might be options to defer it for a few months or you may want to enter into an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA)³, which is available in Wales, England and Northern Ireland or a Trust Deed⁴ in Scotland.

UK Personal Debt 2021 Update:
There were 29,291 individual insolvencies in England and Wales in March to May 2021, a fall of 8.6% from 32,047 for the same period in 2020.

(Source: The Money Charity)

This will help you write off a lot of your debt, but it will mean that you won’t be able to get any credit for around 5 years. It is important to do this with caution, especially if you are looking to take out a mortgage in the future.

Thousands have already tackled their debt

Every day our partners, The Debt Advice Service, help people find out whether they can lower their repayments and finally tackle or write off some of their debt.

Natasha

I’d recommend this firm to anyone struggling with debt – my mind has been put to rest, all is getting sorted.

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Phillips & Cohen Associates Contact Details

Resources

1. Indebted Debt Collection Survey
2. StepChange Personal Debt Statistics in Scotland 2022
3. Citizens Advice – IVA
4. Citizens Advice – Trust Deed in Scotland