Can Debt Collectors Call or Come to Your Work? 

Receiving a surprise letter from a debt collector can make anyone nervous. But don’t worry, you are not alone. Each month, over 170,000 people find help on our website for problems just like this. We understand your fears and questions. Can debt collectors come to your workplace? How can you stop their calls? Is the debt even yours? We cover all these topics and more.

In this guide, we will explain:

• How to check if the debt is really yours.
• The rules about debt collectors calling or visiting your work.
• Steps to stop debt collectors from calling you.
• Tips to write off some of your debt.
• What to do if a debt collector is bothering you too much.

Our team has faced debt collectors too. We know it’s hard. But with the right information, you can handle this.

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There are several debt solutions in the UK, choosing the right one for you could write off some of your unaffordable debt, but the wrong one may be expensive and drawn out.

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This isn’t a full fact find. MoneyNerd doesn’t give advice. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options.

Can Debt Collectors Come to Your Work?

You’ll be pleased to hear that debt collectors cannot legally come to your place of work to request money. The reason this is illegal is because it increases the chance of them divulging that you are in debt to third parties – and this is not allowed. Debt collectors cannot discuss your debts with anyone other than you, including your family or an employer.

If a debt collector chooses to come to your workplace, you should make a complaint. I go through this process in detail below.

Can Debt Collectors Call You at Work?

But can debt collectors call you while you are at work to discuss the debt and any repayments? The answer to this is a little more complex. Debt collectors can call you on your mobile to discuss the debt, and if you happen to be at work when they call, this is not an offence. After all, they genuinely might not know you are at work.

Moreover, debt collectors can call you at work as long as they do not reveal the reason they are calling. That means they cannot tell a fellow colleague or maybe even a boss that they are calling to discuss your debt. If they did divulge that information, they would be breaking the same confidentiality rule that stops them visiting you at work in person.

It would be pretty unlikely for the debt collector to call your workplace and not be asked why they are calling by a colleague. Thus, they should not really be calling you at work.

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How to Stop Them From Calling?

If you don’t want debt collectors calling you at work, you are allowed to provide them with your preferences regarding when you would like to be contacted if needed. You can ask them to call you outside working hours as an easy way to ensure debt collectors won’t call at work.

You should also know that debt collectors are not allowed to make repeated calls. This would be a form of harassment and can be punished by the appropriate authorities.

Can They Call at Any Time?

Thankfully no – debt collectors can only make calls in line with your preferences and at certain hours of the day. Debt collection phone calls are not permitted before 8am in the morning and after 9pm at night, unless you have given them permission to do so. 

How About Old Debts?

If it has been 6 years – or 5 years in Scotland – since you last paid towards your unsecured debts and you have not written to your creditor about your debt during this time, it is statute-barred.

This means that the debt is not enforceable. It still technically exists, and you still technically owe the money, but there is no legal way for you to be forced to pay or for the debt to be enforced.

Keep in mind that not all debts become statute-barred!

Any HMRC debts, for example, will stay enforceable for decades. Any debt that had a County Court Judgement (CCJ) attached to it during the 5 or 6-year window will be enforceable for the duration of the CCJ. 

If your debt is statute-barred, you can use my free letter template to write to your debt collectors and explain the situation.

If you are unsure about the status of your debt, you can contact a debt charity for some advice. Their advisors will be able to look at the debt in question, determine its status, and advise you on your next steps.

How Do I Verify Debt Collectors?

If you have received debt letters from a debt collector but aren’t sure if they’re legit, what do you do?

From my experience, the best thing to do is ask for proof that the debt is yours. I have a free ‘prove it’ letter template that you can use to help you write to the debt collector and request evidence that you are liable for the debt that they are chasing.

You are under no obligation to pay for a debt that can’t be proven to be yours. Take a look at this example.

You don’t have to pay off a debt that can’t be proven to be yours, no matter how your debt collectors respond. This forum user can ignore the rest of the letters that they get from this company but could have grounds for a complaint of harassment if this continues.

It is crucial that you respond to legitimate debt collectors quickly. Responding quickly will help you avoid any extra charges or fees. Not ignoring debt collectors also means that you are less likely to face legal action, such as a CCJ.

What to Do If a Debt Collector Is Harassing You

If you are being harassed at your place of work or over the phone by a debt collector, there is a three-step process to deal with it.

The first step is to collect as much evidence as possible that your debt collector is harassing you. There are many ways to collect evidence, including but not limited to:

• Call logs
• Photographs
• Statements from colleagues or your boss
• Your communications asking them to stop

Once you have collated enough evidence, you can send it to the debt collector and tell them they are breaking the law by harassing you.

Within this letter it is best to outline future preferences for communication (such as the time they can call you). The debt collector or creditor must respond to your letter in three business days and they must let the FCA know about your complaint.

What If They Still Harass You?

If you think that your debt collector has been unreasonable or behaved inappropriately, you can make a complaint. You can also make a complaint if you feel that they have broken any of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) guidelines.

Make your first complaint to the debt collector’s company or agency so that they have the chance to sort out the issue themselves. If you feel that they have not taken your complaint seriously enough or have not addressed your issue properly, you can escalate matters.

You can make any secondary complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). They will investigate and, if your complaint is upheld, the debt collector’s company or agency may be fined. You could even be owed compensation.

The Difference Between Debt Agencies and Enforcement Agents

The debt collection industry is unfortunately not short of debt collection groups trying to use scare tactics and harassment to get their money. One way to understand your rights better is to understand the difference between a debt collection agency and a law enforcement officer.

A debt collection group is a company that have bought your debt from someone else (or are chasing the debt for someone else) and try to get it back directly before going to the courts (if they can). A debt collection agency has no legal powers to collect debt through visiting you or taking possessions – no more than your electric company, internet provider or local pet shop.

Debt collection agencies then cannot come to your home, come to your place of work or act like they can remove your possessions.

The only people who can come into your home and request payment on your doorstep is a law enforcement officer. These are people who are employed after the debt has gone to court. You will know if your debt has gone to court because you will be invited to attend and give your side of the events.

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Staying On Top Of Your Debts

One of the hardest parts about being in debt is that the industry isn’t at all transparent.

One common tactic used by Debt Collectors is contacting you under multiple names and addresses.

Sometimes, it’s for practical reasons, but even then it can be confusing and intimidating. So it’s important to try to keep a level head and research what’s going on. 

Some of the biggest debt collectors in the UK operate under multiple names. 

• Robinson Way will sometimes contact you under the name Hoist Finance. 
• Cabot Financial Group recently bought Wescot Credit Services
• Credit Style communicate as both Credit Style and CST Law. 
• Lowell Financial also owns Overdales and collects debts under both names. 

In fact, in the case of PRA Group, they’ve been known to use multiple company names. As you can see in the image below.

If you’ve been contacted by a debt collector recently, it’s worth going through your post and emails to check that you haven’t missed anything, just in case they’ve started writing to you under a different name.

Know Your Rights When Dealing with Debt Collectors

If you are dealing with a debt collection company or just struggling to manage your money, I recommend speaking to a debt charity.

There are several charities and organisations in the UK that offer free debt counselling services and free financial advice. Their advisors will be able to walk you through your options and find the best solution for you.

• StepChange
• National Debtline
• Citizens Advice
• Debt Advice Foundation.