Court Enforcement Services Debt Guide

Welcome to our Court Enforcement Services Debt Guide for 2023. You might be here because you’ve received a letter from a debt collector you weren’t expecting. If so, don’t worry; we’re here to help.

Each month, more than 170,000 people turn to us for advice on debt solutions. We understand that you might be confused about where the debt has come from, questioning whether you should pay, or worried about being unable to afford the payment.

We’re experts in this area, and we’ll help you understand:

• What Court Enforcement Services does and who they are.
• How to ensure the debt they’re claiming is really yours.
• Ways to deal with them without stress.
• How to agree on a payment plan with them.
• What happens if you can’t pay and how it might impact your credit score.

Many of our team have had to deal with debt collectors too, so we know how you’re feeling. We’ll help you learn how to handle this situation. Let’s get started.

Are Court Enforcement Services Loughton a Scam?

No, Court Enforcement Services CCJ is not a scam. They are a registered company and are regulated by the ECA and the HCEOA. This means they must act appropriately when dealing with your debt or you could make an official complaint.

How to Deal with Court Enforcement Services CCJ

If the enforcement agents from Court Enforcement Services come to your door with a CCJ notice, you do not have too many options. They can use force to gain entry but do not wish to do this, and neither should you.

It is recommended to discuss a payment plan with them.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Agree a Payment Plan with Court Enforcement Services Ltd

You may be able to avoid paying the full amount to Court Enforcement Services agents by negotiating a payment plan. It can be daunting to have Court Enforcement Services agents at your door, but only commit to a payment plan that you can stick to. Agreeing to payments that you cannot keep may only make the situation worse.

You should also know that Court Enforcement Services will expect the first payment at that moment before agreeing to leave your property without items. They usually carry a terminal to accept card payments, and bank transfers may be accepted.

Don’t Let It Get to This Stage…

Court Enforcement Services CCJ only get involved in the last stages of recovering debt. Fortunately for most debtors, they never experience Court Enforcement Services and their agents because they fix their debts with the company or the debt collection agency first.

To understand how to prevent Court Enforcement Services from knocking on your door, you first need to know the usual process of collecting debt.

Step ONE: Letter Before Action (LBA)

The company you owe the debt to or the debt collection agency that they have employed to chase your debt will get in touch. This means receiving a debt letter with a requested amount of money by a certain date. If they don’t get the money, they notify you that they will take legal action to enforce the debt.

Receiving these letters can be scary, but there is a way to manage them legally and not pay straight away.

Step TWO(A): Getting Proof of the Debt

Most LBAs do not include any proof that you owe the debt. This is the reason why so many people receive an LBA by mistake.

But just because you think there is a mistake, does not mean you can ignore the LBA.

Everyone should reply to the LBA with a request to prove the debt. Proof is a signed agreement between yourself and the company in question. You can download free prove the debt letter templates online to edit and use for your situation.

If they reply without proof, it is seen as harassment and you could report the company or the debt collection agency to the FCA.

You don’t have to pay most debts without this proof!

Step TWO(B): Statute Barred 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 it will be enforceable for a while. 

Keep in mind that writing to a debt collector about proving your debt isn’t usually enough to restart the 5 or 6 year timer for statute-barred debts.

Step Three: Debt Solutions

If the debt collection agency provides proof of the debt and want payment or threaten to go to the courts. It is best to find a debt solution. These are possible even if you are a low earner or unemployed.

Debt Management Plan (DMP)

A DMP is an informal debt solution that lets you pay off your debts via a single monthly payment.

Because it is informal, it is not legally binding so you are not tied into a DMP for a minimum number of payments.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)

An IVA is a formal agreement between you and your creditors. You agree to pay a monthly sum that is distributed amongst your debts, and your creditors agree not to contact you during your IVA.

IVAs typically last for 5 or 6 years, and any outstanding debt is wiped off when it ends.

Keep in mind that IVAs are not suitable for everyone. You need to owe several thousand pounds to more than one creditor to be eligible. You also need to demonstrate that you have some disposable income every month.

Trust Deed

IVAs are not available in Scotland. Instead, you will need to opt for a Trust Deed.

Trust Deeds work in the same way as an IVA – you pay an agreed sum each month that is shared amongst your creditors, they can’t contact you, and any leftover debt at the end of your Trust Deed term is written off.

Debt Relief Order (DRO)

A DRO is a good option for those facing financial hardship with no assets and little income.

For 12 months, you make no payments, but your creditors freeze your interest and don’t contact you.

If your finances haven’t improved during this year, you may be able to write off your unsecured debts.

Bankruptcy

If you have debts but no realistic possibility of ever paying them off, you may need to declare bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy has an unfair stigma attached to it as it may be your only way of getting a financial fresh start. That said, it is a serious financial situation that should not be taken lightly.

Sequestration

Sequestration is the Scottish version of bankruptcy.If you have little income and no valuable assets, you may be able to apply for a minimal asset process bankruptcy (MAP). A MAP is a quicker, cheaper, and more straightforward version of sequestration, so worth considering.

And these options are how you avoid CCJs, High Court Writ of Possessions and agents from Court Enforcement Services knocking at your door!

What Can Court Enforcement Services CCJ Do?

If you have ever had a debt collection agency worker come to your door, you should know that they have no legal right to enter your property and must not suggest they can remove goods. They cannot!

However, enforcement agents do have these powers once a CCJ has been issued. After all, they are legally enforcing a court order.

They will usually try to discuss the debt with you and show you proof of the CCJ and ask for payment. If you open your door, they are trained to gain entry into your property without any force. But they can use force to enter the property if they need to.

Once inside your home, they mentally take note of your possessions and even vehicles sitting on the driveway to see what value your items could knock off the debt at a later auction.

But if you pay the debt, this will not happen.

What Court Enforcement Services Cannot Do

Just because an enforcement agent from Court Enforcement Services CCJ has entered your property, doesn’t mean they can take all your possessions. Some items they are not allowed to take away.

For example, they cannot:

• Repossess items and vehicles in other people’s names
• Repossess items that you need for work, such as tools, work laptops, work vehicles and similar equipment
• They cannot take items that are not yours, such as furniture included in your lease agreement
• Perishable items, e.g. foods that will go off

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.

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How to Complain About Court Enforcement Services Loughton

If you believe Court Enforcement Services CCJ has been breaking regulations, you can choose to report them to the FCA.

Be aware, that reporting Court Enforcement Services will not remove any CCJ or High Court order they have been given to recover your debts.

Other Debt Collectors 

You should check for more outstanding debts that you may have with other companies or debt collectors. Here are four steps you could take: 

1. Check your credit report for other defaults 
2. Check your email and post for reminders or overdue notices
3. Check the court records for CCJs against you
4. Check your bank statements for the names of other debt collectors 

There are hundreds of debt collectors in the UK and each works with different companies to collect debts.

For example, Cabot Financial have been known to collect for the DVLA while Lowell Financial and PRA Group buy debts from various credit card companies like Barclaycard.

If you see a name on your bank statement that you don’t recognise then you can search MoneyNerd to see if they’re a debt collector. 

Court Enforcement Services Contact Details