Daniels Silverman Debt Collectors – Should You Pay?

If you’ve received a letter from Daniels Silverman Debt Collectors, you might be feeling worried and unsure about what to do next. Don’t fret; you came to the right place for information.

Every month, over 170,000 people come to our website for advice about debt issues, so you’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll help you understand:

• Who Daniels Silverman are and why they might be contacting you.
• How to check if the debt they say you owe is really yours.
• What to do if you don’t owe the money.
• Your options for paying back the debt, including setting up a repayment plan.
• How you might write off some of the debt.

We know it’s tough dealing with debt collectors. Some of our team had the same experience, so we understand how it feels. We’re here to share information that can help you figure out your next steps.

Let’s dive into how to handle Daniels Silverman Debt Collectors and manage your debts better.

What To Do

The first step is to ensure the debt is yours. Verifying debt with Daniels Silverman or even just proving the legitimacy of a debt is a step that too many people skip!

The letter should state the company Daniels Silverman are working on behalf of. If you do not remember the debt, it might be worth checking with Experian or another credit agency to see if the debt is registered on your credit file.

If you are unsure about the debt, you can ask Daniels Silverman for proof that you are liable. You can write to them using my free ‘prove it’ letter template.

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.

Statute-barred debt in the UK 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 the duration of the CCJ. 

If your debt is statute-barred, you can use my free letter template to write to Daniels Silverman 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.

I don’t recommend writing to anyone about your debt unless you are certain of its statute-barred status. Writing about your debt can reset the 5 or 6 year timer – you don’t want it to become enforceable just before it becomes unenforceable!

In these cases, phone calls are your best bet as they won’t have an impact on the status of your debt.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

What if you don’t owe the money?

If you don’t recognise the debt, it may belong to someone at the same address, or it may be an error. If Daniels Silverman can’t prove the debt, they will need to mark it as settled. They cannot keep chasing you for debt they can’t prove.

And mistakes happen more often than you might think! Take a look at this example:

As I have mentioned above, requesting proof is the best place to start if you don’t think that the debt is yours. You can use my free letter template for guidance if you need it.

You are under no obligation to pay for a debt unless it can be proved that it is yours.

Should You Pay It Back?

It is not advisable to ignore any debt, and if you can pay it back, you should. The consequences of ignoring debt can get very serious very quickly, and there is an impact of unpaid debts on your credit score.

Most debt collection companies will agree to even a small amount as long as you are not able to pay any more than this. It is always better to pay something than to pay nothing at all.

How to Make Repayments

If you owe the money, you will need to come to an arrangement with Daniels Silverman to pay it back.

You would need to work out a realistic repayment plan by analysing your outgoings and incomings and ensuring you can afford to make the payment. Prioritising bill payments will stop you from getting into further trouble! It is important that you pay the most essential bills first, including your rent and utility bills.

Although it is important to pay your debt, it is essential to keep a roof over your head and to ensure you have heating and hot water. If you can only make small payments, they may ask to see a statement of your incomings and outgoings, as most debt-collecting companies have a certain expectation of how much they expect debtors to pay each month. If you are looking to pay below this threshold, they may want proof that this is all you can afford.

What If You Can’t Pay It Back?

If you can’t afford to pay Daniels Silverman, you may need to consider a debt solution. There are several debt relief options in the UK so don’t panic!

There are several different debt solutions available, so I recommend seeking help from debt charities as soon as possible. Their advisors will be able to look at your finances in detail and help you work out which debt solution will work best for you.

I have linked a few charities that offer these advisory services for free below.

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.

Case Study

There is a case study on Money Saving Expert which talks about cancelling a direct debit with the bank, but not letting the original creditor know. In this case, the money is still owed, and Daniels Silverman have the right to chase it. If you have any uncertainty about your debt, ask them to send a confirmation in writing, including a breakdown of the costs and any charges associated with it. There is also another case study around a car parking ticket which is worth reading to understand what other consumers are dealing with in relation to Daniels Silverman.

You will notice that many responses are advising the contributor to ignore the letter, and in fact, to ignore letters from debt collectors in general. It is important that you do not do this. The simple fact is that the debt has been passed by another company to Daniels Silverman, and this is the company you owe the debt to. If you ignore debt collecting agencies, your debt will be registered on your credit file, and this will impact your credit rating. The result of this is that you will struggle to get credit in the future. You may need a loan in the future, or you might want to get a mortgage, and the more you ignore debt, the further your credit rating will be affected. If you don’t recognise the debt, then of course, you should get written confirmation and proof of this. You should always contact Daniels Silverman though or the company you owe the original debt too, otherwise the situation will get worse.

How do I Complain?

If you think that Daniels Silverman 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 Daniels Silverman directly 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, Daniels Silverman may be fined. You could even be owed compensation.

Daniels Silverman Contact Details

Company Address:	Daniels Silverman Limited Pickerings Road, Halebank Industrial Estate Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8XW
Phone Number:	0800 953 3632 9am to 5:00pm (Monday to Friday) excluding bank holidays
Website:	https://www.danielssilverman.co.uk/
Email:	[email protected]

It is worrying to deal with debt, and if you have received a debt letter from Daniels Silverman, you probably have a lot of questions. These are some of the most common questions and answers about dealing with this debt.