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DLC Debt Collection – Must You Pay? Read Here (Telford)

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Scott Nelson

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MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.

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Janine Marsh

Financial Expert

Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.

Learn more about Janine
· Feb 6th, 2024
Could you legally write off some debt? Answer below to get started.

Total amount of debt?

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.

For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.

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DLC Debt Collection

For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.

Have you received a letter from DLC Debt Collection and are unsure what to do next? Firstly, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Every month, over 170,000 people come to our website for advice on situations just like this. 

In this friendly guide, we’ll help you understand:

  •  Who DLC Debt Collectors are, and why they might be contacting you.
  •  How to confirm if the debt is truly yours.
  •  Ways to handle the debt collectors and their calls.
  •  Options for payment, even if you’re finding it hard to afford.
  •  And how you could possibly write off some of your debt.

We’ve got a team who’ve had their own tussles with debt collectors, so they understand your worries. We’re here to support you using facts and clear steps.

So, let’s dive into the guide and demystify DLC Debt Collection together.

Could you legally write off some debt?

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.

Answer below to get started.

How much debt do you have?

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.

Why do DLC Debt Collectors keep contacting you?

Debt is a major problem these days, and debt collectors are in plentiful supply. There are debt collectors operating as independent businesses, as well as those who work as part of the credit company (the company you have the debt with.) They all work differently, but with the same outcome – to get you to pay the debt! You don’t owe the money directly to DLC Debt Collectors, but they have the right to chase you about it, as they have purchased the debt.

Debt collection agencies pay a small price for the debt, and they can end up making a good profit. In some cases, they will pay only 20% of the face value, which means they are buying debt at a value of £1,000, for only £200. It is a good way for them to make money, as when you pay up, they make a profit. They don’t usually take much time to consider what your situation is and why you are facing debt problems. They have heard it all before, and to be quite frank, they don’t really care. In many cases, debt collection companies will even stoop to the lowest possible levels to get payment. The Office for Fair Trading (OFT, 2010) even stated that poor practices “appear to be widespread”.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Should you pay the debt?

As DLC Debt Collectors buy the debt from another company, you may not recognise them. If the debt looks unfamiliar though, you should seek to get confirmation of the debt, including a breakdown of the costs. The debt will probably be higher, due to interest and charges. It may even be substantially higher.

You should request a copy of the original credit agreement from DLC Debt Collectors. If they cannot provide this, you won’t need to pay the debt. There is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to give you this information.

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

How to deal with debt collectors

It is not uncommon for debt collectors to implement a range of tactics to try and get payment. These may include pressurising and bullying you into paying. They may keep calling your workplace to try and reach you, and may even threaten you. You should know that most of the threats are empty.

Debt collectors can cause a lot of stress as a result of their tactics. In some cases, debtors have reported feelings of humiliation and distress. Others have even contemplated suicide. The debt support trust said that up to 50% of those who suffer with debt issues, will consider suicide. This is obviously a staggering and extremely worrying statistic, and debt collectors should definitely consider reviewing their tactics. There have been cases where debtors have felt disconnected from family and friends because of their debt problems, and even a feeling of being entrapped. It is clear that dealing with debt can have a negative effect on mental health. This is why the government were asked to step in. They looked at the intimidation tactics used by debt collectors, and instances of irresponsible lending. They had to take some harsh action to deal with the situation.

How a debt solution could help

Some debt solutions can:

  1. Stop nasty calls from creditors
  2. Freeze interest and charges
  3. Reduce your monthly payments

A few debt solutions can even result in writing off some of your debt.

Here’s an example:


Situation

Monthly income £2,504
Monthly expenses £2,345
Total debt £32,049

Monthly debt repayments

Before £587
After £158

£429 reduction in monthly payments

If you want to learn what debt solutions are available to you, click the button below to get started.

Get Started

Are you able to pay?

The quicker you can pay the debt off, the better. If you owe the money, and you have received confirmation of this, you should aim to clear the debt. However, if it will stop you from taking care of other essential bills, you should hold off while you devise a more suitable repayment plan. You may even be able to agree to a partial payment to clear off the debt.

DLC Debt Collectors – the guidelines

The Office for Fair Trading (OFT, 2012) has published a set of guidelines for the debt collection business. To summarise these, DLC Debt Collectors should:

  • Ensure they treat debtors fairly, without the use of aggressive practices, or any improper or unfair practices
  • Focus on transparency when dealing with debtors, and provide clear, concise and accurate information
  • Show consideration towards debtors who are dealing with financial problems
  • Ensure the debtors situation is taken into account, before determining appropriate action

If you feel that DLC Debt Collectors are trying to intimidate you, or they are being downright abusive towards you, you would have the right to report them to the OFT. They may decide to remove their license.

You can make a complaint about DLC Debt Collectors by using this online complaint form.

Debt collectors may even say that they are working externally, when they are part of the original creditor you have the debt with. As this is deceit, they are breaking the legislation, and in which case, you would have the right to report them.

Checking for Other Debt Collectors

There are a lot of ways to get into debt. In fact, it’s not uncommon to owe money to several companies at once.

Perhaps you have a mortgage, a car loan, a couple credit cards and an item or two you bought on buy-now-pay-later schemes. It’s easy to lose track

That’s why it’s important to regularly check your credit report and bank statements to make sure you haven’t missed anything.

If a debt collector has purchased your debt, it appears on your credit report.

Some of the debt collectors you’re most likely to come across are PRA Group, Lowell and Cabot Financial

How to get help with debt problems

If you are looking for help to get out of debt, there are various options available to you. You can choose to use organisations who offer debt advice for free, or alternatively, there are also commercial debt management companies who will charge you for this service.

You should always use the free organisations as your first port of call. Some of the main agencies to consider for free help, include:

  • Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – this is an organisation who provide free help and advice through highly skilled and experienced advisors. They will be able to help you find the best way to repay your debts.
  • Christians Against Poverty (CAP) provide debt help and advice for free.
  • StepChange provides free online debt advice and helps you take back control of your finances.
  • You may be able to write off some debt

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.

Get started

Reviews shown are for The Debt Advice Service.

DLC Debt Collectors Contact Details

Company Name:  Hillesden Securities Limited
Other Names:  DLC, Cabot Credit Management Group
Address: Cabot Credit Management, 1 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4UA
Phone:  0344 980 0185
Website:  www.dlcuk.com 
Email: general enquiries
Numbers they call from: 01280707297
01280843769

Final words

The government have stepped in to take control of the escalating debt situation, but despite this, there are unfortunately still many debt collection companies who behave in an extremely distressing way. Some are still driving debtors into poor mental health through their abuse and harassment. You can get help from one of the organisations we have suggested above and although you should not just refuse to pay the debt, there are always ways to deal with it. Most debt collection companies will be able to set up a repayment plan to allow you to repay the debt at a rate you can afford. If you are unhappy with the treatment you have received from DLC Debt Collectors, you can report them to the Financial Ombudsman.

Could you legally write off some debt?

Answer below to get started.

How much debt do you have?

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.

References

CONC 7.3 Treatment of customers in default or arrears (including repossessions): lenders, owners and debt collectors

CONC 7.9 Contact with customers

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The authors
Scott Nelson Profile Picture
Author
MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.
Janine Marsh Profile Picture
Debt Expert
Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.