Harlands Group Debt – Should You Pay?

Do You Really Need to Pay Harlands Debt Collectors?

Are you puzzled by a letter you’ve received from Harlands Group about a debt? You may be asking, “Should I pay? Is this real? Can I afford this?” You’re not alone – each month, over 170,000 people visit our website for guidance with questions just like these.

In this easy-to-read guide, we will:

• Help you understand who Harlands Group are and what they do.
• Show you how to check if the debt they mention is really yours.
• Explain what could happen if you don’t pay Harlands.
• Share ways to manage or even reduce your debt.
• Offer tips on dealing with debt collectors.

Our team knows what it’s like to be chased by debt collectors, as many of us have been in your shoes. We know how to help you handle this.

Let’s find out more about Harlands Group debt and what you can do.

Why am I Being Contacted by Harlands Services?

Debt collection is big business, and companies like Harlands are there to make money. All debt collectors work differently, they may be independent, sole traders, or even work as part of the business. In many cases, they collect money on behalf of another company. They buy the debt so they need to get their money back, which is why they incessantly chase up the debt.

If you are being contacted by Harlands, either through telephone, email, post or even on your bank statement, it’s because you owe money for an unpaid gym, leisure or entertainment membership you’ve signed up and not paid for.

Unfortunately, some debt collection agencies will go to great lengths to get hold of you. It may be in the form of emails, telephone calls, letters or even a combination of these tactics. In many cases, they will contact the debtor constantly until they get some kind of response.

Dealing with Harlands Collection calls of this nature can be very frustrating!

You will notice that even though the value seems small, they will chase and chase until they reach you. You can guarantee, they won’t just go away – so it is not worth ignoring contact from Harlands.

Is it really your debt?

If you are being contacted by Harlands Group, the first step is to find out what the debt is – don’t pay it until you get clarification. Ask the debt collectors to send you a copy of the original agreement. If all is above board, there should be no issue in getting this clarification. If they don’t send proof, then you should not pay, as there is no evidence that this is your debt.

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

You should also check the age of the debt.

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 the duration of the CCJ.

If you are unsure, I recommend speaking to a debt charity. They will be able to offer you detailed information and an accurate assessment of your finances.

What happens if I don’t pay Harlands?

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Harlands are debt collecting field agents and therefore have limited powers. They can visit your home and request payment but they cannot enter your home and they cannot remove your belongings. If you ask them to leave your property, they must abide and if they don’t, you can ring the police.

Any of the following actions by Harlands Services requires prior court approval:

• Issue a County Court Judgment
• Send bailiffs to seize goods equal to the amount owed on the debt.
• Submit a request for an attachment of earnings order, also known as a charging order.

If you get a letter like this, try not to panic!

Keep in mind that house visits are relatively rare because they are quite expensive! Writing to Harlands and explaining the situation should be enough to calm things down. If you can, you could even offer to pay a little extra for a while to help get you back on track.

If you are unsure, you can speak to a debt charity for some free 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.

UK Personal Debt 2021 Update:
As of April 2021, the total unsecured debt per Adult in the UK was £3,674.

(Source: The Money Charity)

Harlands Serv Ltd t/a Harlands – is it the same company?

Yes. Harlands Services are known by many names. You may also see them operating under the names Harlands, Harlands Services Ltd, Harlands Group, or even Harlands Debt Collectors.

How Do I Make a Complaint Against Harlands Group Debt?

If you think that Harlands 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 Harlands 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, Harlands may be fined. You could even be owed compensation.

Can I Get a Debt Solution?

If you are dealing with Harlands, or struggling to cope with your other unsecured debts, you may benefit from a debt solution.

I recommend speaking to a debt charity for some free advice before you begin a debt solution for some free advice. That way, you know that you are picking the best option for you.

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.

Thousands have already tackled their debt

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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.

Harlands Group Debt Contact Details

FAQs

References

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

CONC 7.9 Contact with customers