PO Box 140 Normanton WF6 1YA Debt Letter – Who is it?

Have you received a letter from PO Box 140 Normanton WF6 1YA about a debt? This can be very confusing and a bit scary.

Don’t worry! You’ve come to the right place. Every month, over 170,000 people visit our website for advice on debt problems.

In this article, we’ll:

•  Help you understand who might have sent the letter.
•  Show you how to find out if the debt is really yours.
• Give you tips on how to respond to the letter.
•  Explain what you can do if you can’t afford to pay.
• Guide you on how to get more help if you need it.

Research shows that 64% of people in the UK find dealing with debt collectors stressful¹, so we know how you feel. Some of us have even been in your shoes.

With our experience, we’ll help you understand your options. Let’s work out what to do together!

Should you ignore a letter from them?

Long story short, no.

It can be tempting to leave mail from an unknown sender unopened. However, if you receive a letter addressed to you with the return address of PO Box 140 Normanton, you should read it.

The letter could be something from your bank, and it could contain important information. If there are any issues surrounding outstanding debts or PPI repayments, ignoring the letter could be costly.

The unpaid debts won’t go away by themselves, and the PPI repayment won’t automatically go to you.

We always recommend responding to debt collectors – even just to question the debt’s validity.

You have the right to request proof of the debt. They have to prove it or they can’t charge you. Opening post addressed to you means you get a head start on dealing with any issues that arise.

How should you respond to the letters?

The way to respond to letters you receive from PO Box 140 Normanton depends on the exact nature of the post.

First, if it’s not addressed to you or someone currently living in your home, you should return the letter.

You can return mail by crossing out the address and writing ‘not known at this address’ or similar on the envelope.

You can then put it back in a post box, and Royal Mail will try to deliver it back to the sender free of charge. This should allow them to update their records and stop them from contacting you.

If you receive mail from your bank, there could be several reasons why they’ve contacted you. Your best bet is to reach out to them regarding whatever the issue is.

You can visit a branch or give them a call to clarify. Make sure you have the letter with you when you do so.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

In the case that you do receive contact about an unpaid debt, either from your bank or a debt collection agency, you should deal with the issue straight away. You can either contact them to discuss the matter or pay the money you owe (providing you actually owe it).

It is very important that you keep good records when dealing with your debts. Keeping copies of letters that you have received and sent is the easiest way to maintain healthy records.

Up-to-date documentation will be vital if there is a dispute about your debt in the future – you will have all the evidence you need at your fingertips if you keep copies of letters!

You may also need your documents if your debt is sold and information on your payment status, for example, is lost.

Are the letters legitimate?

It can sometimes be difficult to know what mail is spam and what’s not.

Generally speaking, letters with a return address of PO Box 140 Normanton are from a legitimate sender, most likely a bank that’s part of the Lloyds Banking Group.

If you’re unsure about how legitimate a letter is, you can always contact your bank. 

Instead of phoning the number provided on the letter, take the document to a branch to have them verify it for you. They’ll be able to help you figure out what the best course of action is too.

You can also contact your nearest Citizens Advice for help with anything related to debt.

Make sure to check out the details of any company that you’re unfamiliar with. Generally, it’s unlikely that you’ll know the name of the debt collection agency that’s trying to recover money from you. These companies act on behalf of other businesses or sometimes buy the debt themselves to reclaim it.

Be cautious of any correspondence that’s asking for sensitive information related to your personal identity or bank account.

How Do You Verify a Company?

Before you respond to any letters, you need to make sure that you are dealing with the right company or that you aren’t dealing with scammers of phishing letters.

Verifying a company before you make any payments is an easy method of financial fraud prevention.

You can verify a company in several ways. Firstly, the company should be registered in Companies House.

You can search for the company name on the letters you have and make sure that the registered company matches. If not, proceed with caution, as they may not be legit.

You can also check other registers like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or the Credit Services Association (CSA).

In our experience, it is very rare that a debt collection or other credit company are not registered with either of these groups.

You can check registration records by using the FCA’s register or the CSA’s membership page.

If you are receiving letters from a law firm that specialises in debt collection, you can check the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) register. All solicitor firms must be registered with the SRA to operate.

Finally, if you are being chased by an enforcement firm, you can check the Civil Enforcement Association’s (CIVEA) members list.

If the company that you have had letters from aren’t registered or members of one of these groups, you may need to be cautious moving forward. Most legit companies will be registered with one of them!

If you are unsure, you shouldn’t hesitate to get some advice. There are several charities offering UK financial advice services for free, and will be able to help you verify a debt letter.

Do you owe them money?

It can sometimes be hard to know if you actually owe money to a business or bank that contacts you.

Generally speaking, if you receive a legitimate letter from a company claiming you owe them, the chances are you actually do.

It could be an outstanding loan, credit card debt, or store credit. Whether it’s the company themselves or a third-party collection agency chasing you, they must be able to prove that you owe the debt.

This means you can contact them in writing to ask for the details they have of the money you owe. Writing to the return address (in this case PO Box 140 Normanton) can be a good place to start.

If your debt is over six years old and you’ve not made any payment on it or contacted the creditor, it could be what’s known as statute-barred, meaning you may not have to repay it.

However, this only applies if the creditor hasn’t contacted you or taken out a CCJ against you during that time.

It’s worth exploring your avenues to find out whether you definitely owe and have to repay the money. You may need to contact whichever company or debt collection agency is chasing you while you do so.

What should you do if you have debt?

Money can be hard to manage sometimes, and debt can prove to be a vicious circle once you get into it.

However, there are some effective ways of dealing with letters from debt collection agencies, whether or not they use the PO Box 140 Normanton address.

Below, we’ve outlined some of the strategies you can take when dealing with unpaid debts:

1. Verify what you owe and to whom. You’ll want to confirm with whichever company you’re dealing with how much you owe them. You can ask for proof of exactly what they’re claiming, and they have to provide it before you pay.
   
2. Consider paying the amount owed. If you definitely do owe the money and you have sufficient funds to cover the amount, paying it off will end the matter there and then.
   
3. Ask about payment plans. The creditor may be willing to work with you to arrange a repayment plan. This will allow you to pay back a certain amount each month until the debt is repaid.
   
4. Check whether the debt is statute-barred. If it’s been more than six years since any action by you or the creditor was taken over the debt, it could be written off. Check your options and speak with a professional.
   
5. Consider debt management options. There are several ways you can consolidate your debts into one manageable repayment. Something like an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) lets you pay back a certain amount of 60 months, with anything outstanding after that being written off.

Your Rights With Debt Collectors

It’s important to understand your rights when dealing with debt collectors. That’s why we’ve put together this table. For more information on what debt collectors can and can’t do, check out our specialized guide.

Debt Collectors Can	But They Can’t
Contact you by phone or mail.	Call you after 9pm or before 8am.
Conduct home visits (on rare occasions) and knock on your door.	Forbily enter your home, or stay if you ask them to leave.
Threaten to take you to court by suing you for payment on a debt.	Harrass you, including threats of violence, repeated calls and visits, or abusive language.
Negotiate a debt settlement. Tip: make sure to get this new arrangement in writing.	Visit your workplace.
Access your bank account, but only after a court judgment has been made.	Take anything from your home or threaten to do so.
Sell your debt.	Speak to other people about your debt without your permission.
Contact you frequently.	Keep doing so if you request that they reduce communications.

Where is PO Box 140 Normanton?

PO Box 140 Normanton is located in the WF6 1YA postcode. This postcode means that it’s situated in Whitwood, Castleford in the UK. Although it’s located in West Yorkshire, it’s possible that mail with this return address can be sent to locations all over the country. 

Final Thoughts

So, if you’ve received mail that includes a return address of PO Box 140 Normanton, the chances are that it’s from a bank that’s part of the Lloyds Banking Group. This includes banks such as Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows.

If the post is addressed to you, it’s definitely worth opening it to find out why they’re writing to you. If there are any pressing matters, you can contact the bank directly to resolve them.

Make sure to take the letter into a branch for them to verify its legitimacy.

If the mail isn’t addressed to you or anyone in your household, you should return it to the sender with a note saying ‘not at this address,’ or similar.

Some people have reported debt collection agencies using the address, although it’s unclear exactly which ones, if any, still use it.

References

1. Indebted Debt Collection Survey