PDCS Pastdue Credit Solutions Debt – Should You Pay?

Have you received an unexpected letter from PDCS Pastdue Credit Solutions? Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. Every month, over 170,000 people visit our website for help with debt solutions.

In this article, we’ll guide you on:

•  How to find out if the debt is really yours.
•  Why PDCS is contacting you.
•  What to do if you can’t afford to pay.
•  Your rights under the law.
•  Ways to ask for help with your debt.

It’s normal to feel confused and worried. After all, nearly half of the people who are chased by debt collection agencies have experienced harassment or aggression¹.

Some of us have also dealt with debt collectors. With our experience, we’ll help you understand your options and find a way forward. 

Why are you being contacted by Past Due Credit Solutions?

Past Due Credit Solutions are most likely contacting you because you have an overdue debt and they’ve been hired by the company to get you to pay. 

Debt collection agencies like Past Due Credit Solutions can operate with different setups.

There are independent debt collectors, collectors who are one arm of a larger creditor business (often hiding their identity), and some people who work in the debt collection industry as sole traders.

Unlike other debt collectors, Past Due Credit Solutions do not purchase the debt from the original creditor, so they don’t own it. Instead, they are paid a fee to collect it on behalf of the original creditor. 

Your personal circumstances are not their priority, and don’t expect them to show empathy. The Office for Fair Trading had previously acknowledged this by stating these types of practices are “widespread” (OFT, 2010).

Check if you really owe the money

The first step in our debt collection guidance is to find out which creditors you owe and how much. This should be stated on your PDCS debt collection letter.

To get this information, it is time to send a letter to Past Due Credit Solutions requesting an authentic copy of the credit agreement that you supposedly did not stick to. 

Our ‘prove the debt letter‘ will guide you on what to do. 

If PDCS can’t provide you with proof of the debt or proof that you owe it, you are under no obligation to pay.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

You also need to check that the debt is not statute-barred.

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 will be enforceable for a while. 

Can pay but won’t pay?

If proof that you owe them money is provided, the easiest way to get out of your debt situation is to pay up.

Paying in one go will get PDCS off your back the quickest. If you can’t pay off your debt in one go, you can pay with a payment plan.

Negotiating with Pastdue Credit Solutions can be scary, but keep calm! Remember that it is in PDCS’s best interests to help you pay and not be difficult.

If you are unable to keep to a repayment plan, you could benefit from a debt solution. We will go through your options for debt relief later in this article.

You may also need to get some financial advice from PDCS debt. We have listed some charities that give advice for free at the bottom of this page.

How do you pay?

Many people choose to pay Past Due on their website, but you will need your account reference number to do this, which will be on the letters they sent you. Their website provides further information. 

Alternatively, you can call them to get your customer ID, however, if you’re already on the phone, you may as well make the payment on the phone.

Once you’ve entered your customer ID, you can then make a payment via credit card or debit card.

What if You Can’t Afford to Pay PDCS?

If you owe money to Pastdue Credit or other debt collectors but you are struggling to pay, you may benefit from a debt solution.

There are several debt solutions available in the UK so we recommend speaking to a debt charity. Their advisers will be able to walk you through your options and help find the best debt solution 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.

Your Rights With Debt Collectors

Debt collection finance companies use techniques that toe the line of the law, sometimes stepping over it.

They might apply pressure with a phone call, bully you into paying or even harass you with repeated calls. Sometimes they even call you at work.

This goes against debt collection rules. 

We’ve put together this table that explains what debt collectors can and can’t do. For more detailed information, please check out our dedicated 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.

Our financial expert, Janine, says on debt collectors: ‘I understand that having a debt collector at your door can be scary, especially when you are already under huge financial stress. It’s crucial that you stay calm and know your rights. They have no power to enter your home or take any of your possessions.’

How Do You Complain About Pastdue Credit?

If you think that Pastdue Credit 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.

Fortunately, complaining about Pastdue Credit Solutions is quite straightforward!

Make your first complaint to Pastdue 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, Pastdue may be fined. You could even be owed compensation.

Pastdue Credit Solutions (PDCS) Contact Details:

You can contact PDCS through any of the following means:

Address:	1 Blair Court North Avenue Clydebank Business Park, G81 2LA
Contact Number:	0141 951 4077
Website:	www.pastduecredit.co.uk
Email address:	[email protected] (Pastdue Credit)
Opening Hours:	Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm Friday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Saturday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Company Name:	Past Due Credit Solutions (PDCS) Limited
Other Names:	Past Due Credit Solutions (PDCS), PDCS, Pastdue
Numbers they call from:	01415703200 08448113701 01419516447

References

1. Indebted Debt Collection Survey

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

CONC 7.9 Contact with customers