PO Box 123 Burton on Trent DE14 2XE – Who’s Contacting Me?

Have you received a letter from PO Box 123 Burton on Trent DE14 2XE and feel puzzled about it? You’re not alone. Each month, over 170,000 people visit our website to understand such matters.

These letters are from a company called Hoist Finance, once known as Robinson Way Debt Collection. But, why are they writing to you? 

This guide will help you understand:

•  Who is behind PO Box 123 Burton on Trent DE14 2XE.
•  Why Robinson Way Debt Collectors are contacting you.
•  How to deal with these letters.
•  What options you have if you owe money.
•  How to get help if you are struggling with debt.

We know this can feel scary and confusing, especially if you’re being bothered constantly. Nearly half of the individuals who deal with debt collection agencies have experienced harassment or aggression¹, so you might be worried about paying or wondering if this is real and we’re here to help and provide clear advice.

Let’s dive into the details.

How Can You get rid of Robinson Way?

The best way to get rid of Robinson Way and its persistent debt letters is to respond to their letter. We always recommend responding to debt collectors – even just to question the debt’s validity. Remember, you have the right to request proof of the debt. They have to prove it, or they can’t charge you.

We discuss three possible responses you could use below, depending on your situation. 

Response Option #1: Statute Barred debt

A statute-barred debt is a debt that is too old to be enforced with court action and is comparable to having the debt written off. 

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 your debt is statute-barred, you can use our free letter template to write to Robinson Way 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.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Response Option #2: Prove the debt

Your debt might not qualify as a debt that’s too old to be collected. But that doesn’t mean you’ll have to pay just yet. Another way to respond to your letter from PO Box 123 Burton on Trent is to ask the debt collection business to prove the debt. 

Robinson Way has an obligation to prove you owe the debt. In most cases, this means providing you with a copy of an agreement you signed, which then resulted in arrears. 

For example, the debt collection group might have to supply you with a copy of a loan credit agreement you signed.

You aren’t obligated to pay your debt until it is proved that you owe the money. So keep a copy of any request to prove the debt, and keep proof of delivery. If Robinson Way ignores your request and subsequently takes legal action, you could get any court order cancelled because they didn’t follow the right process. 

Response Option #3: Wrong person!

Debt collection agencies sometimes cannot trace where the debtor lives currently. They might know where they used to live, or they might know where multiple people with the same name live and are unsure who is the real debtor. This is more common when chasing older debts. 

To help find the real debtor, Hoist Finance and other collection agencies use the scatter-gun tactic. This is when they send multiple scary debt letters to addresses where they think the debtor could live. They hope that the real debtor will respond and reveal themself.

However, innocent people get caught up and are left stressed at having to deal with a debt letter.

If this sounds familiar, you could contact the debt collection group and explain who you are and why you’re not the person who owes the money.

They might ask for proof, but you’re not obligated to prove anything to them. If they don’t accept you’re not the person they’re looking for, you can always send a prove-the-debt letter afterwards. 

Can You ignore letters from PO Box 123 Burton on Trent DE14 2XE?

You shouldn’t ignore letters from Robinson Way or Hoist Finance, even if you think you don’t owe any money. 

The impact of ignoring debt or debt collectors can make your whole situation much worse. Read on to learn about a better way to deal with Hoist Finance. 

What if Hoist Finance proves the debt?

If Hoist Finance replies to your prove-the-debt letter with genuine proof, you need to take action. If you continue to ignore Hoist Finance, the creditor could take county court action to make you pay. 

The good news is that Hoist Finance do accept repayment plans, so you don’t have to pay all the debt back at once if you can’t afford it. You might need to prove that you’re trying your best to pay the debt back as quickly as possible. 

To have the best chance of defending yourself and avoiding unnecessary charges, you should know the standard fees the collection process might bring about. Here’s a quick table explaining this in detail:

Alternative debt solutions

Before you agree on a repayment plan with Hoist Finance – or Robinson Way – you might benefit from other debt solutions. 

There are several different debt solutions available in the UK, so we recommend speaking to a debt charity 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.

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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.

How Can You complain about Robinson Way or Hoist Financial?

If you think that Robinson Way or Hoist Financial 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.

StepChange found that two-thirds of people in debt have experienced some level of bad practice from a debt collector in the last two years², so you might have a strong case.

Fortunately, the Robinson Way and Hoist Financial complaints procedure is quite straightforward.

Make your first complaint to either Robinson Way or Hoist Financial 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, Robinson Way or Hoist Financial may be fined. You could even be owed compensation.

Robinson Way Contact details

References

1. InDebted Debt Collection Survey.
2. StepChange, Creditor and Debt Collector Conduct, July 2016.