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Property Debt Collection (PDC) Do You Need to Pay?

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Scott
Scott Nelson Profile Picture

Scott Nelson

Managing Director

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.

Learn more about Scott
&
Janine
Janine Marsh Profile Picture

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
· Mar 11th, 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.

Featured in...

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 just got a letter from Property Debt Collection (PDC) and not sure what to do? You’ve come to the right place! Every month, over 170,000 people visit our website seeking advice on debt matters.

In this easy-to-understand guide, we’ll explore:

  •  Who Property Debt Collection are and why they might be contacting you.
  •  How to make sure if the debt is really yours.
  •  Ways to stop unwanted calls and letters from PDC.
  •  Options to make paying the debt easier, or even writing some of it off.
  •  What to do if you can’t afford to pay.

Research shows that 64% of UK adults find interactions with current debt collectors stressful1. So, we know how getting a debt letter feels.

Don’t worry; we’re here to help you figure things out.

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.

What Really Are Property Debt Collection LBAs?

Have you received a letter from Property Debt Collection? These are known as LBAs within the debt collection industry because Property Debt Collection are giving the debtor the chance to pay off the debt before the take action (Letter Before Action).

Typical Debt Collection Process

Here’s a quick table that explains the key stages and actions involved in the debt collection process. If you want to learn more or require further advice, be sure to check out our specialized guide.

Stage Actions What you should do:
Missing one or two small payments Calls and letters from the debt collector asking for payment. They may enquire about reasons for missing payments. Contact the debt collector and offer to pay what you can. If you are struggling to pay the debt, get in touch with us to explore your options.
Missing large or multiple payments Their contact will become more frequent, urgent, and threatening. Contact the debt collection agency and offer to pay what you can. You may also make a complaint if you think the letters are a form of harassment.
Debt collector visit After a few months, if the debt is significant (£200+) you will receive notice of a debt collector visit. They have to notify you before arriving. Debt collectors cannot take anything from your home – they may only ask for payment. If a debt collector shows up at your home, ask them to show proof of the debt and their ID through a window. Do not open your door or let them in. You can arrange a payment plan with the debt collector, but make sure to get a receipt of this.
Court If you still do not pay your debts to the original lender/debt collector agency, they will take you to court and either attempt to:
– File a CCJ against you.
– File an attachment of earnings order.
– File a lawsuit against you.
You must show up to your court date. From here, you can either dispute the debt, or the judge will likely suggest a manageable repayment plan for you.

Make Property Debt Collection Prove It!

If you don’t believe Property Debt Collection or just want to buy some time, you can request Property Debt Collection to prove you owe the money.

They have to provide you with physical proof such as a signed agreement to prove it. Without proof, the debt does not have to be paid.

The best way to make them prove it is to reply to their LBA with a prove the debt letter.

Don’t do this if they actually provided proof within their LBA, although this is not so common among debt collectors. 

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

When You Don’t Need to Pay Property Debt Collection

There is one way you might not have to pay Property Debt Collections anything. Due to a little-known law from The Limitations Act, some older debts do not have to be paid because the courts are too busy with recent cases and therefore cannot be legally enforced.

If your debt is over six years old, there is a chance it could qualify and that means Property Debt Collections can never take you to court.

We recommend researching more about statute barred debts (the technical name) and discovering if your debt is too old to be collected.

Debt charities can help with this too.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Ignoring Property Debt Collection Debt Letters

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.

It is not wise to ignore a debt letter from Property Debt Collection. If you fail to pay, they could take you to court as further action and get a judge to make you pay.

If the reason you are ignoring their letters is due to insufficient funds to pay the debt, keep reading because there may be solutions for you.

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.

Stop Harassing Calls from Property Debt Collection

As well as scary letters, Property Debt Collection could start calling your mobile or home phone and ask you to pay. These calls can be a nuisance and sometimes even distressing.

One top trick in this situation is to inform Property Debt Collection of your calling preferences and tell them when you are free to talk. Property Debt Collection will have to keep to these preferences, or they will be committing harassment.

If they don’t, you can complain (more on that later!)

Can Property Debt Collection Repossess My Home?

If Property Debt Collection take you to court and win, they will get a CCJ that enforces the debt and makes you pay. If you continue to not pay, Property Debt Collection can then employ bailiffs to come to your property and take the payment.

They may repossess some items to pay off the debt if needed.

Another option is to try and repossess your home, but this requires a different process. However, this is rare and doesn’t usually happen unless your debt is significant. Other means of getting the money will often be explored and exhausted first.

Even if you did have your home repossessed, it would never be a Property Debt Collection worker that would do this.

Discover Your Debt Solutions!

If you cannot afford to pay off the debt immediately, there are ways around this problem.

If you speak with Property Debt Collections and ask them for a repayment plan, they may be able to help.

On top of this, there are scores of other debt solutions. Some of them are legally binding whereas others are informal debt solutions.

Get a full breakdown on the best debt solutions, now!

Where to Direct a Property Debt Collection Complaint

If you feel like Property Debt Collections have not acted in accordance with the law, maybe they are calling too much or applying pressure for you to pay, you can make a complaint.

The Financial Ombudsman is the place where all complaints should be directed. They will assess the situation and make a final judgement (you can ask for a second judgement on a case). If Property Debt Collections are found guilty, they may be forced to compensate you.

But the Ombudsman asks that all complaints are first directed to Property Debt Collections to see if matters can be resolved early.

Property Debt Collection Ltd Contact Information

Website: https://www.propertydebt.co.uk/
Phone: 01992 449 403
Mon – Fri 9am–5pm
Fax: 01992 449 404
Email: [email protected]
Post: Property Debt Collection Ltd
Sherwood House, 5 Bluecoats Avenue, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 1PB
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

  1. Indebted Debt Collection Survey
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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.