Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors – Do You Have to Pay?

Are you getting letters from Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors? Do you feel worried and unsure what to do next? Don’t panic; you’re not alone.

Every month, over 170,000 people come to our website for issues just like yours. This article will give you clear steps to handle this situation. We will cover:

• How to check if the debt is really yours.
• Why Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors are contacting you.
• What you can do if you can’t afford to pay the debt.
• How debt collectors might affect your life.
• The ways to handle Whyte & Co. legally.

Our team is very familiar with how debt collectors work. We understand how it feels to be in your shoes and are here to help you deal with Whyte & Co so you can feel less worried and more in control.

Let’s start on your journey to a debt-free life.

You Might Not Have to Pay Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors!

Do you feel harassed and frustrated by Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors? Do you owe them money but you are not sure you’ll be able to repay it? Are you not sure you owe the money? Are they saying they plan to take you to court over the debt? If any of these questions relate to you, this article is designed to help you. You might not need to pay them back!

Why do Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors keep contacting you?

Debt collection is big business, and there are lots of organisations, such as Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors, who make money from obtaining payments from customers, who owe the money to another creditor. For example, you may have taken out a loan with a bank, and defaulted on it. Rather than waste their time and resources chasing the debt, the bank will sometimes sell it to a debt management company, such as Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors.

The business model is that the debt collection company will pay a small fee to buy the debt, sometimes as little as 20%. So, if you have a £10,000 outstanding debt, they may pay as little as £2,000 and if you repay it, they make £8,000, as well as any other interest or charges you have accumulated. This is why it is such a big industry, as there is lots of money to be made for debt collection companies. Unfortunately, this also means that they often resort to underhand tactics to try and obtain the payments. Some of which can leave debtors feeling upset and distressed.

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Confirming the debt

If you don’t know where the debt came from or you don’t understand why the cost is so high, you may want to ask Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors to send you a copy of the original credit agreement. This will detail where the debt originated, and any charges you have accumulated along the way. It is important that you get this information, if you do not recognise the debt.

In the first instance, you should write to Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors and ask for the credit agreement. If they cannot provide this for any reason, you do not have an obligation to pay the debt. There is no valid reason why they shouldn’t be able to provide this or provide other evidence that you are liable.

The burden of proof is on Whyte & Co. – they have to prove that you owe the debt and not the other way round!

If you are in a similar situation to this reviewer, you might need to contact a debt charity for some advice.

In the meantime, you can use my free ‘prove it’ letter template to request proof that you are liable for the debt that they are chasing. You can also use this free letter template which informs the reader that you are aware of your rights and that you have no knowledge of the debt.

What if you can’t afford to pay the debt?

Although it is important to pay back your debt, it is also imperative that you don’t leave yourself without money. If you can’t afford to pay the debt, setting up a repayment plan with Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Debt Collectors is the most logical thing to do. Otherwise, you may be able to pay them a partial payment to close the account. There are always options, even if you can’t pay the full amount immediately.

Why an IVA might help

There is the option of writing off your debt, if you enter into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). An IVA is a formal agreement which you reach and through this, you may the debt collectors either a one-off sum or you set up a repayment plan to clear your debt. The process of setting up an IVA must be carried out by an insolvency practitioner.

Find a local licenced IVA insolvency practitioner here.

You may, alternatively, want to enter into a Debt Relief Order (DRO). This is only available to those who have £75 or less each month after paying bills and you must not own your home or have assets worth over £2000.

To apply for a DRO you will need to go through an authorised debt advisor. You can find a list of authorised debt advisors here.

Alternative Debt Solutions

If you don’t think that an IVA is right for you, don’t worry!

There are several different debt solutions available in the UK, so I 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.

I have linked a few charities that offer these advisory services for free below.

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.

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.

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Whyte & Co. Bailiffs Contact Number

How do I make a Complaint against Whyte & Co. Bailiffs?

If you think that Whyte & Co. 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 Whyte & Co. 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, Whyte & Co. may be fined. You could even be owed compensation.

If you want to go beyond the FCA and FOS, you can make another secondary complaint to the Civil Enforcement Authority (CIVEA). CIVEA has its own set of guidelines and procedures for dealing with complaints against its members.

References

Schedule 12, Tribunals, Courts and Enforcements Act, 2007

Part 1, Regulation 10, Certification of enforcement agents, 2014.

Gov.uk, CPR – Rules and Directions, 2018.