Zinc Group Credit Management Debt – Should You Pay?

Did you receive a letter from the Zinc Group and aren’t sure what to do next? You’re not alone. Each month, over 170,000 people visit our website for help with debt problems. 

In this article, we’ll:

• Guide you on what to do if you’ve received a letter from Zinc Group.
• Explore if you really need to pay and what might happen if you don’t.
• Discuss ways to manage your debt.
• Show you where to get free advice about your debt.

Research shows 64% of people in the UK feel stressed when dealing with debt collectors¹. Some of our team members have even experienced this.

Don’t worry. We’re here to share our knowledge and help you understand your debt.

Been Hit with a Zinc Debt Collection Letter?

If Zinc Collections has your account, you presumably owe money.

In most cases, your debt was owed to a separate creditor (which is why you may not recognise their name). They are a debt collection agency that pursues clients for payment on behalf of other businesses.

This is called “debt purchasing”, and it’s extremely profitable.

In fact, debt collection agencies buy billions of debt annually at rock bottom prices – at an average of 10p to £1!²

On rare occasions, Zinc Debt Collection may make an admin error. They could also be contacting you about an unenforceable debt (a debt that you can’t be forced to pay) and are hoping you don’t check and pay up.

We go through handling both of these scenarios below.

Can You Ask Them To Prove Your Debt?

Yes, you can ask Zinc to prove you owe the debt.

We recommend that you ask for proof of the debt after your first communication with them. You can use our free letter template to ask for proof.

If Zinc can’t give you evidence that you owe the debt, you don’t have to pay it. Take a look at this example.

This is why asking for proof that you owe the debt is so important! This person should write to Zinc and ask for evidence that they are liable for the debt. It doesn’t sound like Zinc will be able to give them any!

Keep in mind that sometimes debts are too old to chase. Once 6 years (or 5 years in Scotland) have passed since you last made a payment towards the debt or wrote to your creditors about it, it is statute-barred.

This means that there is no legal way for your creditor or a debt collection agency to force you to pay.

There are some debts that are enforceable for more than 5 or 6 years.

HMRC debts, for example, can be enforceable for decades. If you have a debt with a County Court Judgement (CCJ) attached to it you need to be aware that this debt will always be enforceable.

But what if they supplied proof and the debt is not statute-barred? At this stage, it is best to look at your options for repayment.

Paying off your debt immediately will get Zinc Group off your back the quickest.

If you can’t pay in a lump sum you may be able to negotiate with them and agree on a repayment plan. Just make sure you get an agreement in writing from Zinc as soon as possible – this will make it impossible for them to argue with you down the line!

If you don’t think that you can afford even a repayment plan with Zinc, you may need to consider a debt solution.

When You Don’t Have to Pay the Debt

Most of the time, debtors will have to find a way to pay back their debts.

But there is one legal avenue that can stop Zinc Debt Collection from sending debt collectors and even preventing you from having to pay any of the money.

Some old debts are called statute-barred debts. As mentioned earlier, this means they cannot be taken to the courts to get a CCJ that makes you pay. Although the debt is not wiped away, there will never be a legal obligation to pay.

You can also write off some of your debts by using some debt solutions, as we have explained above.

Don’t Ignore Zinc Collection Letters

If you’ve had a letter from Zinc Group ltd and you don’t recognise their name or the debt, you may feel like throwing the letter in the bin.

This isn’t a wise move and can just make the situation worse.

Don’t ignore Zinc Debt Collection if you can’t afford to pay right now, because there are many debt solutions out there. The bottom line is that taking action is better than ignoring them in every situation.

Grab the Zinc Group Debt Collection letter back out of the bin!

What Debt Solution Can You Get?

There are a few different debt solutions available to you, depending on your circumstances and financial situation.

Keep in mind that, with so many options available,we recommend that you speak to a specialist who will be able to help you work out which one will be best for you.

Debt Management Plan (DMP)

A DMP is an informal debt solution between you and your creditors. You pay a set monthly sum that is shared among your non-priority debts.

A DMP is not legally binding, which means you can cancel it at any time, and there is no minimum term for the agreement.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)

An IVA is a formal debt solution for those who owe several thousand pounds to more than one creditor.

Typically, an IVA will last for 5 or 6 years, and during this time you pay an agreed monthly sum that your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) will share between your creditors. Your creditors can’t contact you in any way during your IVA and, at the end, any of your remaining IVA debts are wiped off.

Trust Deed

IVAs are not available in Scotland. Instead, opt for a Trust Deed.

They work in the same way as an IVA – you pay an agreed sum that’s shared between your creditors, they don’t contact you, and any remaining debts are wiped off at the end.

Debt Relief Order (DRO)

If you have a few debts but no valuable assets and a small income, you may be eligible for a DRO.

From the date that your application is accepted, your DRO will last 12 months. During this time your creditors do not contact you, and they freeze your interest. You don’t make any payments towards your debts during this time either.

After a year, your finances are reassessed. If there is no improvement in your financial situation, your debts can be written off.

Bankruptcy

If you owe substantial debts but have no real possibility of paying them back, you may need to declare bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy has a negative image, but it is often your only way of clearing debts and getting a fresh financial start. That said, it is a serious financial situation that should not be taken lightly.

Sequestration

Sequestration is the Scottish version of bankruptcy.

You may be eligible for a minimal asset process bankruptcy (MAP) if you have a small income and few assets. A MAP is cheaper, quicker, and more straightforward than sequestration, so is worth considering.

Can Zinc Take Your Valuable Items?

No, Zinc Debt Collection are a debt collection company, but they are not bailiffs.

Only a bailiff can take your items to pay for the debt.

If a Zinc Debt Collection worker ever claims to have the ability to take your items to repay the debt, you should report them to the Ombudsman (more on this later).

Moreover, Zinc Group Debt Collection can only employ a bailiff if your debt has been to the courts first. This is usually the last step to claim back the money owed, but it is very serious.

If Zinc Group or any other debt collection agencies manage to get a county court judgement, they can then send bailiffs to your home. This isn’t always possible if the debt is what’s known as statute-barred.

Debt Collectors vs Bailiffs

We recently spoke to the Mirror about debt collectors and bailiffs. While a bailiff may be permitted to take your possessions, a debt collector never can.

All they are allowed to do is ask for a payment. To learn more about this, please take a quick look at the table below.

Category	Debt Collectors	Bailiffs
Bank Account Access	Access your bank account – but only after a CCJ has been secured and not complied with.	After the creditor has taken you to court over missed payments, bailiffs/creditors can apply for a third-party debt order to freeze and take control of a bank account.
Leniency	Negotiate a debt settlement. Tip: make sure to get this new arrangement in writing.	If you tell them immediately that you are a vulnerable person, they must treat you with greater consideration and give you more time to respond to any contact.
Re-Selling Debt	Sell your debt if they are unable to collect payment from you.	Call and visit multiple times – there isn’t a set limit on how often they may contact you. If they can’t take any goods to sell or enter your property, they might return with a warrant and force entry to your property.
Visiting Your Home	Conduct home visits (on rare occasions) and knock on your door.	Conduct home visits and can enter without your permission as long as all of the correct legal steps have been taken.
Contact Hours	Contact you by phone or mail. They’re allowed to call whenever they see reasonable without constituting harassment, usually between 8 am and 9 pm.	Can visit your home anytime between 6 am and 9 pm (unless they have a court order that states otherwise).
Permission To Take Belongings	They cannot take anything from your home. They may only ask you to make a payment.	Take goods from inside and outside of your home once all legal steps have been taken. However, they cannot take essential items for domestic living or work purposes.
Court Actions	Threaten to take you to court by suing you for payment on a debt.	Can apply to the court to get permission to use ‘reasonable force’ to enter a home, which could mean breaking in. They have to give details to the court about how they will secure the property afterwards.

Stopping Nuisance Calls

One of the worst experiences for anyone owing money is getting bombarded with calls, texts, emails and even home visits. People constantly contacting you to get a payment is a nightmare – but it is also against the rules.

The Zinc Group Debt Collection is not allowed to continually harass you for the money.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

To combat this, you should inform them of the times you want them to call and the contact details you’d prefer them to use.

Handling Zinc Debt Collection calls If they don’t stick to your request is simple! Just inform them that you will be making a complaint and follow the procedure that we have laid out at the bottom of this page.

How to complain

If you think that Zinc Group have acted inappropriately towards you or they have broken any of the FCA’s regulations, you should make a complaint.

First, make a complaint directly to Zinc so they have the opportunity to sort out the issue themselves.

If you feel that they have not dealt with your complaint properly, you can escalate matters and make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). They will investigate and if your complaint is upheld, Zinc Group may be fined, and you could be owed compensation.

Zinc Group Credit Contact Information

Telephone:	+44 (1789) 273149
Fax:	+44 (1789) 405 065
Address:	Kings House 4 Elm Court, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 6PA, United Kingdom
Email:	[email protected]
Website:	https://www.wewanttosayyes.co.uk/

References

1. InDebted, Debt Collectors Survey.
2. Jubilee Debt, A Fresh Start After Covid-19.