CCS Collect Debt (CCSCollect) Should You Pay?  (2024)

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Did you receive a surprising letter from CCS Collect about a debt? Don’t worry; you are in the right place. Over 170,000 people visit our website for help with debt problems every month.

This article will help you understand:

• Who CCS Collect are and if they are real.
• Why they are contacting you about a debt.
• How to find out if the debt is really yours.
• What to do if you can’t afford to pay the debt.
• Ways to stop CCS Collect from bothering you too much.

We know that getting a letter like this can be worrying, especially if you belong to a vulnerable group, as a significant survey completed by StepChange UK found that 83% of the 1794 clients included had at least one creditor that did not take their vulnerabilities into account¹.

You might be confused about where this debt came from or whether you should pay it. Our team has a lot of knowledge about dealing with debt collectors. Some of us have even had debt collectors chasing us. So, we’re here to help you learn more about how to handle CCS Collect.

CCS Collect is contacting you because one of their clients believes you owe them money. CCS Collect does not own the debt; they are simply chasing you on behalf of their own client.Often, companies buy others’ debts for cheap and collect them in full from you to make a profit. In fact, debt collection agencies buy billions of debt annually at rock bottom prices – at an average of 10p to £1!²

Being chased by them is not nice:

“CCS Collect causing me sleepless nights!”

Reported by Rdog13

If you do not respond to the CCS Collect Debt Collectors letter, they will send more and might start legal proceedings. If you are scared by their threats, not replying can make things worse.

But replying with our top tip will prevent them from starting legal action and it could get you out of having to pay at all.

Read on to find out what you need to do!

» TAKE ACTION NOW:Fill out the short debt form

Make Those CCS Collect Debt Collectors Work!

So, how do you reply to a debt letter you want to bury in the sand?

You should write to them and ask for this proof. You can make this easy by using my free letter template.

You must ask CCS Collect to prove you owe the debt. This is because mistakes happen and they could be writing to you about a debt that you don’t owe.

Unless CCS Collect can provide proof that you owe this specific debt, you are under no legal obligation to pay it.

Keep in mind that you can’t be forced to pay some debts, even if you do owe them. These are statute-barred debts.

Debts become statute-barred 6 years – 5 years in Scotland – after you last made a payment or wrote about it to your creditor. After this window, your debt is unenforceable. This means that no judge will order you to pay or issue a warrant for bailiffs to come to your home.

If you think that your debt is statute-barred, you can use my free letter template to tell CCS Collect.

Keep in mind that not all debts become statute-barred. Any debts that had a CCJ attached to them before the 6 years was up will always be enforceable. And other debts, like HMRC debts, can be enforceable for decades without a CCJ.

If you are unsure, contact a debt charity for some free advice. I have linked some organsations at the bottom of this page.

If CCS Collect Provide Proof of the Debt…

If CCS Collect reply to your letter with proof that you do owe the debt, such as a:

• Signed utility contract
• Student loans contract
• Summary from HMRC

You will have to pay.

CCS Collect Debt Collectors advertise that they will help people get out of debt gradually with payment plans that last for many months, or in some cases, years. These can be arranged directly with CCS Collect by discussing it with their workers.

Always get debt advice before calling and calculate a budget to know 100% accurately what you can commit to.

Never feel pressured into agreeing to pay more as this could create other debts and bigger money problems.

And last but not least, you might save money using other debt solutions or by acquiring the services of a debt management company.

CCS collect ignore or pay?

Are you asking, CCS Collect ignore or pay? We get that you will want to throw the CCS Collect Debt Collectors letter in the trash and never have to think about them again. But the truth is, non-payment will only make things worse.

If you forget about your CCS letter or ignore it because you know there is a mistake then you might end up in front of a judge regardless.

And don’t ignore CCS Collect if you cannot pay the debt. There are lots of ways around not being able to pay back in full.

I 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.

Can CCS Collect Send field agents?

Yes. CCS Collect Debt Collectors may threaten you by saying they will send field agents to your home, especially if you do not respond to calls or letters. They are welcome to knock on your door and ask to discuss the debt, but you have no legal obligation to answer the door, speak to them or let them inside.

Even if they win a court case, they still never have this right. You can call the police if they do not leave your property when asked.

I Can’t Afford to Pay CCS Anything

If you are facing financial hardship and can’t afford to pay your debts, you may wish to consider a debt solution.

There are several available in the UK which means you can find the debt relief that works best for you. I recommend speaking to a debt charity if you are considering a debt solution because their advisers can talk you through your options in detail.

Here are a few groups that all offer free financial advice for debt management free debt counselling services:

• StepChange
• National Debtline
• Citizens Advice
• Debt Advice Foundation.

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 or after your IVA.

Typically, an IVA will last 5 or 6 years and any outstanding debt will be wiped out at the end of this period.

Keep in mind that IVAs are not suitable for everyone. You need to have some diposable income each month to pay for it. You also need to owe several thousand pounds to more than one creditor.

Trust Deed

Those in Scotland will need to look into a Trust Deed as IVAs are unavailable.

Trust Deeds work in the same way as an IVA – you pay an agreed sum each month that’s shared between your creditors, they don’t contact you, and any leftover debt can be written off at the end of your agreement.

Debt Relief Order (DRO)

If you have debts but few assets and little income, you may be eligible for a DRO.

Starting once your applicaiton is accepted, your creditors freeze your interest and don’t contact you for a year. You make no payments towards your DRO-approved debts during this time.

After 12 months your financial situaiton is reassessed. If there is no improvement, your remaining debts may be written off.

Bankruptcy or Sequestration

Bankrtuptcy or sequestration in Scotland may be your last option if you have debts but no realistic possibility of paying them off. This may be your only way of getting a financial fresh start.

It is a serious financial status and should not be taken lightly but you may be able to write off some of your debts as part of your bankruptcy process.

If you are in Scotland and have few assets and little income, you may be eligible for a minimal asset process bankruptcy (MAP). A MAP is a quicker, cheaper, and more straightforward version of sequestration so worth considering if you are eligible.

How to Make a Settlement Offer

You may be able to write off a small portion of the amount you owe to CCS Collect Debt Collectors by making a settlement offer.

This is an offer to pay most of the debt, typically 80-90% of how much money you owe, on the condition that CCS Collect will wipe off all the remaining debt you owe.

A mediation service may be recommended for this as they could help you secure a better deal. But note, any debt written off will be visible on your credit score.Read my guide on partial payments and ‘full and final settlements’

Keep in mind that your credit file will note that you have not paid back this debt in full, even if CCS agree to your terms! This could lower your credit score and make it more difficult for you to get credit for the 6 years that it is visible.

Can I Prevent CCS Collect Debt Collectors from Calling Me?

CCS Collect Debt Collectors are legally allowed to send you certain letters. However, you can request they do not call you ever – or at certain times of the day.

Figures from complaints service Resolver show that gripes about debt collection practices at big firms and government bodies have more than doubled over the past year, rising from 830 to 2,006.

If your debt collectors do not respect your contact preferences, you could make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

How do I complain about CCS Collect?

If you have experienced harassment, unfair pressuring, CCS pretending to be bailiffs and any other aggressive behaviours from CCS Collect workers, you should make a complaint. You can also make a complaint if you believe that CCS has not stuck to the FCA’s guidelines.

You should first direct your complaint to CCS Collect to give them the opportunity to address the situation themselves. But you can escalate matters if you feel that they have not dealt with your issue appropriately or have not taken your complaint seriously.

Your next step will be complaining to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). They will investigate the situation and, if your complaint is upheld, CCS Collect may be fined and you could be owed compensation.

Know Your Rights

The best way to protect yourself and be able to tell whether CCS collect is playing by the rules is by knowing what they’re entitled to do and what your rights are. To know more about this, please visit our related article on this topic and take a quick look at the table below.

Other Debt Collectors

You should check for more outstanding debts that you may have with other companies or debt collectors. Here are four steps you could take:

1. Check your credit report for other defaults
2. Check your email and post for reminders or overdue notices
3. Check the court records for CCJs against you
4. Check your bank statements for the names of other debt collectors

There are hundreds of debt collectors in the UK and each works with different companies to collect debts.

For example, Cabot Financial have been known to collect for the DVLA while Lowell Financial and PRA Group buy debts from various credit card companies like Barclaycard.

If you see a name on your bank statement that you don’t recognise then you can search MoneyNerd to see if they’re a debt collector.

CCS Debt Collection Agency FAQs

Make sure to take advantage of free debt help and charities in the UK. They can provide further information when tackling CCS Collect Debt Collectors, including mental health support, information on your rights and explaining the different debt solutions mentioned throughout this guide (and more!).

Just because you owe money or cannot afford to pay doesn’t give CCS Collect the right to make your life difficult. Find the best advice dealing with all UK debt collectors by using these three organisations:

• Citizens Advice
• StepChange
• National Debtline

Their contact details are easy to find on their website and some offer a live website chat feature to boot.

References

1. StepChange, Creditor and Debt Collector Conduct.
2. Jubilee Debt, A Fresh Start After Covid-19.

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

CONC 7.9 Contact with customers