CCS Collect: Should I pay them?

Each week, CCS Collect sends debt letters to UK residents informing them that they owe money and that they should make plans to repay.

This can be distressing, especially if you’re not sure who the company is, or weren’t aware you owed money in the first place.

In this guide we’ll explain who CCS Collect are, whether they are a legitimate company, and what you should do if you are contacted by a debt collection company demanding money from you.

Who is CCS Collect (Commercial Collection Services Limited)?

Commercial Collection Services Limited, better known as CCS Collect, is a debt management business operating all across the United Kingdom.

The company has been operating for more than 40 years and specialise in collecting debt on behalf of both private businesses and Government bodies.

The list of organisations CCS work with includes:

• Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• NHS Business Services Authority

CCS Collect works with organisations like the ones listed above to collect debt like credit card debt, unpaid utility bills, and fines for not paying tax on time.

Where are they based?

Commercial Collection Services Ltd

Norfolk House, Wellesley Rd, Croydon CR0 1GR

Are CCS a regulated debt collection agency?

When you receive a letter from a debt collector informing you that you owe money, your first thought is likely to be ‘Are CCS Collect legitimate?’.

In short, yes, they are a regulated debt collection agency.

Credit Services Association and Financial Conduct Authority

CCS Collect is accredited by the Credit Services Association (CSA), the trade association for debt collection and the debt purchasing industry.

On top of that, CCS are also regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA is the largest independent regulator of financial services companies in the UK, and regulates around 50,000 financial service providers across the country.

According to their website, being regulated by bodies like the CSA and FCA is central to their corporate culture and helps ensure the fair treatment of their customers.

Why would CCS Collect debt collectors be contacting me?

Hearing that you owe money to debt collection agencies is never pleasant, especially if you don’t recognise the company and aren’t sure why they would be contacting you.

The most likely explanation is that your debt has been passed to CCS by another company. This is a common practice among debt collectors in the UK.

Put simply, if you’re in council tax arrears or owe money to credit card companies, those creditors can ‘sell’ that debt to a debt collection agency, who will then take on the responsibility of collecting the debt.

CCS Collect buy debt from other organisations – on their website, they refer to this process as the debt being ‘transferred’ to them by another party. That’s why they are contacting you: Although they weren’t the original creditor, the debt you owed to a previous organisation is now their responsibility.

How should I deal with CCS debt collection agents?

When you have built up debts or defaulted on payments, it can be distressing to hear from debt collectors like CCS, but it’s a natural part of the debt recovery process.

Here’s what to do.

Contact CCS Collect and ask for proof

You may be tempted to ignore CCS Collect when they send you a debt letter, but that will only make your situation worse.

The best thing to do is get in touch and ask for more information about the money you owe. There may have been some details included in the debt letter, but you should always talk to them directly to get clarification about how much you owe and what to do next.

CCS Collect contact details are as follows:

Phone number: 020 8665 4929

Client portal: portal.ccscollect.co.uk/Contact

Postal address: Norfolk House, Wellesley Rd, Croydon, CR0 1GR

Pay the debt collector upfront

If you get in touch with a representative from CCS Collect and you’re satisfied that you do in fact owe money in unpaid debt, the best thing to do is repay the debt collector upfront if you can afford it.

CCS offer several ways to do this:

Pay on the website: Click here to make a payment online

Pay over the phone: 020 8665 4929

Pay by post: Make your cheque or postal order payable to ‘CCSCollect’ and send to the company address, Norfolk House, Wellesley Rd, Croydon, CR0 1GR.

Agree to a repayment plan

Not everyone can afford to repay a debt collection agency in one go, and that’s OK. Companies like CCS Collect are usually open to some form of payment arrangement.

Set up a direct debit to repay in full

The simplest way of doing this is to set up a direct debit that allows you to make monthly contributions towards your debts until you have repaid what you owe in full.

Make a settlement offer

An alternative is to make a settlement agreement. You can offer to pay a portion of your overall debt upfront, and ask that CCS Collect write off the rest.

Debt collectors may be open to this kind of offer because they receive some form of money from you, and can also save money and resources by ending the debt recovery process.

While a settlement like this could save you money in the short-term, it means you haven’t repaid your debt in full. The debt will remain on your credit report for six years and will harm your credit rating, so this might not be the best option for you.

Can debt collectors come to my home?

The most common debt recovery tactics used by debt collectors are phone calls, emails, and other forms of contact.

If the debt collection agency feels that tactic has failed, they may send someone to your home instead. They often refer to these people as ‘enforcement officers’ or ‘field agents’, although CCS Collect prefers to call them ‘doorstep agents’.

If a debt collector comes to your home, it’s important to remember that they don’t have any specific powers. They can’t force entry into your home or force you to pay them on the spot. They may refer to legal action, but they won’t be able to pursue you through the courts unless they obtain a court order.

If you feel that a debt collector has overstepped their mark or behaved unfairly in any way, you can file a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service – click here for more information.

Can CCS debt collectors take me to court?

In the normal course of debt collection practices, an enforcement agent might threaten you with court, but that’s often as far as it goes. That said, it is possible for an organisation like CCS Collect to take further action against you if you refuse to repay.

The best way to do this is to apply for a court order known as a County Court Judgement.

County Court Judgement

A County Court Judgement, or CCJ, is a court order granted by the county court in England and Wales.

Debt collectors can apply for a CCJ against you if they feel you are unfairly withholding payment. You will have the chance to present your case, but if the court sides with the debt collector, you will be ordered to repay what you owe within a certain timeframe.

Any CCJ taken against you will be listed on your credit report for six years which will make it more difficult for you to borrow money. Failure to repay a CCJ could result in further legal action and will only make your financial situation worse.

What if I can’t afford to repay CCS collect bailiffs?

If you can’t afford to repay debt collectors and they’re threatening you with court action or worse, don’t panic. There are debt solutions available in the UK that enable you to deal with unaffordable debts and protect you from creditors.

The most popular is the Individual Voluntary Arrangement.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement, or IVA, is the most popular formal debt solution available in England and Wales.

With an IVA, you can combine all of your unsecured debt into one monthly payment that’s based on what you can afford. You will make this manageable debt payment for either five or six years, after which any debts you can’t afford will be written off.

An IVA is a legally-binding agreement so once the arrangement has been approved, you will be fully protected from legal action by your creditors – including CCS Collect – and all interest and charges on your debts will be frozen.

You can find out more about IVAs and whether you qualify here.

Where can I get free debt advice and support dealing with debt collection agencies?

If you’re facing severe financial difficulty and debt collectors are breathing down your neck, we can help.

At Creditfix, we’ve helped over 182,000 get rid of their problem debt and get on a stronger financial footing. We can help you too.

To get more information about a formal debt solution, or just for some reliable financial advice, talk to a Creditfix adviser today on 0800 0431 431.