Debt collection agencies like PRA can make collection calls and enter your home, but only if you allow them entry. There are many ways in which debt collectors can collect their money - one way is to pay a visit to your home. However, you can refuse them entry and, unlike bailiffs (who are appointed by the courts), the PRA Group doesn’t have to provide a warning for visiting your home. 

However, debt collectors will usually contact you in advance of a home visit, so the likelihood is that you will have received some communication from them beforehand, usually by mail or phone. It's quite rare for debt collectors to visit your property, but it does occasionally happen. If you ask them to leave, they have to legally oblige the request. 

Debt collectors have no legal power to collect debt from you or take legal action, and they are not allowed to take your possessions as payment towards your debt (something only bailiffs can do). This means, if they arrive at your home, you don't have to deal with them if you don't want to. If you have already been in touch with a debt collection company and have advised them that you would like to speak to them via mail instead of in person, they're also not allowed to come to your property. 

They also can't act in a threatening or aggressive manner - if you think they have broken these rules when visiting your property, then it may be worth reporting them. Our complaints section below will tell you how you can make a complaint about the PRA Group if needed.

In the UK, it is not possible to have your debt written off per se. Saying this, there is a statute of limitations in place. 

The statute of limitations for debt repayment is 6 years. If the debt has not been acknowledged or repaid within this period, lenders, such as the PRA Group, cannot pursue you for payment. 

Importantly, this statute of limitations is only if you have not made any payments towards the debt.

For example, if they contact you before the six years have gone by and you have paid even a penny towards the debt, they are entitled to chase you for the remaining debt and your debt will not be statute-barred. 

The only guaranteed way to get your debt written off is by entering into a legally binding debt solution scheme, such as an Individual Voluntary Arrangement, bankruptcy or Debt Relief Order.

Before dealing with a debt collection agency, it's important to know what they can and can't do - as previously stated, they don't really have any legal powers as such, but there are still some controls that an organisation like the PRA Group has. 

Whilst there are things they can do in terms of your debt, they're quite limited, and you don't have to clear your debt with a debt collection agency if you don't want to - instead, you could choose another payment option, such as taking out an IVA with NDH Financial. Essentially, debt collectors don't have any additional powers over your original creditors - they also don't have the powers that a court-ordered bailiff has.

As stated above, debt collectors can attend your property without prior notice (unless they use unacceptable behaviour such as turning up at night time), but you don't have to let them in or deal with them and they have to leave if you ask them to. 

The debt collector may ask for payment; however, you don't have to pay them and can decide to pay off your debt elsewhere instead, such as via an IVA. If you do decide to pay a debt collector, they have to show proof of their identity and it’s important that you get a receipt as proof of payment. 

Debt collectors aren't allowed to lie or mislead you, and they are also subject to the rules set out by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), who regulate them. They can't speak to anyone else about your debt without your permission or chase them up for it, and they can't harass you or add excessive interest charges to your debt. 

Whilst being contacted by debt collectors might seem scary at first, they have very little power over you in terms of collecting payment for your debts, so this information should hopefully help to put your mind at ease. 

For more financial advice about debt, contact NDH Financial and we'll see if we can help!

Debt collectors like the PRA Group cannot just take you to court. They must first justify their reason for doing so.

Before initiating court action, the PRA Group will have to give you sufficient warning and allow you an adequate length of time to make your repayments.

They will first issue a letter, known as a default notice, which will alert you that the debt collector has been instructed to deal with your account and seek payment from you.

If you have received a default notice, it is important to address it as soon as possible. 

You can contact your creditor to discuss your situation. Be frank and honest about your situation during this discussion and see if they can work with you to come up with a repayment plan you can afford. 

Make sure you have a copy of the complaint, including the date you sent the complaint. As the PRA Group is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, this means if you do not hear back from them or you are unhappy with how they have dealt with your complaint, you can report them to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You can find contact details for the Financial Ombudsman here.

Unlike bailiffs, it is very hard for the PRA Group to be able to seize your assets on unsecured debts where there is no collateral which includes your vehicle.

If you are unable to make the payments as requested by the PRA Group, an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) may help you deal with them. 

Firstly, an IVA will enable you to consolidate all your debts into one monthly affordable payment. Not only will this help you deal with one debt but all of your debts. That one payment will then be distributed by your insolvency practitioner to all your creditors on your behalf. This means won’t have to deal with the PRA Group directly.