Letter from Chandlers? Read this before you pay or call back

If a letter or text from Chandlers has just landed and you do not recognise the debt, you are not alone. Chandlers is a UK debt-collection business — most likely chasing a balance the original lender has either sold or referred for collection. The first job is not to pay, but to find out what the debt actually is and whether it is enforceable.

This page covers what Chandlers can and cannot legally do under the FCA’s CONC rules, the two checks worth running before paying anything, and the realistic options — including how an IVA can legally freeze Chandlers and write the balance off.

Who Chandlers are

#

Chandlers is a UK debt-collection business regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for consumer-credit collection activity. Like every UK collector they must follow the FCA’s Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC), the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and — for any post-default interest or fees — the terms of the original credit agreement. Most UK collectors of consumer-credit debt are also members of the Credit Services Association, the trade body for the industry.

The first practical question is whether Chandlers now owns the debt (a debt purchaser) or is chasing it on behalf of the original creditor (a contingent collector):

• Debt purchaser — they bought the account at a discount. Settlement decisions sit with them, including the ability to write off the unpaid balance.
• Contingent collector — the original creditor still owns the debt. Chandlers chase on a fee, and any settlement may need ratifying by the original creditor.

Ask Chandlers in writing which role they are in. They are obliged to tell you.

What Chandlers can and cannot legally do

#

Chandlers are debt collectors, not bailiffs. They can:

• Write to you and call you on numbers held by the original creditor
• Apply to a county court for a County Court Judgment (CCJ) if they believe the debt is enforceable
• After a CCJ, apply for an attachment of earnings, charging order on a property, or instruct High Court Enforcement Officers
• Sell the debt on to another debt purchaser

They cannot:

• Force entry to your home
• Take goods directly — only court-instructed enforcement officers can attempt that, and not in your home for an unsecured consumer debt without specific court authority
• Threaten arrest — the matter is civil, not criminal
• Continue contacting you after a written request that they stop
• Add fees that were not part of the original credit agreement

If Chandlers or their field agent ever turns up at your door, you have no legal obligation to speak to them, let them in or sign anything.

Step 1 — confirm the debt is yours and is enforceable

#

Before paying anything, send a written CCA request under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Enclose the £1 statutory fee and keep proof of postage. Chandlers have 12 working days plus a further 30 calendar days to comply. Until they do, the debt is legally unenforceable in court. Many old or bulk-purchased debts cannot be backed by the original signed agreement — a successful CCA request often ends the matter.

Step 2 — check whether the debt is statute-barred

#

Most consumer debts in England and Wales become statute-barred under the Limitation Act 1980 once six years have passed since you last made a payment or acknowledged the debt in writing — provided no court action started in that window. In Scotland the period is five years under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973.

If the dates fit, write to Chandlers stating that you consider the debt statute-barred. Do not pay anything, even a small “good faith” amount, before checking — a single payment resets the limitation clock.

Step 3 — pay, partially pay, or use a formal solution

#

If the debt is genuinely yours and within the limitation period, the question is what you can realistically afford:

• Pay in full — Chandlers will sometimes accept a discount on the original balance for a one-off settlement, especially on older accounts.
• Affordable repayment plan based on the Standard Financial Statement, confirmed in writing.
• Debt Management Plan (DMP) — single monthly payment distributed across all unsecured debts; no write-off, but the chasing stops.
• IVA if you owe £5,000 or more in total unsecured debt across two or more creditors. The IVA legally stops Chandlers and writes off the unpaid balance after 5–6 years.
• Debt Relief Order if total debt is under £50,000 and your spare income is very low.
• Bankruptcy if no realistic monthly payment is possible.

Always confirm any agreement reached with Chandlers in writing, and never give bank details over the phone unless you have independently verified the line.

Common pitfalls when dealing with Chandlers

#

• Don’t ignore CCJ paperwork. A claim form sent to your address starts a court timer. If you don’t respond within 14 days, judgment is entered by default.
• Don’t make a token “goodwill” payment before checking dates — it can reset the statute-barred clock.
• Don’t ring numbers from a text message without verifying through Chandlers’s official channels — phishing using collector branding is common.
• Don’t agree to a payment plan you can’t afford in the hope of stopping the calls. Pressure tends to increase if you default.

Frequently asked questions

#

Are Chandlers bailiffs? No. Chandlers are debt collectors and field agents. They can write, call and visit, but cannot force entry or take goods.

Can Chandlers take me to court? Yes. If they believe the debt is genuine and within the six-year limitation period, they can apply for a CCJ.

Will an IVA include Chandlers debt? Yes — Chandlers debt is unsecured and goes into an IVA on the same basis as any other unsecured debt.

The debt isn’t mine — what now? Tell Chandlers in writing that you do not acknowledge the debt and request proof of assignment plus the original agreement under sections 77/78 of the CCA.

Related guides

#

• Lowell Financial — major UK debt purchaser
• Do debt collectors give up?
• How long can I be chased for a debt?
• Can debt be written off?
• How do I apply for an IVA?