Letter from Claims Free? Read this before you pay or call back

If a letter or text from Claims Free has just landed for a debt you may not even recognise, you are not alone. Claims Free is a UK debt-collection business, almost always chasing a balance the original lender has either sold to a debt purchaser or referred for outsourced collection.

This guide covers who Claims Free are, what they are legally allowed to do under the FCA’s CONC rules, the two checks worth running before you pay anything, and the realistic options if you cannot clear the balance in full — including how an IVA can legally stop Claims Free and write off the unpaid balance.

Who Claims Free are

#

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

The first practical question is whether Claims Free now owns the debt or is chasing it on behalf of someone else. The answer changes who you negotiate with and what is on the table:

• Debt purchaser — they bought the account from the original lender at a discount and have authority to settle, including writing off the unpaid balance.
• Contingent collector — the original creditor still owns the debt. Claims Free chases it on a fee, and settlement offers may need to be ratified by the original creditor.

You can ask Claims Free in writing whether they own the debt or are acting for the original creditor — they should tell you.

What Claims Free can and cannot legally do

#

Claims Free are debt collectors, not bailiffs. They can:

• Write to you and call you on numbers held by the original creditor
• Apply 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 High Court enforcement
• Sell the debt on to another debt purchaser

They cannot:

• Force entry to your home
• Take goods (only enforcement officers acting on a CCJ can attempt that — and they cannot force entry to a private home for an unsecured consumer debt)
• Threaten arrest (the matter is civil, not criminal)
• Continue contacting you after a written request that they stop, except to confirm changes to the account
• Add fees that were not part of the original credit agreement
• Disclose the debt to anyone else without your express consent

If a field agent ever turns up at your door on Claims Free’s behalf, you have no obligation to speak to them, let them in, or sign anything. Politely ask them to leave and follow up in writing.

Step 1 — confirm the debt is yours and is enforceable

#

Before paying anything, the single most useful action is a CCA request under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. This is your statutory right to a copy of the original signed credit agreement. Send it in writing, enclose the £1 statutory fee, and keep proof of postage.

Claims Free have 12 working days plus a further 30 calendar days to respond. While they are unable to comply, the debt is legally unenforceable — they cannot lawfully use court action against you. Many old or bulk-purchased debts cannot be backed by the original signed agreement, in which case a 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 if six years have passed since you last made a payment or acknowledged the debt in writing — and no court proceedings have been started in that window. Statute-barred debt cannot be enforced through the courts, although it does still technically exist.

In Scotland the period is five years under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, and once a debt is “prescribed” it ceases to exist legally rather than simply being unenforceable.

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

How Claims Free tend to operate

#

Claims Free’s collection model relies on volume. Expect a sequence of letters and calls escalating in tone, occasionally followed by a field-agent visit and ultimately a referral for litigation if the file is profitable enough. Settlement discounts of 20–40% off the balance are common on older portfolios — particularly when the offer is in writing and supported by a Standard Financial Statement showing what you can realistically afford.

What happens if you ignore Claims Free

#

Ignoring letters does not make the debt go away. The standard escalation pattern is:

1. Repeat letters and calls, with increasing urgency
2. A field-agent visit in some cases (no enforcement powers at the door)
3. Referral to solicitors for a Letter Before Claim
4. A county-court claim through the Northampton bulk centre — 14 days to acknowledge, 28 to defend
5. Default judgment if you don’t respond, followed by enforcement options

The window of maximum leverage is before a CCJ is entered. Even a holding acknowledgement of service buys you time.

Routes out

#

• Pay in full with a discount where possible — Claims Free will often accept less than the full balance for a one-off settlement, particularly on older accounts.
• Affordable repayment plan with Claims Free, based on the Standard Financial Statement. CONC obliges them to consider what you can genuinely afford after essentials.
• Debt Management Plan — informal monthly payment to a DMP provider distributed across all unsecured debts. Stops the chasing; no write-off.
• IVA if you owe £5,000 or more in total unsecured debt — the IVA legally stops Claims Free pursuing you for the included balance and writes off the unpaid balance at the end of the 5–6 year term.
• Debt Relief Order if total debts are under £50,000 and your spare income is very low. A DRO writes off the debt entirely after 12 months.
• Bankruptcy if no realistic monthly payment is possible.

Always confirm any agreement reached with Claims Free in writing, and never give bank details over the phone unless you are confident the call is legitimate.

Common pitfalls when dealing with Claims Free

#

• Don’t ignore CCJ paperwork. A claim form starts a court timer — missing day 14 leads to a default judgment.
• 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 the line through Claims Free’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 Claims Free bailiffs? No. Claims Free are debt collectors. They can write, call and sometimes visit, but they cannot force entry or take goods.

Can Claims Free take me to court? Yes. If they believe the debt is genuine, within the limitation period, and unpaid, they can apply for a CCJ. Most uncontested cases result in default judgments because the defendant didn’t respond to the claim form.

Will an IVA include my Claims Free debt? Yes — the debt is unsecured and goes into an IVA on the same basis as any other unsecured debt. Once the IVA is approved Claims Free must stop contact and cannot take legal action on the included balance.

The debt isn’t mine — what should I do? Tell Claims Free in writing that you do not acknowledge the debt and request proof of assignment, the original agreement and statement of account under sections 77/78 of the CCA. Until they do, the debt is unenforceable.

Related guides

#

• Do debt collectors give up?
• How long can I be chased for a debt?
• Can debt be written off?
• How do I stop debt collectors chasing me?
• How do I apply for an IVA?