Letter from C N Gaunt & Son? Read this before you reply

A letter from C N Gaunt & Son usually means a debt has moved one step closer to court. They are a solicitors firm — not a regular collector — which means their correspondence can include letters before claim, county-court claim forms and post-judgment enforcement. The deadlines on the letter matter.

This guide explains what a solicitors firm like C N Gaunt & Son can legally do, how to deal with their letters, and how an IVA treats accounts they are pursuing.

Who C N Gaunt & Son are

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C N Gaunt & Son operate as a solicitors firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Solicitors handling debt-recovery work are also expected to follow the FCA’s Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) where consumer-credit debts are involved, and to adhere to the SRA Code of Conduct, which prohibits misleading correspondence or pursuing unfounded claims.

A solicitors firm in this space typically:

• Sends letters before claim that start a formal litigation timer
• Issues county-court claim forms through the Money Claims service or the bulk centre
• Takes enforcement steps after a CCJ — attachment of earnings, charging orders, High Court Enforcement
• Acts for clients including consumer-credit lenders, debt purchasers, commercial creditors and sometimes regulators

The first letter should name their client. If it doesn’t, ask in writing.

What C N Gaunt & Son can and cannot legally do

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They can:

• Send letters before claim and statutory pre-action correspondence
• Issue and serve county-court claim forms
• Apply for any standard enforcement option after a CCJ
• Enter into settlement agreements on their client’s behalf

They cannot:

• Force entry to your home
• Take goods (only court-instructed enforcement officers, after a CCJ and warrant of control)
• Threaten arrest — debt is civil, not criminal
• Add fees beyond what the original agreement, the court or the SRA Code allow
• Pursue a debt that is statute-barred or unsupported by required documentation

Two checks worth running first

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Step 1 — CCA request. Under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if the underlying debt is consumer credit, you can demand the original signed credit agreement and statement of account. Send the request in writing with the £1 statutory fee. While the documentation is unavailable, the debt is legally unenforceable in court.

Step 2 — statute-barred check. Six years from the last payment or written acknowledgement in England and Wales under the Limitation Act 1980, five years in Scotland — and provided no court action has been started — means the debt is statute-barred. Don’t make a goodwill payment before checking dates. Even £1 resets the clock.

How a solicitors-led debt action runs

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The standard route is fast and rarely deviates:

1. Letter before claim — usually a 30-day window. Ignoring it removes most negotiating leverage.
2. County-court claim form — 14 days to file an acknowledgement of service, 28 days to file a defence. Acknowledgement extends defence time to 28 + 14 days.
3. Default judgment (CCJ) — entered automatically if you don’t respond. Setting it aside afterwards is technically possible but legally difficult.
4. Enforcement — attachment of earnings, charging order on a property, or High Court Enforcement Officers.

The 14 days after the claim form lands is the window of maximum leverage.

What happens if you ignore C N Gaunt & Son

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Ignoring solicitor correspondence is the most common cause of an avoidable CCJ. The escalation runs through letter before claim, court claim, default judgment and enforcement. By the time enforcement officers are knocking, the cheap, simple defences (statute-barred, no credit agreement, wrong amount, wrong person) are largely gone.

Routes out

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• Settle in full with a written discount agreement
• Affordable instalment plan, agreed in writing
• Tomlin Order — court-approved settlement that only converts to a CCJ if you default
• Defend the claim if you have grounds — file a defence within the deadline
• IVA if total unsecured debt is £5,000+ across two or more creditors — legally stops solicitor proceedings on included debts and writes off the balance after 5–6 years
• Debt Relief Order if total debts are under £50,000 with very low spare income
• Bankruptcy if no realistic monthly contribution is possible

Always confirm agreements in writing and keep proof of postage.

Pitfalls when a solicitors firm is involved

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• Never ignore a claim form. Default judgments are entered when no acknowledgement of service is filed by day 14.
• Never accept liability over the phone — stay in writing.
• Never make a part-payment before checking limitation status.
• Don’t assume the case is hopeless — well-prepared defences regularly result in withdrawn claims.
• Don’t confuse a solicitor letter with a bailiff visit — solicitors cannot force entry or take goods.

Frequently asked questions

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Are C N Gaunt & Son bailiffs? No. They are solicitors. Enforcement at your home requires a separate court-instructed officer acting on a CCJ and warrant of control.

Can they take me to court? Yes. As regulated solicitors with rights of litigation, they can issue claim forms and post-judgment enforcement, including charging orders and attachment of earnings.

Will an IVA stop them? Yes — once the IVA is approved, they must stop proceedings on the included debt and cannot enforce against you for the included balance.

What if I think the amount they are claiming is wrong? Reply in writing within the deadline on the letter, set out exactly which figures you dispute, and ask for a full breakdown including post-default interest, any fees added and the dates each was applied. Solicitors are obliged under the SRA Code not to pursue figures they cannot substantiate.

Should I phone them? No — keep correspondence in writing and keep copies. Phone calls leave no audit trail and increase the risk of unintended admissions.

Related guides

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