Doorstep visit from Conexus? Here's exactly what they can and can't do

If a leaflet through the door says Conexus Recovery & Field Services has tried to visit, the underlying account has reached the field-agent stage — usually because letters and phone calls have not produced an agreed payment plan. Conexus is a UK doorstep collection specialist instructed by debt purchasers and original lenders to make face-to-face contact.

This page covers exactly what Conexus agents can and cannot do at your door, your absolute right not to engage, and how to bring the matter to a close in writing — including how an IVA stops them.

Who Conexus Recovery & Field Services are

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Conexus Recovery & Field Services is a UK doorstep collection service authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority for consumer-credit collection activity. Their field agents knock on doors to attempt face-to-face contact — they are not bailiffs, and they operate within the FCA’s CONC framework and the Credit Services Association Code of Practice.

Two important framing points:

• Doorstep agents are debt collectors with extra steps. They have no powers beyond those of any other debt collector — they cannot force entry, take goods, threaten arrest, or insist on entering your home.
• Their job is to make contact. Their incentive is to get a face-to-face conversation that leads to a payment plan or settlement. That can be useful in some cases and unhelpful in others.

What Conexus agents can and cannot legally do at your door

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Conexus doorstep agents can:

• Visit your home at reasonable hours
• Ask to speak to you by name
• Hand over a letter or leaflet
• Ask whether you would like to discuss the account

They cannot:

• Force entry, even peacefully against your wishes. You are under no obligation to let them in or speak to them.
• Take goods. Doorstep agents are not bailiffs and have no power of distraint.
• Threaten arrest, court action or police involvement. The matter is civil. False implication of police involvement breaches CONC.
• Disclose the debt to anyone else — including your spouse, family or neighbours — without your express consent.
• Continue the visit if you ask them to leave; they must.
• Refuse to identify themselves or refuse to show ID on request.

If a Conexus agent does any of the things in the second list, that is a complaint-worthy CONC breach. Note the time, the agent’s details, and what was said, and complain in writing — first to Conexus, then to the FCA / Financial Ombudsman if the response is not satisfactory.

What to do when a Conexus agent calls

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1. You do not have to open the door. If you do, you do not have to invite them in or have a conversation. “I am not willing to discuss this at the door, please leave the leaflet and I will follow up in writing” is a complete answer.
2. Take the leaflet, close the door, follow up in writing. Almost everything they want to discuss can be handled by post or email at a more measured pace.
3. Send a written request for contact-by-post-only. Under CONC, Conexus and the underlying creditor must comply. The visits stop.
4. Run the standard checks — section 77/78 CCA request, statute-barred check — before agreeing to any payment plan.

Identify the underlying creditor first

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Conexus is rarely instructed cold. They appear in the chain when a debt purchaser or original lender has been unable to reach you by other means. Before paying or arranging anything via the doorstep agent:

1. Identify the underlying creditor. The leaflet should name them; if not, ask in writing.
2. Decide whether to deal with the underlying creditor directly. This is often more efficient than going through the doorstep firm.
3. Run the section 77/78 and statute-barred checks so you know whether the debt is enforceable before discussing settlement.

What happens if you ignore Conexus

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Doorstep agents have no enforcement powers — so ignoring them at the door is not the same as ignoring a court claim form. The likely escalation:

1. Repeat visits — Conexus typically attempts a small number of visits over a few weeks
2. The file passes back to the underlying creditor or debt purchaser
3. The owner decides whether to escalate to litigation through the Northampton county court bulk centre or via their solicitors firm
4. If a county-court claim is issued and ignored, default judgment follows automatically

The leverage is highest before a CCJ is entered. A doorstep visit is a signal that the underlying creditor is preparing to escalate — it’s a good moment to take action in writing.

Routes out

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• Pay the underlying creditor or debt owner directly in lump sum or instalments — Conexus’s role ends once the account is resolved at source.
• Affordable repayment plan with the underlying creditor, in writing, based on the Standard Financial Statement.
• IVA to combine the underlying debt with every other unsecured debt over a 5–6 year term, with the unpaid balance written off at completion. Eligibility starts at around £5,000 of total unsecured debt.
• Debt Relief Order for total debt under £50,000 with very low spare income.
• Bankruptcy where no realistic monthly contribution is possible.

Pitfalls when Conexus are at the door

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• Don’t agree to anything at the door. Pressure on the doorstep is the precise reason the visit was scheduled. Take the leaflet and follow up in writing.
• Don’t share bank details with a doorstep agent. Pay through the underlying creditor’s official payment channels.
• Don’t sign anything. Even seemingly innocuous “acknowledgement” forms can have implications for the limitation clock and any future dispute.
• Don’t engage if you suspect impersonation. Ask for ID, take down the agent’s details, and report any concerns to Conexus and (if relevant) the police.

Frequently asked questions

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Are Conexus bailiffs? No. They are doorstep debt-collection agents. They have no enforcement powers — they cannot force entry, take goods, or compel a conversation.

Do I have to let them in? No. You have an absolute right to refuse entry. Politely ask them to leave and they must.

Can they tell my neighbours about the debt? No. Disclosure of the debt to third parties without your consent breaches CONC and is a basis for a complaint.

Will an IVA stop Conexus visits? Yes. Once the IVA is approved, all creditors and their agents — including doorstep firms like Conexus — must stop contacting you on the included debt.

Related guides

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• Resolvecall — comparable Lowell-owned doorstep service
• Lowell Financial — common Conexus instructor
• Do debt collectors give up?
• How long can I be chased for a debt?
• How do I apply for an IVA?