Letter from Credit Limits International? Read this first

If a letter or text from Credit Limits International (CLI) has just arrived for a debt you may not even remember, you are not alone. CLI is a UK collector with a particular focus on cross-border recovery — debts owed to overseas creditors, debts where you have moved between jurisdictions, or B2B balances chased on behalf of international clients. The same UK rules apply once enforcement is in the UK, and the same calm checks resolve most cases.

This guide covers who CLI are, how cross-border debts actually work in practice, and the realistic options including how an IVA can legally stop them and write off the balance.

Who Credit Limits International are

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Credit Limits International is a UK debt-collection business regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for consumer-credit collection activity. They operate within the FCA’s Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC), the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and — likely — the Credit Services Association Code of Practice.

What sets CLI apart is the international angle. They typically act:

• On behalf of overseas creditors seeking to collect from UK residents
• On B2B trade debts where supply or services crossed borders
• On expat-era consumer debts that were taken out abroad and have followed you back to the UK
• Through a network of partner agencies in other countries when the situation is reversed

Whatever the origin of the debt, when CLI try to collect from you in the UK, UK rules apply — including the Limitation Act, the Consumer Credit Act, and CONC.

What CLI can and cannot legally do

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CLI 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) in the UK, including by registering a foreign judgment first if applicable
• After a UK CCJ, support attachment of earnings, charging orders or High Court enforcement
• Pass the file back to the creditor or sell it on if recovery isn’t viable

They cannot force entry, take goods at the door, threaten arrest, continue contacting you after a written request that they stop, or add fees that were not part of the original credit agreement.

If a CLI representative ever turns up at your door, you have no obligation to speak to them, let them in, or sign anything.

Step 1 — confirm the debt and its origin

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Before paying anything, find out:

• Which country the original credit agreement was made in
• Which creditor originally owned the debt
• Whether CLI now owns the debt or is acting contingently
• What judgment, if any, has already been entered abroad

For UK consumer credit, run a CCA request under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act. CLI have 12 working days plus 30 calendar days to respond; until they do, the debt is unenforceable in UK courts. For non-UK origin debts, ask in writing for a copy of the underlying agreement, statement of account, and confirmation of any judgment.

Step 2 — check the limitation period

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Most consumer debts in England and Wales become statute-barred under the Limitation Act 1980 once six years have passed since the last payment or written acknowledgement, with no court action started in that window. In Scotland the period is five years.

A foreign limitation period is not the only point of reference for enforcement in UK courts — the UK clock applies to UK enforcement. Don’t make a token payment before checking the dates.

Step 3 — choose the route out

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• Pay in full with a discount where possible. Older cross-border files often settle for substantially less than the full balance.
• Affordable repayment plan based on the Standard Financial Statement — CLI must consider what you can genuinely afford under CONC.
• IVA to combine CLI debt with every other unsecured debt over a 5–6 year term, with the unpaid balance written off at completion. An IVA binds every unsecured creditor enforceable against you in the UK.
• Debt Management Plan — informal monthly payment distributed across all unsecured debts. No write-off.
• Debt Relief Order if total debts are under £50,000 and your spare income is very low.
• Bankruptcy if no realistic monthly payment is possible.

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

Pitfalls when dealing with CLI

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• Don’t assume foreign rules apply. Once enforcement is happening in the UK, UK rules apply — including limitation, court process and consumer-credit protections.
• Don’t ignore CCJ paperwork even from international files — a default judgment is just as enforceable.
• Don’t make a token payment before checking the dates and whether the debt is enforceable in the UK.
• Don’t agree to a payment plan you can’t afford in the hope of settling the file quietly.

Frequently asked questions

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Are CLI bailiffs? No. They are debt collectors. Only court-instructed enforcement officers can take goods, and only after a UK CCJ.

Will an IVA include my CLI debt? Yes — provided the debt is enforceable against you in the UK. An IVA covers it on the same basis as any other unsecured debt.

Can a foreign judgment be enforced here? Generally yes, but the creditor must register the judgment in the UK courts or issue fresh proceedings here. UK enforcement still follows UK rules.

How do I make CLI stop calling? Send a written request that future contact is by post only. Under CONC, CLI must comply.

Related guides

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• Lowell Financial — major debt purchaser
• Cabot Financial — major 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?