Letter from Maybury? Read this before you ring or pay

If a letter or text from Maybury has just landed for a debt you may not even recognise, you are not alone. Maybury is a UK debt-collection business — most likely chasing a balance the original lender has either sold or referred for collection. Before you pay anything, ring back, or commit to a plan, it pays to know exactly what Maybury can and cannot do.

This guide covers who Maybury are, what they are legally allowed to do under the FCA’s CONC rules, how to confirm the debt is genuinely yours and enforceable, and the realistic options if you cannot pay in full — including how an IVA can legally stop Maybury and write the debt off.

Who Maybury are and how they got your details

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Maybury 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 are also members of the Credit Services Association, the trade body for the industry.

The first practical question is whether Maybury 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 from the original lender 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. Maybury chase it for a fee, and settlement discussions sometimes need ratifying by the original creditor.

Ask Maybury in writing which they are. The answer changes who you negotiate with and what is realistically on the table.

What Maybury can and cannot legally do

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Maybury 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

What they cannot do without a court order:

• 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 debt is civil, not criminal
• Continue contacting you after a written request that they stop
• Add fees that aren’t in the original credit agreement

If a Maybury field agent ever turns up at your door, you have no legal obligation to speak to them, let them in, or sign anything. Politely ask them to leave.

Step 1 — confirm the debt is yours and enforceable

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

Dear Maybury,

Re: Account [reference], in the name of [your name]

Under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 I formally request a true copy of the original credit agreement under which this debt arose, together with the statement of account showing the assignment of debt and the current balance.

I enclose the £1 statutory fee. The fee is in respect of the request only and is not an admission of debt or an offer to pay any amount.

Maybury 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. Many old or bulk-purchased accounts can’t be backed by the original signed agreement, and a successful CCA request often ends the matter.

Step 2 — check whether the debt is statute-barred

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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 you last paid or acknowledged the debt in writing — provided Maybury hasn’t started court proceedings within that window. In Scotland the rule is similar but the period is five years, and once “prescribed” the debt ceases to legally exist.

If the dates fit, write to Maybury 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 — pick the realistic route out

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

• Pay in full if you can — Maybury will sometimes accept a settlement discount, particularly on older accounts.
• Affordable instalment plan based on the Standard Financial Statement. Under CONC, Maybury must consider what you can genuinely afford.
• 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 across two or more creditors — legally stops Maybury, freezes interest and writes off the unpaid balance.
• Debt Relief Order if total debt is under £50,000 with very low spare income.
• Bankruptcy where no realistic monthly contribution is possible.

Confirm any agreement in writing and never give bank details over the phone unless you are confident the call is genuine.

Common Maybury pitfalls to avoid

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• 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 without verifying the line through Maybury’s official channels — phishing using collector branding is common.
• Don’t agree to a payment plan you can’t afford to silence the calls. Maybury will increase pressure if you default.

Frequently asked questions

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Are Maybury bailiffs? No. Maybury are debt collectors. They can write, call and visit, but cannot force entry or take goods without a CCJ and instructed enforcement officers — a separate legal step.

Can Maybury take me to court? Yes. If they believe the debt is genuine and within the limitation period, they can apply for a CCJ. Most uncontested cases end in default judgments because the defendant didn’t respond on time.

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

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

Related guides

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• How to stop debt collectors chasing you
• 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?