Letter from Nationwide Collection Services? Read this before you reply

A letter from Nationwide Collection Services can be alarming partly because of the name — but the first and most important thing to know is this: Nationwide Collection Services is NOT Nationwide Building Society. It is a separate UK debt-collection business. The similarity of the name is coincidental and is often a source of confusion when their letters land.

This guide covers who they really are, what they are legally allowed to do under the FCA’s CONC rules, and the realistic options for resolving the underlying debt — including how an IVA can legally stop contact and write the balance off.

Who Nationwide Collection Services are (and are not)

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Nationwide Collection Services is a UK debt-collection firm. It is not affiliated with, owned by, or operating on behalf of Nationwide Building Society. If your letter is from Nationwide Collection Services, the underlying debt is most likely a consumer-credit account from a different lender or service provider — chased here on a contingent basis or pursued by them as a debt purchaser.

The firm is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for consumer-credit collection activity and must follow the Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC), the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and the Credit Services Association code where it applies.

The first practical question is whether they now own the debt (a debt purchaser) or are chasing it on behalf of the original creditor (a contingent collector). Settlement decisions and dispute correspondence sometimes need to involve the original creditor in the contingent case. Ask in writing.

What they can and cannot legally do

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Nationwide Collection Services 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 if they believe the debt is enforceable
• After a CCJ, apply for an attachment of earnings, a charging order, or instruct High Court Enforcement Officers
• Sell the debt on to another debt purchaser

They cannot force entry, take goods, threaten arrest (it’s a civil matter), continue contacting you after a written request that they stop, or add fees beyond what the original credit agreement allows.

Step 1 — confirm the underlying creditor and CCA status

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Before paying anything, ask in writing for the name of the original creditor, the date the account was opened or defaulted, and a full statement of account. Then send a CCA request under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for a copy of the original signed agreement and proof of assignment if the debt has been sold. Enclose the £1 statutory fee.

They have 12 working days plus a further 30 calendar days to comply. Until they do, the debt is legally unenforceable in court.

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 made a payment or acknowledged the debt in writing — provided no court action has started in that window. In Scotland the period is five years and a “prescribed” debt ceases to exist legally.

Do not pay anything, even a small “goodwill” amount, before checking dates — a single payment can reset the clock.

Step 3 — choose the route out

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• Pay in full with a written discount agreement where possible.
• Affordable instalment plan based on the Standard Financial Statement.
• Debt Management Plan — single monthly payment distributed across all unsecured debts.
• IVA if total unsecured debt is £5,000 or more across two or more creditors. The IVA legally stops Nationwide Collection Services and the underlying creditor on the included balance and writes it off at the end of the 5-6 year term.
• Debt Relief Order for total debt under £50,000 with very low spare income.
• Bankruptcy where no realistic monthly contribution is possible.

Always confirm any agreement in writing. Never share bank details over the phone unless you have verified the line.

Pitfalls when dealing with Nationwide Collection Services

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• Don’t assume it’s Nationwide Building Society. It is not. The underlying debt is something else — find out what.
• Don’t ignore CCJ paperwork. A claim form starts a 14-day acknowledgement-of-service timer; missing it produces a default judgment.
• Don’t make a “goodwill” payment before checking statute-barred dates and the CCA paperwork.
• Don’t share bank details on a cold call without verifying the line.
• Don’t agree to a payment plan you can’t afford in the hope of stopping the calls.
• Don’t engage with verbal pressure about house visits, asset recovery or “doorstep collection” — these phrases are common in collector scripts but carry no legal weight without a CCJ and instructed enforcement officers.

What to do if the name confusion has caused real problems

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A small number of people have paid a Nationwide Collection Services balance under the impression it was a Nationwide Building Society debt — and then discovered the two were unrelated. If that has happened to you:

• Document the correspondence — keep every letter, email, text and note of phone calls. The way the firm presented itself matters if you raise a complaint.
• Complain in writing first to Nationwide Collection Services itself, citing CONC’s rules on misleading communications.
• Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service if the response is unsatisfactory, or to the FCA if you believe the conduct was systemic.
• Check whether you also have unrelated arrears with Nationwide Building Society or another lender, so you don’t accidentally pay one and leave the other in default.

Frequently asked questions

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Is this Nationwide Building Society? No. Nationwide Collection Services is a separate, unrelated debt-collection firm. There is no connection to Nationwide Building Society.

Are they bailiffs? No. They are debt collectors. They can write, call and (occasionally) instruct field agents, but cannot force entry or take goods.

Will an IVA include this debt? Yes — the underlying debt is unsecured and goes into an IVA like any other unsecured debt. Once approved, they must stop contact on the included balance.

How do I stop the calls? Send a written request that future contact be by post only. Under CONC they must comply.

Related guides

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• How to stop debt collectors chasing you
• How long can I be chased for a debt?
• Can debt be written off?
• How do I apply for an IVA?