Do I Pay or Ignore Bluestone Debt Collection and Recovery?

Getting a call or a letter from Bluestone Debt Collection and Recovery can be a big worry. You may feel scared about how to deal with the debt collectors. You may also wonder about the impact on your daily life. But don’t worry, you are not alone. Each month, over 12,000 people visit this site seeking guidance on debt matters just like this one.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• Who Bluestone Credit Management are and if they are a real company.
• Why Bluestone might contact you and if you must pay them straight away.
• What happens when you ignore debt collectors or miss a court hearing.
• How you can lower your repayments and other options like monthly payments.
• How to check if the debt is too old to enforce and what a fair full and final settlement offer is.

We know how hard it can be to deal with debt, as some of our team members have been in your shoes. They’ve faced debt and learnt how to handle it – we understand your situation and can guide you. Let’s dive in and learn more about dealing with Bluestone Debt Collection and Recovery.

Do you have to pay Bluestone Credit Management?

You might not have to pay Bluestone Credit Management.

If you genuinely can’t afford your debt repayments then looking into whether you could have your written off might be just what you need. 

If you want to find out whether you qualify for having debt written off or payments lowered then fill out the short form below.

Who is Bluestone Credit Management?

Bluestone Credit Management is a Sheffield-based debt recovery business that’s been around since 1971.

That said, the business trades under several names which include Bluestone Credit Management (BCM) and simply Bluestone.

The company’s business debt collection model involves recovering debts for other businesses and purchased debts too.

However, another Hertfordshire-based debt collector trades under a similar name which is Bluestone Arm which can make things a little confusing. 

In short, when you get a letter from Bluestone, it’s worth checking which of the debt collection companies is chasing you.

Is the debt collection agency a legitimate company?

Yes. Bluestone Credit Management is a legitimate debt collector that’s authorised to collect debts in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It’s the business name of Bluestone Consumer Finance Limited and is registered in England and Wales.

Can you lower your repayments?

If you’re struggling to pay back your debt, then you might qualify for a debt solution.

Some solutions lower your monthly payments while others write off a portion of your debt. 

To find out whether they could work in your situation, hit the button below.

Get Started

Is Bluestone a Credit Services Association member?

Yes. The debt collection agency is a member of CSA. As such, Bluestone Credit Management agrees to follow the CSA code of conduct when they collect debts.

Being CSA members, Bluestone must not only follow UK law but must also adhere to the CSA code of conduct when they contact you.

Who uses Bluestone debt recovery services?

Bluestone Credit Management collects debts for several companies which includes chasing people for HMRC debts, unsecured debts and consumer non-regulated debt.

The agency also recovers:

• Hire Purchase debts
• AG Finance debts

Check out what happened to one person who was contacted by Bluestone Consumer Finance Limited about car loan payments they defaulted on:

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Does the debt collector buy debts?

Yes. When Bluestone Credit Management contacts you it could be over a debt they purchased from another business. In short, they could be chasing you for money owed to the supplier or original lender.

Or they could be pursuing you for a debt they now own because they bought the portfolio as debt purchase is part of their core business.

Why would Bluestone Credit Management contact you?

Chances are you owe money to Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) because you didn’t pay your tax. Or maybe, HMRC overpaid your tax credits and wants a refund!

You may have defaulted on a Hire Purchase agreement and the account now belongs to Bluestone Credit Management.

Either way, once a debt collection agency gets involved, you’ll have to deal with them rather than the original supplier or creditor!

Should you pay Bluestone Credit Management straight away?

No. Not without first checking out that the debt isn’t statute barred and that you actually owe the money.

That said, you should respond and pay Bluestone Credit Management as soon as possible if you can afford to. If you wait too long, the debt collector will escalate things.

They could send you very threatening letters which include a Letter Before Action (LBA). This is a notification of their intention to begin legal action against you!

It’s best not to let things get that far!

What happens when you ignore debt collectors?

It’s easy to pretend everything’s okay and to simply bin a debt letter when you get one. However, it doesn’t make the problem or a debt collection company go away!

Debt recovery companies are persistent. It’s their job to recover money owed whether they’re acting on behalf of a customer or they purchased the debt themselves!

In short, you’d have to deal with threatening calls, emails, texts and letters. Moreover, you could face court action and lots more fees!

First, you’d receive threatening letters, followed by a Letter Before Action (LBA) which means their intention is to take you to court.

What happens when you don’t attend a court hearing?

If you don’t attend a court hearing, the judge could issue a County Court judgment (CCJ) against you. A CCJ remains on your credit file for six years.

You’d have trouble getting a credit card, bank loan or even a mortgage at the right rate!

Should you check if the debt is too old to enforce?

Yes. It’s always worth checking if a debt is too old to enforce. More especially if the debt collection agency has purchased the portfolio. It happens because older debts are often sold to companies like Bluestone Credit Management!

So, the first thing to determine is whether the debt is statute barred because it meets the necessary criteria under the Limitations Act!

If it is, a court won’t take on the case and you can’t get a County Court Judgement (CCJ) recorded on your credit history!

When is a debt statute barred?

As mentioned, Bluestone Credit Management debts are deemed too old to enforce through the courts when specific criteria are met.

I’ve listed why a debt could be too old to enforce below:

• It’s at least six or more years old
• Nobody admitted owing the money in those six years
• You or one of your representatives didn’t pay any money towards settling the debt in those six years
• A court hasn’t issued a County Court Judgement against the said debt

You can be forced to pay a statute-barred debt because the courts won’t take on cases which are too old to enforce!

It’s one way you could get out of settling a debt even when it is yours to pay!

Is Bluestone Credit Management chasing the wrong person?

Next, you should make sure Bluestone Credit Management is chasing the wrong person. They may have already provided the proof you owe the money.

But if they haven’t, you should ask them to prove the debt is yours!

Debt collection agencies must provide solid evidence you owe the money and not just ‘say’ you do.

In short, Bluestone should send you a copy of an agreement you entered into. Moreover, all copies must be authenticated by the original supplier/creditor.

What can a debt recovery agency do?

As CSA members, Bluestone Credit Management must abide by a code of conduct. On top of this, there are laws in the UK that protect your consumer rights and your privacy.

That said, Bluestone has the right to:

• Get in touch with you over an alleged debt. They have the right to contact you in writing, by email, text or by phone. Debt collectors can also visit you at home if they fail to contact you in other ways
• Talk to you politely and discreetly about the money you allegedly owe
• Ask you to settle the amount owed to them rather than to the original supplier/creditor

You can’t stop a debt recovery agency from doing the above but you can ask them to leave if they visit your home! This is a request that all field agents must respect.

If they don’t you can complain to their head office and then report them to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

What can’t debt collectors do?

Some actions will land debt collectors in legal jeopardy because they break UK laws and the CSA code of conduct.

I’ve listed some of them below:

• Show you documents and other official-looking papers that seem to be court-issued when they are not
• Pretend they have more powers than they really have. For example, make out they are enforcement officers which were previously known as bailiffs
• Urge you to take out another loan in an attempt to get you to settle what you allegedly owe them
• Clamp your vehicle or seize your possessions whether inside your property or outside
• Use confusing legal jargon to scare you into paying
• Force their way into your home
• Pay you a visit at your workplace
• Discuss anything relating to an alleged debt with a family member, boss, neighbour or friends
• Harass you with constant emails, texts, phone calls and threatening letters

If a debt collection agent did any of the above, they’d be acting unlawfully and you could report them to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

The ombudsman should start an investigation into your complaint and if they find Bluestone acted unlawfully, you could receive compensation!

Can you stop Bluestone credit management from contacting you?

No. You can’t prevent Bluestone from contacting you whether it’s by text, email, letter or by phone. You can’t stop them from visiting you at home either.

However, you can write to Bluestone Credit Management asking them to only contact you at certain times and in specific ways.

For example, you might prefer not to talk to one of their agents on the phone, but would rather they communicate with you in writing.

Can you ask Bluestone to only contact you in writing?

You may want to keep a record of their demands. As such, you can tell Bluestone that you only want to receive letters in the post from them!

Don’t sign the letter. Instead, just print your name and send your letter to Bluestone by recorded delivery so you know they get it!

Will Bluestone give up chasing you?

No. It’s unlikely that Bluestone will give up chasing you for money owed. Debt recovery companies have a reputation for being persistent, it’s their job to recover outstanding debts!

That said, some companies use questionable tactics which include sending out hundreds of phishing emails and texts. It’s one way they try to find the right person.

It also means that many innocent people receive worrying messages about debts they don’t actually owe!

Would Bluestone accept monthly payments?

Yes. You may be able to settle what’s owed by setting up an affordable payment plan with Bluestone Credit Management.

They should take your financial situation into consideration when working out how much you can afford to pay. Like this, you get to settle an outstanding debt without putting yourself under too much financial pressure.

However, you should seek advice from a debt charity or independent debt management company first.

Don’t agree or sign any agreement to repay the debt until you do!

Can you afford to settle the debt in one go?

If your finances permit, you should try to settle the debt in one go. Again, you should seek advice from a debt expert before making a settlement offer to Bluestone Credit Management.

That said, the more you can afford to offer to settle the debt, the greater the chance it’ll be accepted!

What’s a fair full and final settlement offer?

As mentioned, you should try to offer as much as you can afford when negotiating a full and final settlement offer.

In general, most debt collection agencies and creditors will consider offers that are around 75% of the amount outstanding. 

So, if you owe £2,000, an offer of £1,500 should be acceptable.

Does a debt recovery agency have to accept an offer?

Bluestone doesn’t have to accept final settlement offers because they aren’t obliged to! But, as previously mentioned, the more you can afford to offer, the greater the chance it will be accepted.

Can you complain about Bluestone Credit Management?

You can file complaints with Bluestone themselves and with the Financial Ombudsman Service if they act unlawfully.

There’s a procedure to follow which I’ve explained below:

• First, file your complaint with Bluestone Credit Management and see if they make things right
• Second, report them to the ombudsman if Bluestone doesn’t deal with your complaint appropriately

Will the ombudsman investigate your complaint?

The Financial Ombudsman will investigate your complaint. If they find Bluestone broke the law by harassing you, they could penalise the debt collection agency and take away their licence to operate in the UK.

Moreover, you could receive compensation for the distress their actions caused you!

How do you contact Bluestone Debt Recovery?

You can contact Bluestone Credit Management in several ways which I’ve listed in the table below:

What free debt advice is available in the UK?

If you’re struggling with debt, you’re not alone. A lot of people are feeling the pinch these days and finding it harder to make ends meet.

Luckily, there is free debt advice available in the UK. Plus, there are debt management companies. However, you’d have to pay for the advice they provide.

It’s always a good idea to discuss things with a debt expert. Chances are they’ll point you in the right direction when it comes to negotiating an affordable payment plan.

In short, seeking free debt advice from a UK charity could help you negotiate with Bluestone. At the same time, their advice could help solve the debt problems you’re facing.

I’ve listed some of the major UK debt charities below:

• StepChange
• Advice Direct Scotland
• Citizens Advice
• National Debtline
• Money Advice Scotland

“It will only get worse” 😩

It’s cliché to say, but with debt it’s true; the longer you leave it, the worse the problem gets. 

There are straightforward and effective ways to deal with debt, but you have to know your options. 

Fill out the short form to find out about the debt solutions that could reduce your monthly payments or even write off some of your debt.

Get Started

Lastly, should you pay or ignore Bluestone Debt Collection?

The one thing not to do is ignore Bluestone when they get in touch about the money you allegedly owe. It won’t stop them from contacting you and it doesn’t make the problem go away.

It’s far better to respond to a debt letter and explain your personal circumstances when you can’t settle what’s owed.

Plus, by ignoring a debt recovery agency, you could be missing out on important information. First, the debt could be statute barred. Second, it might not even be yours!

Thanks for reading this post. I hope the information provided helps you deal with Bluestone Debt Recovery so the outcome is positive and the experience less stressful!