Should I Pay Phillips & Cohen Associates Debt Collector?

Getting a debt letter makes for an anxious time. Especially when you don’t recognise the name on a letterhead. It could leave you wondering, ‘should I pay Phillips & Cohen Associates debt collector or not’?

If you’ve received threatening letters from a debt recovery business that sent you into panic mode, this post is for you. Read on to find out to respond and how ignoring things would just complicate things!

Do you have to pay Phillips & Cohen?

You might not have to pay Phillips & Cohen.

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.

Is Phillips & Cohen a legitimate business?

Yes. The business was first founded in the United States but now works internationally with offices in Manchester, Quebec, Melbourne, Dusseldorf and Madrid.

Are Phillips & Cohen debt collectors regulated?

Yes. Phillips & Cohen (PCA) are regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). As such, the company is authorised to operate as a collection agency.

They have also accredited members of the Credit Services Association (CSA) which means they’ve agreed to work to CSA guidelines and their Code of Conduct.

They have offices in Manchester and details of the business can be found on the Companies House website.

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.

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Does Phillips & Cohen buy third-party debts?

Their business centres around buying debts from other companies for a fraction of their real value. Hence, they make a large profit when they recoup a debt successfully.

They partner with a company called Invenio Financial when they purchase debt portfolios.

Who uses the PCA debt collection agency services?

Phillips & Cohen Associates buys debts and collects debts for a variety of business sectors. This includes the following:

• Local government
• Central government
• Banking
• Finance
• Utility companies
• Home shopping
• Telecommunications
• Debt purchase

Should you ignore debt collection agencies?

No. Things only get worse, more expensive and more stressful when you ignore a debt collection agency.

So, when you receive a letter, email, text or phone call from PCA, it’s best to respond. Maybe you have a debt with a utility company or a bank loan that the PCA is chasing you for.

Maybe, you don’t owe money to anyone and PCA is chasing the wrong person. It happens!

You may not realise the debt is too old to enforce when you decide to bin a debt letter rather than respond to it!

What happens when you ignore PCA?

Things could get more expensive and stressful when you ignore a debt letter from Phillips & Cohen Associates.

Firstly, you may not discover important information about the debt which includes:

• The debt is statute barred and therefore it’s too old to enforce
• Phillips & Cohen Associates is chasing the wrong debtor because the debt isn’t even yours

So, ignoring the debt letter doesn’t make the problem go away. Moreover, you could be hassled for something that’s not even in your name.

A debt recovery company won’t realise the debt isn’t yours and could escalate things if you don’t respond to them!

Is the debt too old to enforce?

Debt is too old to enforce when it’s six years old. A judge won’t take on cases that involve older debts.

It means a debt recovery company can’t start legal proceedings against you and you can’t get a County Court Judgement (CCJ) either!

However, a debt is only statute barred if it meets certain criteria. It means you should check this out before responding to PCA and telling them the debt can’t be enforced!

It’s one way you could get out of paying what you may owe to PCA or a client they’re acting on behalf of!

When is a debt statute-barred?

A debt is deemed statute barred by the courts if the following applies:

• It’s at least six years old
• Nobody admitted owing the money in six years
• No money was paid towards the debt in six years
• There isn’t a County Court Judgement registered relating to the debt

You can’t be made to pay if any of the above applies to a PCA debt you’re being chased for!

It’s worth noting that many debt recovery agencies buy older debts. A lot of these debts are well past their ‘sell-by dates’ with some being over 12+ years old!

In short, it’s always worth checking whether a debt is statute-barred and whether it meets the necessary criteria.

Is PCA chasing the wrong person?

You should always check all the details found in a debt letter you get from Phillips & Cohen Associates.

Phillips & Cohen could be chasing the wrong person for money owed on a debt they purchased. Or it could be one which they’re attempting to collect for another business.

Can you ask Phillips & Cohen Associates to prove the debt is yours?

Absolutely you can. In fact, you should write to the debt collection and ask them to ‘prove it’ even if the debt is yours.

By sending the request via registered post, you gain time and prevent the PCA from escalating the matter.

Not only this, but you also make them work for their money!

What happens when PCA can’t prove the debt?

You may find the debt letter contains all the relevant information proving the debt is yours!

But if the details in the letter are not clear or the amount is wrong, you should write back to PCA to let them know.

Debt recovery agencies must provide you with solid proof you owe the money. They can’t just say you do and expect or demand that you pay!

If Phillips & Cohen can’t prove the debt by providing an authenticated copy of an agreement you signed, they can’t make you pay!

In short, a PCA could take you to court, but without solid evidence the debt is yours, a judge wouldn’t rule in their favour!

What happens when debt collectors prove the debt?

When Phillips & Cohen proves you owe money by providing an authenticated copy of an agreement, that’s it. You’ll have to pay what’s owed.

However, you should seek advice before you admit or fork any money over to a debt recovery business.

You could contact an independent debt adviser or one of the leading UK charities that provide free debt advice.

Phillips & Cohen Associates must let you seek independent advice so you get to know the best debt solutions available to you!

What can PCA legally do?

All recognised debt collection agencies must follow the law, privacy legislation and the CSA Code of Conduct.

As such, when they contact you, they must remain within the law. A debt recovery business like Phillips & Cohen Association has the right to:

• Contact you whether by phone, text, email, letter or in person
• Talk to you civilly about an alleged debt showing understanding and empathy relating to your personal circumstances
• Ask you to pay them the amount outstanding rather than to an original creditor. Whether you make a payment in full or agree to a payment plan
• Report defaults to credit reference agencies which would impact your credit rating

You can’t prevent a debt recovery company from contacting you over an alleged debt because it’s within their rights!

What can’t PCA do?

There are things that Phillips & Cohen can and cannot do. I’ve listed actions that are unlawful below:

• Force their way into your property, clamp vehicles or seize possessions to sell at auction
• Pretend their legal power is the same as that of a court-appointed enforcement agent (previously known as a bailiff)
• Visit you in the workplace
• Discuss an alleged debt with your boss which contravenes your privacy rights
• Talk to your neighbours, friends, or a family member about an alleged debt which also breaches UK privacy laws
• Pressure you into applying for another loan to repay what’s owed
• Harass you with constant phone calls, texts, emails etc
• Threaten you in any way

If PCA acts unlawfully or they don’t abide by the CSA Code of Conduct, you should file a complaint with them straight away.

You should allow them enough time to make things right but if they don’t, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

Can you stop Phillips & Cohen from contacting you?

You can’t prevent Phillips & Cohen Associates from contacting you. But you can write to PCA and tell them how to contact you.

For instance, telling PCA to only get in touch with you in writing is a good move. You’ll have a record of all their correspondence which could prove invaluable if they take you to court!

Should you sign letters to PCA?

No. You should avoid signing any letters you send to a debt collection agency. Not all of them are ethical and some may duplicate your signature on other documents.

Also, always send letters to Phillips & Cohen via registered post.

It’s highly illegal for them to do so, but it’s a tactic unscrupulous debt collectors may use!

What are your rights when a debt collector contacts you?

You have the right to ask a field agent to leave your property if they visit you at home.

Moreover, a field agent must leave when you ask them to!

You have the right to speak to a debt collection agent through a letterbox or through an open upstairs window.

You don’t have to open the door to a field agent and should keep all your doors locked when they arrive!

A debt collection agent can’t just turn up at your home unexpectedly. They must write to you first and tell you when they intend on visiting you at home!

You have the right to seek independent debt advice and PCA must allow you enough time to do so.

It’s your right to establish which debt solution could get you back on track financially.

You can report a debt recovery business for inappropriate or unlawful behaviour to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Provided you filed a complaint with PCA first!

Could you get a County Court Judgement?

You could get a County Court Judgement registered on your credit file if you refuse to pay a proven debt and the court orders you to settle.

A CCJ on your credit history will harm your ability to borrow money, and get a credit card or a mortgage until it expires. In short, your credit rating will go down.

A CCJ stays on your credit report for six years!

Do debt collectors give up chasing you?

No. Debt collection agencies rarely stop chasing people for the money they owe. Whether they act on behalf of a client or they’re chasing a debt they purchased, PCA can be persistent!

But debt recovery companies can’t overstep the mark.

They cannot make you pay if the debt is deemed statute barred by the courts. Nor can they use unlawful tactics to get you to pay!

Take a look at what happened to one unfortunate person who received a letter from the debt collection company:

Source: Moneysavingexpert

How do you contact Phillips & Cohen Associates?

It’s always better to remain in contact with a debt recovery business. First, it prevents them from escalating the matter. Second, you could find out the debt isn’t yours or that it’s statute barred!

I’ve listed the UK contact details for Phillips & Cohen Associates if you have outstanding debts in the table below: 

Can you complain about Phillips & Cohen Associates?

Yes. You must file a complaint with Phillips & Cohen Associates before you lodge one with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

This allows the debt recovery business to put things right but if they don’t you can escalate your complaint to the FOS.

The FOS should investigate your complaint in a timely manner and if they find PCA acted unlawfully, you could receive compensation!

What free debt advice is there in the UK?

You should seek advice from one of the leading charities when you are struggling with your finances. Moreover, these charities provide free debt advice which could be invaluable when negotiating a fair payment plan.

I’ve listed three of the major debt charities below:

• National Debtline 
• Citizens Advice
• Step Change Debt Charity

“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 Phillips & Cohen Associates debt collectors?

Whether you pay a debt that Phillips & Cohen Associates are chasing you for would depend on several things.

First, would a court deem it too old to enforce? If so, a court would view what’s owed as statute barred and won’t hear the case!

Second, is the debt actually yours? If not, a PCA can’t make you pay it. Phillips & Cohen must prove you owe the money by sending you an authenticated copy of a credit agreement.

Moreover, the credit agreement must be authenticated by the original creditor and not the debt recovery business!

You should only pay Phillips & Cohen Associates when they’ve proved the debt is yours and it’s not statute-barred.

But you should seek advice from an independent adviser before you admit, sign or fork any money out to PCA!

You should never ignore letters from PCA because they could escalate matters and you could end up with a CCJ which impacts your credit rating.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I hope the information helps you decide what to do so you achieve a positive outcome in a stressful situation relating to Cohen Associates!