This isn’t a full fact find, Thrifty Family doesn’t give advice. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provides information about your options.
For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.
My name’s Janine, and I’m a mum of two who’s always been passionate about trying to cut down spending costs. I am now sharing as much financial knowledge as I possibly can to help your money go that little bit further.
For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.
If you’ve fallen behind with payments and bills, you’re not alone. Getting a debt letter could leave you asking, ‘should I pay or ignore Richburns debt collection when they contact you?’
Check out my post about debt collection agencies, what they can do and how you should respond to them to achieve a better outcome!
Do you have to pay Richburns Collections?
You might not have to pay Richburns Collections.
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.
This isn’t a full fact find, Thrifty Family doesn’t give advice. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provides information about your options.
Who is Richburns Collections?
Richburns Debt Recovery is one of the many companies that chase people for payment on outstanding debts in the UK.
They work hand-in-hand with their clients to recover money owed to their businesses. So when you get a letter from Richburns, they could be working on behalf of another company!
Does Richburns Debt Recovery buy debts?
No. Richburns do not and have never purchased any debt. Richburns collect debts on behalf of their clients. This means that when a business is owed money, they contact Richburns to ask them to collect the debt on their behalf, usually because they don’t want to spend time or resources to do it themselves.
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.
A failure to abide by the law and the Code of Conduct could result in a debt collection agency being penalised by the FCA and the CSA!
Is the debt statute-barred?
The first thing to check when you get a letter from Richburns is whether the details are correct!
Next, you should check how old the debt is because if it’s at least six years old, it may be too old to enforce. A court won’t take on cases involving statute-barred debts!
Therefore, a debt collection agency can’t make you pay!
No payments were made towards the outstanding amount in six years
Nobody admitted owing the money in six years
Although debt is too old to enforce through the courts, it remains on your credit file until it expires. It’d harm your credit rating and make it harder to get finance further down the line!
Should you pay Richburns?
You should only pay debt collectors when they’ve provided you with hard proof the amount outstanding is yours to pay.
In short, Richburns must get all copies of a credit agreement or contract authenticated by the creditor.
You should never accept Richburns word for it. A verbal confirmation wouldn’t stand up in court. They must provide written confirmation you owe the money!
Also, don’t sign a ‘prove the debt’ letter to Richburns or any other letters you send them. Not all debt recovery companies are honest and some use unethical tactics.
This includes using your signature on other documents which is fraud!
What happens when Richburns can’t prove the debt?
If Richburns can’t produce authenticated copies of a credit or other sort of agreement you signed, they can’t pursue you for payment.
A court won’t rule in a debt collector’s favour if Richburns can’t show hard proof you owe the money!
In short, a debt recovery agency should stop pursuing you if they can’t prove you owe the money!
However, with Richburns, they are provided proof of debt from the company they are representing. They are acting on instructions and do not make any decisions when it comes to your debt.
What if Richburns proves the debt is yours?
You’ll have to pay what’s owed if Richburns proves the outstanding amount is yours. But before you admit, sign or fork any money out to the debt collector, you should:
Seek advice from an independent adviser
Write to Richburns telling them you’re seeking independent advice
You should always let a debt collector know what you’re doing to stop them from escalating things. Plus, Rishburns must allow you sufficient time to talk to a debt adviser about the various debt solutions available.
What happens when you ignore debt recovery companies?
You shouldn’t ignore a debt letter from Richburns even when the information is wrong! First, it won’t stop them from pursuing you when you don’t respond.
Quite to the contrary, debt collectors are persistent and if you don’t respond, they’ll continue to contact you. Moreover, the matter could escalate to the courts!
Second, you could be missing out on important information when you bin a letter from Richburns.
This includes:
Not discovering the debt is too old to enforce because a court would deem it statute barred
Not finding out Richburns are chasing the wrong debtor because the debt isn’t yours
Not being offered an affordable payment plan which could get you out of a hole
Not having some of the debt wiped off could make it more affordable to settle
Would Richburns take you to court?
No, Richburns themselves won’t take you to court. Their role in the process is to attempt to recover debts that are owed to their clients. They also provide possible solutions to the debt that is owed.
However, the client they are representing may choose to take you to court.
What could happen if my energy company takes further action?
Issue a County Court Judgement against you which would ruin your credit rating
Issue an attachment order on your bank account or your weekly earnings
Richburns cannot take this action on behalf of the energy company.
How can I stop debt letters from Richburns?
You can’t stop Richburns from sending you letters or contacting you about an alleged debt.
However, you can dictate when and how a debt recovery agency contacts you. For example, you may prefer they only write to you which is a good idea. It means you have a record of all their correspondence!
You should inform a debt collector that harassment is a criminal offence!
Another way to prevent constant phone calls from Richburns is to send them a ‘prove it’ letter by registered post!
Is Richburns the only debt management company?
No. Richburns isn’t the only debt management company that operates in the UK. They have on behalf of a handful of energy companies, so your energy debt letters won’t always be managed by Richburns.
What can Richburns do?
Richburns must abide by the law when they contact you. It means there are things they can say and do, but there are things that are unlawful too!
For example, a Richburns can:
Visit you at home but they should inform you beforehand and if you ask them to leave, they should respect your request
Call you by phone, send you a text, letter or email
Talk to you politely and show you empathy and understanding about your personal circumstances
Ask you to settle the outstanding amount to them directly
How do you complain about a debt recovery agency?
You have the right to complain about a debt recovery agency if they don’t follow the law or the Code of Practice when they contact you.
First, write to Richburns using their complaints procedure. The debt recovery agency should make things right in a timely fashion. But if they don’t, you can file a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
You can’t report a debt recovery agency to the FOS without first lodging a complaint with their head office.
Yes. You have the right to ask a debt collection agent to leave your property if they visit you at home.
They must comply and if they don’t, it’s more grounds to file a complaint against them.
Also, you’re not obliged to open the door to a debt collection agent. Instead, you should talk to them through the letterbox or from an upstairs window!
How do you contact Richburns?
It’s always wiser to remain in contact with Richburns when they contact you. It stops a debt collection agency from escalating things to the courts.
Plus, you won’t have to deal with a field agent visiting you at home when you stay in touch with them!
I’ve listed how to contact the debt recovery company below:
Third Floor, North House, St Edwards Way,Romford, Essex, RM1 3PP
Opening times
Monday – Friday: 8am to 6pm
Can you get free debt help?
Yes. You can reach out to one of the leading debt charities if you’re struggling with your finances and worried about a debt letter from Richburns. The charities provide free debt advice when you need it.
I’ve listed three of the leading UK charities below:
You shouldn’t pay Richburns without first establishing the debt is still enforceable and that it’s yours.
But you shouldn’t ignore a debt letter even if the amount outstanding isn’t yours or the debt is statute barred!
Ignoring things won’t make the problem go away. Plus, responding to the debt collection agency and asking them to prove you owe the money prevents things from escalating.
You should seek independent debt advice if Richburns original letter contains all the right information and you owe the money. Don’t admit, agree or fork any money out to Richburns until you do!
Richburns states that their agents provide debt advice and contacts that include Citizen’s Advice, and they’ll also provide the energy companies’ contact details if needed.
Discussing the problem with one of the debt charities is a good idea. Their advice is free and could be invaluable when negotiating a fair payment plan with Richburns!
Thanks for reading my post. I hope the information in the article helps answer the question, ‘should I pay or ignore Richburns collection?’ so it saves you stress, time and money!
My name’s Janine, and I’m a mum of two who’s always been passionate about trying to cut down spending costs. I am now sharing as much financial knowledge as I possibly can to help your money go that little bit further.
How to beat Richburns debt 