Do you owe money to Lucas Credit Services?
If you have debts of over £5000, you may be able to write off your debt with an IVA

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Who are Lucas Credit Services?

Lucas Credit Services are a UK based debt collection company. Their full company name is Lucas Credit Services Limited.

If you have received a letter of a card from Lucas Credit Services contact us immediately for independent, confidential and free debt advice.

We will explore all of your options to stop this debt collector from taking any further action. But you must act quickly! Our advice is 100% free. We aim to help you as quickly and efficiently as possible.

So, let’s find out more about Lucas Credit and how they work …

Will Lucas Credit Services come to my house to collect debts?

Lucas Credit Services may have appointed field agents to make home visits to discuss the alleged debt. These visits can be very distressing not only for the named debtor but also for the entire family. These methods can have a detrimental effect on your mental and physical health and the people around you.

It is possible to request that debtors stop contacting you and can file for a “cease & desist” letter, so in some cases, they might stop coming to your house.

You have the right not to speak to them on the phone, and they aren’t allowed to come onto your property without authorization from a court order or other legal requirements.

If these debt collectors do keep harassing you over debts- please call us.

Threats to take you to court via phone, email and letters are all widespread tactics that Lucas Credit Services use to get in touch with the people who owe them money. Without appointing a debt company to represent you, this may continue. As a long-established independent debt website, we have vast experience dealing with creditors such as Lucas Credit Services. We understand their tactics, and we can work with you to get them to stop.

Will Lucas Credit Services Ltd chase me if I don’t pay the debt collectors full?

The first point of contact which Lucas Credit Services may use will be an introductory phone call and letter. This is to set out their pre-action protocol.

You will usually receive (in writing) a letter explaining the total amount of debt owed, any charges/penalties which may have been accrued and a tight deadline for you to repay the debt in full. The letter will usually mention what steps will happen if you do not pay the debt in full.

These steps are usually:

  • A home visit
  • A county court judgement (CCJ), issued by Lucas Credit Services if you fail to repay the debt within this tight deadline
  • A threat of bankruptcy (usually if the debt is over £750)
Letters like this are very standard with every credit provider and not just Lucas Credit Services. It is important not to take these letters personally. There is help at hand, but you should act quickly.

If Lucas Credit Services has contacted you, contact us immediately, and we will try to deal with them on your behalf.

Is Lucas Credit Services Ltd a legit debt collection agency?

Yes, but they recently changed their name to Overdales.

Overdales and Overdales Solicitors are trading styles of Overdales Legal Limited, a company registered in England and Wales under Company Reg No. 07407310.

Overdales Legal Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA No. 806769.

Overdales Legal Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority concerning consumer debt collection under registered number 691793.

Registered office: Ellington House, 9 Savannah Way, Leeds Valley Park, Leeds, LS10 1AB.

What happens if you don’t pay Lucas Credit Services Ltd?

If you don’t contact your original creditor, the debt can be sold to a third party, and they may pursue legal action against you, including going to court.

Depending on the debt, whether it has been registered in enforcement, your employment status and what assets you have, the company may take steps to recover, which can include taking court action.

The first thing they will do is apply for entry of judgement to a small claims court. If successful, this will leave them able to sell or seize goods from your property without going through any more procedures.

Paying your debts in full as soon as you can not only save money by avoiding high-interest charges but also avoids mental stress and distress from any one of these methods of collection.

The key is to negotiate with the debt collection company and agree on a payment plan.

If this cannot be achieved, then you will need to hire a solicitor to organise representation for the court in your jurisdiction.

We recommend that you speak with us for advice before things go to court because we have vast experience negotiating with debt collection companies like Lucas Credit Services.

In British law, there are strict consumer protection provisions in place as outlined by the Consumer Credit Act 1974

This law prevents harassment by third parties who collect debts on behalf of lenders or other creditors (e.g. those who lend loans). The legislation also imposes obligations on those to whom payments are owed.

A debt collection agency will first make a demand for repayment, and if that’s not paid, they’ll send you court papers. If a debtor doesn’t respond to the court papers within 14 days then the creditor (the person you owe money) has 28 days to apply for a bankruptcy order against them.

Getting a debt collection agency to make you bankrupt is difficult, but it depends on where you live.

If your country has bankruptcy proceedings and if the debt collector activity went beyond the legal limits of such proceedings then you can challenge them in court or get a lawyer to stop these companies from collecting money.

In the UK, bankruptcy is enacted via an individual voluntarily submitting a form of bankruptcy notice in order to waive certain debts under the terms of the Personal Insolvency Act.

In order to do this, a person must demonstrate that they have no disposable capital and are unable to pay their outstanding debts.

If you’re an employed debtor, then the debt amount can be written off over 5 years max.

For self-employed people or publicans who have business assets, there are usually three options:

  1. Selling your company and paying back as much of your debt as possible with any remaining assets
  2. Dissolving or selling your company and paying back as much of your debt as possible while retaining some assets.

Are Lucas Credit Services Ltd bailiffs or debt collectors?

They are among many debt collection companies that operate in the UK

The main difference between bailiffs and debt collectors in the UK is that bailiffs collect fines imposed due to criminal convictions.

Debt collectors, on the other hand, are contacted by banks and financial companies to recover loans. They are given sole responsibility for collecting debts on behalf of their clients after a judge has cleared an application process.

Bailiffs handle debts exclusively for High Court enforcement, including County Court. On the other hand, different institutions employ debt collectors and provide debt collection services to several people or businesses.

Bailiffs have various legal powers, including seizing goods even if those possessions belong to someone else or require a court order.

It is also common for them to serve papers called warrants at 4 am, which ask a householder to provide personal information or appear in court without being told why they are required there in advance.

In the UK, bailiffs and debt collectors operate in different ways.

Due to the increasing problem of Council Tax non-payment, many councils have employed bailiff firms to recover unpaid council tax arrears of £1,000 or more from households who refuse to pay up voluntarily. As a result, about one-tenth of householders are now threatened with a visit by investigators claiming an enforcement power under criminal law – this is an unpopular process seized upon by some aggressive unregulated companies. Debt Collectors may also be known as Debt Collection Agencies, which means they work for companies based on commission from paying off bad debt. It has been negotiated upfront what percentage will be shared between company and collector. The term ‘Bailiff’ is known from Old English laws when someone had committed a crime and had insufficient property upon which to place sufficient bail (to pledge on their own behaviour), from which their relatives were obliged to give substance (bail) if they were able then in lieu; from Middle English bail (Piece of money, goods or evidence of title deposited against the fulfilment of performance imposed), and “aid”.

Can Lucas Credit Services legally buy a debt?

The Consumer Credit Act is a law that governs the collection and sale of debts, which means if you stop paying your debt, it can be legally sold to other people.

If you stop paying on your debt, the company that lent it to you can then sell off or collect any assets they have a claim against.

Even if you have already arranged an instalment plan with the lender, they can still sell your debt to any agency interested in buying debts. When this occurs, there’s a chance of them upping interest rates or cancelling repayment plans altogether- but don’t worry because we’ve got some tips for avoiding these scenarios! One exception to this rule is if your lender subscribes to the Standards of Lending Practice. If they have previously been shown evidence that you have mental health issues, your debt should not be sold. It may result in challenging circumstances for a borrower with preexisting mental illness and make it difficult for them “to access credit.”

Debt collectors may not have your best interests at heart, and because of this, it is important to be aware of the different clauses in a contract they might use.

One way you can protect yourself from unfair charges on an account bought legally by another party is to make sure any additional costs are only reasonable. You will usually be notified if your debt is sold on. This should happen in writing by both the original company and the debt collection agency. If you receive a letter from an unknown party demanding payment for debts that are not yours, contact them immediately as this could be someone posing as a legitimate organization to steal information or demand immediate payments of personal financial data such as bank account numbers!

Unpaid debt can seem like a never-ending cycle, but the good news is that people specialize in resolving these issues.

For example, if you have an overdue case with your lender or service provider and they’re not experts at arranging repayment plans, then it will be best that your case is passed on to our professionals because they’ve got the resources and skills needed for coming to a resolution!

What is an IVA, and do I need one?

An IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) or Debt Relief Order is an agreement between the individual, creditors, and a licensed insolvency practitioner.

This restructures a person’s debt repayments to cope with their income and changes in living circumstances. A Licensed Insolvency Practitioner will examine your financial situation and plan that payments you can afford for 5 years. It’s not easy, but it just might work out better than bankruptcy proceedings!

An iva solution for debt is a way of settling debts in full without the involvement of creditors. The debt settlement scheme, administered by the Inland Revenue and run on similar lines to bankruptcy, will wipe out consumer debts, including store cards and credit card balances.

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement, also called an IVA, is typically the best alternative to bankruptcy in the UK.

The earlier that an IVA is secured, the better because it allows plenty of time for an individual to save any money they need from their income to continue paying mortgage payments, electricity bills, and other normal living expenses. An Individual Voluntary Agreement can help someone get their life back on track by providing a way out whilst giving them sufficient time over a period of five years or more before liabilities are repaid. They aren’t supervised by a court and with certain safeguards in place for your creditors to be approved more quickly than a bankruptcy arrangement. It may also help you keep hold of your home or car, even though the compensation being offered might not be as good as that provided on top of other liquidation arrangements with bankruptcy.

If you are living in the UK, an IVA might be your best option in dealing with Lucas Credit Services

An IVA is a form of bankruptcy that spreads repayment over 3-5 years. This provides invaluable breathing space as it will allow time for employment and earning potential to improve. Remember that bankruptcy does not give the same protection as an IVA, so talk to experts before making your decision on which type of bankruptcy to go with.

How IVA Advice can help…

When you first contact us, you will notice that all of our employees are vastly experienced in dealing with creditors such as Lucas Credit Services. As one of the largest debt websites in the United Kingdom, we pride ourselves on dealing with a high amount of debt related queries in an empathetic, effective and speedy fashion.

We request reviews from every single customer who we help. Some of them have given very detailed feedback on how we have helped them and how it has completely changed their lives (in a short time). So please check out these reviews and see for yourself!

We deal with a variety of debt solutions and a wide range of debt companies.

This means that you will always find the best debt solution for yourself, without exception. As we are not tied to any one particular company, we can work hard to ensure you repay the very minimum that you need to.

Thomas James

Senior Debt Specialist at IVA Advice

I am a Debt Specialist with over 10 years of experience working with FCA Regulated Finance Companies in the insurance, credit card, loan and debt industry. I am very familiar with The Civil Enforcement Association and the High Court Enforcement Officers Association and I have written extensively on debt matters.

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