Debt is stressful enough without creditors making it worse by contacting you excessively, aggressively, or at all hours. UK law and FCA regulation set clear limits on how creditors and debt collectors can behave. Understanding those limits — and knowing what to do when they are crossed — is essential if you are dealing with persistent creditor contact.
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What the Law and FCA Rules Say
Creditors and debt collection agencies operating in the UK are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA’s Consumer Duty and debt collection guidance sets out what is and is not acceptable behaviour.
Behaviours That Are Not Permitted
| Behaviour | Why it’s prohibited |
|---|---|
| Contacting you outside 8am–9pm | FCA guidance on reasonable hours |
| Calling multiple times per day repeatedly | Amounts to harassment under FCA debt collection rules |
| Using threatening, intimidating, or abusive language | Breach of Consumer Duty and potentially criminal |
| Claiming to be from the court, HMRC, or a bailiff when they are not | Misrepresentation — potentially criminal deception |
| Falsely stating that legal action has been taken or will be taken immediately | Misleading the debtor |
| Contacting you at work after you’ve asked them not to | FCA guidance on debtor preferences |
| Discussing your debt with family, friends, or employers without consent | Data protection breach |
| Continuing to contact you directly once a debt advice organisation is acting on your behalf | FCA guidance requires creditors to deal with authorised intermediaries |
| Ignoring a formal request to communicate only in writing | Failure to respect reasonable contact preferences |
What They Can Legally Do
Debt collectors can:
- Write to you requesting payment
- Call you during reasonable hours
- Pass the debt to a solicitor to pursue through the courts
- Obtain a County Court Judgment (CCJ) if you do not respond to court claims
- Instruct bailiffs (High Court Enforcement Officers) after obtaining a court order
How to Stop Harassing Contact
Step 1: Document Everything
Keep a log of every contact: date, time, phone number used, name of caller (if given), and what was said. This evidence is essential if you need to make a complaint.
Step 2: Write to the Creditor
A written request asking the creditor to:
- Contact you only in writing, or
- Direct all communications to your debt adviser (if you have one), or
- Cease contact while you seek debt advice
must be complied with by FCA-regulated collectors. Use recorded delivery and keep a copy.
Step 3: Apply for Breathing Space
Breathing Space is a 60-day legal moratorium that forces all creditors to:
- Stop all direct contact
- Freeze interest and charges
- Halt enforcement action
Once you are registered by a debt adviser, creditors must immediately cease contact. This is the most powerful short-term tool for stopping harassment while you arrange a longer-term solution.
Step 4: Make a Formal Complaint
If contact continues after a written request or during Breathing Space:
| Who to complain to | When |
|---|---|
| The creditor’s own complaints department | First step — give them 8 weeks to respond |
| Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) | If unresolved after 8 weeks, or if the response is unsatisfactory |
| FCA (for reporting) | If you believe there are systemic issues with the firm |
| Police | If threats are made — this may be criminal harassment |
The Financial Ombudsman Service can award compensation and direct the creditor to change their behaviour.
Bailiffs vs Debt Collectors — An Important Distinction
Debt collectors are private companies chasing payment on behalf of a creditor. They have no legal right to enter your home and cannot take goods.
Bailiffs (High Court Enforcement Officers or County Court Bailiffs) are different. They act under a court order and have specific powers to take control of goods. Even bailiffs have strict rules about when and how they can act. See the Bailiffs: Your Rights Guide for the full detail.
If a debt collector claims they are a bailiff or implies they have powers they do not have, this is a serious breach of FCA rules and potentially criminal.
If You Are Struggling — Get Advice First
Creditor harassment is almost always a symptom of a debt problem that has escalated. Before focusing solely on stopping the calls, consider the underlying position. Free debt advice from StepChange (0800 138 1111), National Debtline (0808 808 4000), or Citizens Advice can help you find a longer-term solution that removes the pressure entirely — not just the phone calls.