Repeated contact about a debt can be upsetting. This guide explains the difference between acceptable contact and harassment. It shows you what you can do to protect yourself if a creditor starts acting unfairly. Use this guide to:
- understand what harassment is;
- understand how the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules and guidance can help you;
- find out how to make a complaint; and
- get advice about other options for dealing with harassment from creditors and debt collectors.
The sample letter mentioned in this guide can be filled in on our website.
What is harassment?
Not all contact from a creditor is harassment. Whether behaviour counts as harassment depends on the circumstances. If you miss payments, creditors can contact you and ask for payment. This is usually normal and will not count as harassment. But creditors must follow the law. They must not act unfairly or aggressively. If their behaviour goes beyond normal contact, it may count as harassment.
What may count as harassment by creditors?
Whether something is harassment depends on the facts. For example, it may depend on how often a creditor contacts you and the effect this has on you. Examples of harassment may include a creditor:
- contacting you too often or at unreasonable times;
- pressuring you to pay amounts you cannot afford or to pay within an unreasonably short time;
- making you think court action has been taken when it hasn’t;
- ignoring a dispute you raise over whether you owe the money;
- sharing information about your debt with other people, or threatening to do so; or
- continuing to chase payment despite knowing that your mental health makes it hard for you to deal with debt.
The sections below explain the rules creditors must follow and what you can do if you believe their behaviour is unfair or unlawful.
Financial Conduct Authority rules
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates consumer credit businesses in the UK. This includes banks, credit card companies, payday lenders, law firms, debt collectors and tracing agents.
The FCA Handbook contains rules and guidance that authorised firms must follow. These include:
- the Consumer Duty; and
- the Consumer Credit sourcebook.
Search the Financial Services Register to check if a company is authorised. You can search by the company’s name or postcode.
Consumer Duty
The FCA’s Consumer Duty requires firms to deliver good outcomes for customers. It requires that firms should:
- act in good faith;
- avoid causing foreseeable harm; and
- enable and support customers to pursue their financial goals.
If you think a firm’s behaviour is unfair or breaks the rules, you can complain to the company. You can say that its actions do not meet the Consumer Duty.
For examples of actions that may go against the Consumer Duty, see the section Unfair or improper business practices. For information on making a complaint, see the section Dealing with harassment by creditors.
Complaining about something that happened before 31 July 2024
If you are complaining about an incident that happened before 31 July 2024, the Consumer Duty will only apply if:
- your complaint is about something that happened on or after 31 July 2023; and
- at the time of the incident, the product or service you are complaining about could be renewed or was available to new customers.
For a complaint about something that happened on or after 31 July 2024 the Consumer Duty also applies to closed products and services which you are being asked to pay. A closed product or service is one that is no longer available to new customers and cannot be renewed by existing customers.
Consumer Credit sourcebook
If you think that a company trying to collect a debt from you is behaving in an unacceptable way, you can use the Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) to help you make a complaint to that company. You can also use it if you decide to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
In CONC, the FCA sets out activities and behaviour that it considers to be unfair. The rules and guidance say that creditors should:
- treat you fairly;
- be clear about what they are doing; and
- give you ‘reasonable’ time to repay your debts. What is reasonable will depend on your circumstances. Your creditors may still refuse your offers without breaking the rules or guidance.
See the full rules and guidance on the FCA website, or contact us for advice.
Unfair or improper business practices
The FCA considers the following practices unfair or improper.
Communication
The FCA says:
“A firm must…communicate information…in a way which is clear, fair and not misleading.”
Principles for Businesses (Principle 2A in Consumer Duty cases, Principle 7 for other cases)
A creditor should not:
- send letters that look like court claims;
- make it unclear who they are or what their role is;
- use confusing legal language;
- fail to provide a statement of the debt when asked;
- fail to tell you the outcome of a dispute or query;
- contact you at unreasonable times after you have asked them not to; or
- ask you to call premium-rate phone numbers.
What this means for you
Creditors must communicate with you clearly and honestly. You should be able to understand who is contacting you and why they are contacting you. Creditors should not use confusing legal language or misleading documents. If letters, calls or messages feel deliberately unclear, this may be unfair behaviour.
False representation of authority
The FCA says:
“When contacting customers, a firm must not misrepresent its authority or its legal position with regards to the debt or debt recovery process.”
Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) 7.11.1
A creditor should not:
- claim to work for the court or be a bailiff;
- suggest they can take action that they cannot legally take;
- use a name or logo that makes them look like a government body, court or solicitor;
- make you think that court action has been taken when it has not;
- suggest that not paying a debt is a criminal offence; or
- threaten court action in Scotland if you live in England or Wales.
What this means for you
Creditors must be clear and honest about who they are and what powers they have. They should not give you a false impression about action that has been taken. If you are misled about a creditor’s authority, this may be unfair behaviour.
Physical or psychological harassment
The FCA says:
“A firm must not pressurise a customer: (1) to pay a debt in one single or very few repayments or in unreasonably large amounts, when to do so would have an adverse impact on the customer’s financial circumstances; (2) to pay a debt within an unreasonably short period of time; or (3) to raise funds to repay the debt by selling their property, borrowing money or increasing existing borrowing.”
Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) 7.3.10
A creditor should not:
- contact you too often or at unreasonable times;
- pressure you to sell property or borrow more money;
- use more than one debt collector at the same time or fail to tell you that your debt has been passed to another company;
- fail to pass on information about your debt or payment arrangement;
- pressure you to pay more than you can afford;
- deny you enough time to get advice or make an offer;
- refuse a reasonable repayment offer;
- make threatening statements or gestures;
- ignore disputes about the debt;
- try to embarrass you in public or on social media; or
- continue collection activity when they know your mental health makes dealing with debt difficult.
What this means for you
You should be given time to make a payment offer or to get advice. You should not be rushed into decisions or pressured into paying money you cannot afford. If contact feels relentless or threatening, this may amount to harassment.
Deceptive and unfair methods
The FCA says:
“A firm must conduct its business with integrity.”
Principle 1, Principles for Businesses
A creditor should not:
- contact someone about a debt without checking they are the correct person;
- refuse to deal with an adviser acting for you;
- pass your details to other organisations inappropriately;
- reject reasonable payment offers or fail to pass payments on;
- try to enforce a debt that is covered by a debt solution, such as a debt relief order;
- refuse to investigate a dispute about the debt; or
- take larger or more frequent payments than you agreed.
What this means for you
Creditors must act fairly and with integrity. If they deal with the wrong person, ignore your adviser, misuse your personal information, or take money you did not agree to pay, this may be considered unfair treatment.
Charging for debt recovery
The FCA says:
“A firm must not claim the costs of recovering a debt from a customer if it has no contractual right to claim such costs.”
Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) 7.7.2
A creditor should not:
- fail to explain collection costs clearly in the agreement;
- make you think you are legally responsible for collection costs that the agreement does not allow them to add; or
- add unreasonable charges.
What this means for you
You should only be asked to pay extra charges that were clearly allowed for in your original agreement. If you are told you must pay collection costs without a clear legal basis, this may be unfair or misleading.
Debt collection visits
The FCA says:
“A firm must ensure that all persons visiting a customer’s property on its behalf…do not…act in a threatening manner towards a customer…”
Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) 7.9.14
A creditor or debt collector should:
- explain why they are visiting;
- give notice of the visit;
- avoid visiting when they know you are ill or vulnerable;
- stay outside if you do not want them to enter;
- leave if you ask them to; and
- avoid visiting you at work, in hospital or in similar places..
What this means for you
Visits to your home should not be intimidating or unexpected. You do not have to let a debt collector into your home, and they should leave if you ask them to. Unreasonable or distressing visits may count as improper behaviour.
Statute barred debts
The FCA says:
“a firm must not attempt to recover a statute barred debt in England, Wales or Northern Ireland if the lender or owner has not been in contact with the customer during the limitation period.”
Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) 7.15.4
If a creditor waits too long to take action, a debt may become statute barred. This means they have run out of time to use certain types of action to make you pay the debt. It does not mean the debt no longer exists. The creditor’s time limit is called the limitation period.
Different debts may have different limitation periods. This area of law can be complex. If you think you have a debt that might be statute barred, contact us for advice. See our Statute barred debts guide for more information.
The Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC) says that the following practices are considered unfair or improper when dealing with statute barred debts:
- asking you to pay when the creditor has not contacted you during the limitation period;
- telling you that your creditor may take you to court when they should know that the limitation period has run out; and
- pressing you for payment if you have told the creditor that you are not going to pay the debt because it is statute barred.
What this means for you
If a debt is statute barred, creditors are limited in what they can do to recover it. They should not pressure you to pay or suggest court action if the law says they are out of time. If this happens, their behaviour may be unfair.
Consumer protection laws
There are consumer protection laws to stop traders acting unfairly and using aggressive practices.
- Protection from unfair trading practice that occurred before 6 April 2025 is covered by The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. For more information, see the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading guidance on GOV.UK.
- Protection from unfair trading practice that occurred on or after 6 April 2025 is covered by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. For more information, see the Unfair commercial practice guidance on GOV.UK.
Trading Standards has the power to take action against creditors if they break the rules on consumer protection. Examples of unacceptable behaviour are:
- a debt collector pressurising you to repay a debt by contacting you at unreasonable times such as late at night or at unreasonable locations such as your workplace; and
- a debt collector threatening you with action, such as the use of bailiffs, to recover money for unenforceable debts.
If you think you may have a complaint about your creditor not following consumer protection laws, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline. See the Citizens Advice consumer helpline and Trading Standards and Useful contacts sections later in this guide.
Dealing with harassment by creditors
How to deal with harassment in three steps
If you think a creditor is harassing you, take these three steps.
Step 1: Keep a record of what happens
Keep a note of any calls, letters, messages or visits. Record the date, time and what was said or done. You should keep this record for as long as the behaviour continues. This can help support a complaint.
Step 2: Raise the issue with the creditor
It is best to write to the creditor to explain your concerns. Tell them which behaviour you are unhappy with and how you want to be contacted in future. In some cases, raising the issue clearly and in writing is enough to stop the harassment.
Step 3: Take your complaint further if needed
If the behaviour does not stop, or you are not satisfied with the creditor’s response, you can take your complaint further. This will usually involve complaining to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You may also wish to report the behaviour to the FCA, or complain to a relevant trade association if the creditor is a member.
Contact the creditor
- Write to the creditor and explain your concerns about their behaviour. See the Creditor harassment warning sample letter.
- Tell your creditor how you prefer to be contacted. Ask them to confirm their agreement to this.
- Sending a letter by recorded delivery at this stage may avoid the need to take further action against the creditor.
- Tell them you are aware of consumer protection laws and the FCA Consumer Credit sourcebook. Let them know that you will consider making a complaint about their behaviour using these.
- It is worth keeping a diary of phone calls, letters, visits and so on. Use our Sample creditor contact diary at the end of this guide.
- It is helpful if another person can confirm what happened, for example when the collector called at your home.
- You may want to politely but firmly refuse to let a collector in, or not answer the phone to the collector until the problem is sorted out.
Citizens Advice consumer helpline and Trading Standards
If you want to make a complaint, you can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline. See Useful contacts later in this guide. They will give you advice over the phone or by email. They can also put you in touch with Trading Standards if you need more advice.
Trading Standards can look into possible offences and whether prosecution is appropriate. The penalty is a fine of up to £5,000 in the magistrates’ court. A conviction is also likely to provide evidence that the creditor is no longer a suitable company to be authorised by the FCA.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)
You can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) about the way a creditor or debt collector has treated you. The service is free and independent. The FOS will look at your complaint and will decide whether the business has treated you fairly. If not, it can tell the business to put things right. It may also award compensation. You must complain to the business first.
See our Complaining about your lender guide for more information.
You can contact us for free, confidential advice if you are not sure what to do next. We can help you understand the complaints process and give you support while a complaint is ongoing. Call us on 0808 808 4000.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
It may be worth contacting the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) directly. See Useful contacts later in this guide. The FCA does not take up individual complaints, but it does collect information that can be used to take action against creditors.
The FCA has the power to:
- withdraw a company’s authorisation;
- stop a person working in financial services;
- suspend a firm for up to 12 months;
- publicise what a company has done wrong; or
- give the company a financial penalty.
Trade associations
The creditor may be a member of a trade association with a code of practice. Find out if your creditor is a member of a trade association and contact them with your complaint. A code of practice is not legally binding, but the association may take action against its members. See Useful contacts later in this guide.
Loan sharks
Loan sharks are money lenders who do not have a licence. This means they are acting illegally. They often charge very high rates of interest and use violence or threats to make you pay.
There is a confidential hotline you can ring if you have borrowed from, or wish to report, a loan shark. Get advice as soon as possible. Don’t be pressured into making payments you cannot afford. Check the information on the MoneyHelper website. See the Useful contacts section later in this guide or contact us for advice.
Other options
Blocking telephone calls and text messages
If you are finding repeated calls or messages difficult to deal with, there may be ways to limit or block contact.
Many mobile phones have settings that allow you to block calls and text messages from specific phone numbers. You may find it helpful to check your phone’s call and message settings to see what options are available.
You can also contact your mobile phone or landline provider for advice. Some providers offer call blocking services or equipment that can help reduce unwanted calls or messages. Before using any service offered by your phone provider, ask whether there is a charge and how much it will cost.
It is still important to deal with the debt and to keep the creditor informed. You may want to write to the creditor to explain your situation, raise any concerns about their behaviour, and tell them how you want to be contacted in the future.
If a creditor breaks the law
Making a complaint can sort out most problems with creditors and debt collectors. But in serious cases, a creditor’s behaviour may be a criminal offence. If you think a creditor has broken the law, you can report it to the police.
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
This makes it an offence to follow a pattern of behaviour that a reasonable person would view as harassment. This can include repeated unwanted contact or threats.
You may also be able to claim damages in the civil courts for the harassment. Get legal advice if you are thinking about doing this, as it can be complicated and cost money.
Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Online Safety Act 2023
A law may be broken under one of these Acts if you receive a communication that is:
- indecent or grossly offensive;
- threatening; or
- deliberately false.
This can include communication sent by:
- letter;
- email;
- text message; or
- other electronic means.
Public Order Act 1986
This makes it an offence to use threatening or abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
Support is available
Dealing with harassment by creditors can be stressful, especially if you are already worried about money. National Debtline offers free, confidential and independent advice. We can explain your rights and the options available, so you can decide the next steps that are right for you. Call us on 0808 808 4000.
Sample creditor contact diary
Keeping a record of contact can be important if you think a creditor or debt collection agency is harassing you. Written evidence can help show how often a creditor contacts you, what was said or done, and whether the behaviour continued after you raised concerns.
You can use this information when complaining to the creditor. You can also use it if you take your complaint further, for example to the Financial Ombudsman Service or Trading Standards.
You do not need to keep formal records. A simple diary, notebook or digital list is enough.
What to keep a record of
If you can, keep a note of:
- the date and time of each phone call, message, letter or visit;
- the name of the creditor or debt collection agency, and anyone you spoke to;
- what was said or asked for, including any threats or pressure;
- how the contact made you feel, especially if it caused distress or anxiety;
- copies of letters, emails, text messages or voicemails; and
- any steps you took, such as asking for contact to stop or writing to complain.
Keep this information for as long as the behaviour continues.
Use this diary to record every time your creditor contacts you, whether by phone, letter, or visit. This will help to show if you are being harassed.
| Name of creditor or debt collection agency | Date and time of contact | Details of contact, for example, type of contact, what the creditor asked for and so on |
FAQs
Can a creditor keep contacting me if I cannot afford to pay?
Yes, a creditor is allowed to contact you about a debt, even if you cannot afford to pay it. However, they must do so fairly and reasonably. They should not contact you too often, pressure you to pay more than you can afford, or ignore your situation after you have explained it.
If contact feels excessive or distressing, you can ask the creditor to limit how and when they contact you. If they keep putting pressure on you, it may be harassment.
Do I have to speak to a debt collector on the phone?
No. You are not required to deal with a creditor or debt collector by phone if you do not want to. You can ask to be contacted in writing instead.
If you find phone calls upsetting or difficult to manage, it may be better to communicate by letter or email. This gives you time to think about your reply. It also helps you keep a record of what was said.
Will complaining about harassment make the situation worse?
Making a complaint should not make things worse. Creditors are expected to take complaints seriously and handle them fairly. In many cases, raising concerns leads to contact being reduced or behaviour improving.
Keeping records of contact can help you feel more confident, as it gives you clear evidence of what has happened. If you are worried about complaining, you can get advice first. Call National Debtline on 0808 808 4000.
Useful contacts
Citizens Advice consumer helpline Phone: 0808 223 1133 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Regulator for financial services such as payday lenders, banks, credit companies, insurance companies and mortgage lenders. Phone: 0800 111 6768 www.fca.org.uk/
Financial Ombudsman Service For complaints about banks and other creditors. Phone: 0800 023 4567 www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman Organisation to contact about complaints to do with solicitors. Phone: 0300 555 0333 www.legalombudsman.org.uk
MoneyHelper Information and advice on money matters. Phone: 0800 138 7777 (English), 0800 138 0555 (Welsh) www.moneyhelper.org.uk
Stop Loan Sharks Advice on how to deal with loan sharks – unauthorised money lenders. Phone: 0300 555 2222 if you live in England or 0300 123 3311 if you live in Wales. www.gov.uk/report-loan-shark
Trade associations
Consumer Credit Association Association for home credit lenders. Phone: 0124 431 2044 www.ccauk.org
Consumer Credit Trade Association Members include banks, payday loan companies, mortgage lenders and debt collectors. Use their website to check if your creditor is a member. Phone: 0127 471 4959 www.ccta.co.uk
Credit Services Association Association for debt collection agencies. Use their website to check if your creditor is a member. Phone: 0191 217 0775 https://www.csa-uk.com
Finance & Leasing Association Association for a range of consumer lending companies. Use their website to check if your creditor is a member. Phone: 020 7836 6511 www.fla.org.uk
Other guides that may help you
Complaining about your lender guide
Statute barred debts guide
