Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions by our customers

Most asked questions

How do I log in?

Click here to log in and access the self-service portal. By logging in, you can access your case(s) and manage your account.

You can also contact us 27/4. Reach out to us if you have any questions regarding your case, can’t access your account, or need to solve any issue.

This is not my debt, what shall I do?

If you do not recognise the account we have written to you about please contact us and we will investigate.

How do I pay my debt?

There are a number of ways that you can pay, please click here for a list options. 

 

How do I complain?

At Intrum we pride ourselves upon providing excellent customer service. Should we fail to meet your expectations or you are dissatisfied with the service we provide, please tell us.

Please contact us to make a complaint or download our complaint form here and send to us at compliance.uk@intrum.com

Who is Intrum?

We are a debt purchase and collection company. We buy unpaid loan, credit card, store card and other debts from banks, credit card companies, retailers, and utility & telecom providers. We also collect debts on behalf of other lenders and goods and service-providers.

When we buy your account, the money you owe on this account is owed to Intrum instead of the original lender. We want to work with you to help you clear your debts. We always take your financial circumstances into account and set up an affordable payment plan that allows you to repay your debts and get on with your life.

Please contact us to talk this through with one of our customer service representatives.

I would like to pay

How do I pay my debt?

There are a number of ways that you can pay, please click here for a list options. 

How much do I owe?

We have sent you a letter explaining that we are either collecting your debt on behalf of one of our clients or on behalf of ourselves. This letter shows the amount we believe is owed. If you have any questions about this, please contact us.

Alternatively, log into the self-service portal to check your account.

 

What happens when I pay Intrum the amount requested?

When you are making payments towards the outstanding debt we update the companies that keep this information (Credit Reference Agencies) to ensure your file reflects this. Once your debt is cleared the account will be marked as satisfied or partially satisfied depending on how you settled it.

We use the following registered Credit Reference Agencies:

TransUnion UK (formerly CallCredit)
Equifax
Experian

How much will I have to pay?

We will agree a plan that is realistic, affordable and reflects your current financial circumstances. Our customer service representatives are trained to go through your finances with you to work out an affordable payment plan. Please call us on 01737 237370 or you can login to our self-service portal where you can check your balance, calculate how much you can afford to repay and make payments online . 

What if I lose my job or I am unwell or someone dies and I cannot pay?

We have a specialist support team to help you. Please call us on 01737 237370 to talk to one of our customer service representatives or contact us another way.

I have already paid

I have already paid this, what shall I do?

If you have already paid the debt please contact us

I think I have overpaid my account / I have received a letter notifying me that I may have overpaid my account

An over-paid account is when you have cleared the outstanding balance in full and have made additional payment(s).

The first thing to do is to contact us to check if you have overpaid your account. If your account is in a credit balance (overpaid) we will pass your account to our Finance team for investigation.

If a refund is due we will arrange to do so within 14 days of your request being raised with us.  Please note that card refunds will be made back to the original card the payment was taken on, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

If you are paying by Standing Order, we would respectfully ask you to cancel this with your bank as we cannot cancel this instruction ourselves.

Query about the debt

This is not my debt, what shall I do?

If you do not recognise the account we have written to you about please contact us and we will investigate.

The person you are writing to does not live here. What shall I do?

Sometimes people move without updating their address. Please call us on 01737 237370 and we will investigate.

I have a lot of debt

I have a lot of debt, what should I do?

We want to work with you to help you clear your debts. We will take your financial circumstances into account and set up an affordable payment plan that allows you to repay your debts and get on with your life. If you are experiencing financial difficulties there are free debt advice options available to you.

Please click here for a list of organisations who offer free debt advice. 

If this applies to you, all we ask if that you contact us to advise us of your circumstances so we can manage your account in the best way possible.

What if I lose my job or I am unwell or someone dies and I cannot pay?

We want to work with you to help you clear your debts. We will take your financial circumstances into account and set up an affordable payment plan that allows you to repay your debts and get on with your life. If you are experiencing financial difficulties there are free debt advice options available to you.

If this applies to you, all we ask if that you contact us to advise us of your circumstances so we can manage your account in the best way possible.

Who is Intrum?

Who is Intrum?

We are a debt purchase and collection company. We buy unpaid loan, credit card, store card and other debts from banks, credit card companies, retailers, and utility & telecom providers. We also collect debts on behalf of other lenders. 

When we buy your account, the money you owe on this account is owed to Intrum instead of the original lender. We want to work with you to help you clear your debts. We always take your financial circumstances into account and set up an affordable payment plan that allows you to repay your debts and get on with your life.

Please contact us to talk this through with one of our customer service representatives.

Where did Intrum get my details?

Under the terms of your original agreement with the lender of credit, your personal data may be passed to a third party in the event that repayments are not made as agreed for the purposes of debt collection.

For more information please see our privacy policy.

Who regulates Intrum?

Intrum UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We adhere to the code of conduct of the Credit Services Association (CSA). Intrum UK Limited has permission to trade from the FCA.

I would like to get in touch with you

Please contact us and we will help you.

Why has my account been sold?

It is common for banks and other lenders to sell accounts to debt purchase companies. Your account will already have been through their debt collection process before coming to us. We have specialist teams who can help people with all kinds of financial problems, including issues arising from job loss or bereavement. Our sole focus is on agreeing a repayment plan or settlement you can afford. Please contact us and we can help.

I have questions about my payment plan

How do I access my payment plan?

To access your payment plan and details about your account, you can either log in to our self-service portal or contact us.

How do I change my payment plan?

If you need to change your payment plan, you can do this by logging into the self-service portal or you can speak to one of our customer services representatives on 01737 237370.

I have received a Letter before Claim — what shall I do?

A Letter before Claim is a letter warning you that court proceedings will be issued in the absence of a response.

If you have received a Letter before Claim, then you should complete the reply form and Standard Financial Statement enclosed with the Letter before Claim and return this to us as per the instructions on the letter to tell us about your financial circumstances and let us know if you can make an offer of payment based on what you can afford and how and when you would like to make payments.

If you are experiencing difficulties; would like to dispute the debt; or do not think that you can pay anything towards the debt, please contact us so that we can understand your position and help you get free money advice.

If you do not contact us then court proceedings may be issued against you. This is where we ask the court to grant a County Court Judgment for the outstanding debt, together with court fees and fixed solicitors’ costs.

 

Court proceedings have been issued against me — what shall I do?

The court will have sent you a response pack explaining how you can respond to the claim and the timelines involved. Please ensure you read this carefully.

You can ask the court to allow you to pay the debt by instalments over a period of time, which would, if agreed by the court, result in a Judgment by instalments. Alternatively you can defend the claim or part of it.

If you do not respond to the claim our solicitors will ask the court to grant a County Court Judgment against you.

What is a County Court Judgment?

A County Court Judgment is a court order requiring you to pay the debt.

Once a creditor has obtained a County Court Judgment, the debt becomes a Judgment debt and will include costs involved in the legal process.

How will a County Court Judgment affect my credit file?

If a County Court Judgment (CCJ) is registered against you and you make full payment within one calendar month, we will apply to have the CCJ entry removed from your credit file.

If you do not make full payment within one month, the CCJ will remain on your Credit File for 6 years and will make it more difficult for you to obtain further credit, such as a mortgage, credit card, car finance or mobile phone contracts.

However, if you make payment in full during this time we will update the Court and the status of the CCJ will be marked as ‘satisified’ which could improve your credit rating and help you get your finances back on track.

You may find it helpful to visit the Registry Trust website for more information about the recording of a CCJ.

Can a County Court Judgment be enforced?

Once a County Court Judgment has been obtained, we can make an application to the court for the following:

An Attachment of Earnings: An application to the Court for your employer to deduct money from your salary if you do not comply with an Order for Payment.

A Warrant of Control: An application to the Court for seizure of your assets by a County Court Baliff.

A Charging Order: An application to the Court to secure the amount outstanding against a property if owned by you.

We prefer to avoid enforcement action and would invite you to contact us to discuss your circumstances so that we can work with you to achieve the right solution.

How does the process work in Scotland?

The process in Scotland is different to the process in England and Wales.

A Writ or Summons (Claim) will be sent to the Sheriff Court if there is no response to the Letter before Claim.

Once you receive the documents from the Court, you will have the option to respond to the claim by either admitting the claim in full or in part, or defending the claim.

If no response is received to the claim the Sheriff court will grant a Decree against you for the sum claimed and the associated costs of issuing the claim.

If a Decree is granted and you do not enter into a repayment arrangement, then you may be served with a Charge for Payment by a Sheriff Officer.

If you do not respond to the Charge for Payment, then we can look to enforce the decree by one of the following methods:

Earnings Arrestment (similar to an Attachment of Earing in England and Wales)

Letter of Inhibition (Similar to a Charging Order in England and Wales)

Questions about my credit file

Which Credit Reference Agencies do Intrum report to?

Intrum reports to Experian, Equifax and Transunion. You can view your credit file by visiting their websites as follows:

1. Experian

2. Equifax

3. Transunion

Why is Intrum allowed to place information on my credit file?

Intrum is required to report information under the credit industry’s Principles of Reciprocity which requires us to update credit reference agencies with accurate credit file information. It is important that the credit files reflect the facts to enable lenders to make informed and responsible decisions.

What does ‘default’ on my credit file mean?

An account will default when you have not been able to keep to the terms of your credit agreement. This usually happens when you have missed an agreed repayment. The number of missed payments before your account is defaulted varies between creditors, however the creditor will notify you of any missed payments and seek to recover the outstanding money from you first. The default will be added to your credit file and may impact your ability to take out further lines of credit.

How long does a defaulted account stay on my credit file?

The default status will remain on your credit file for 6 years from the original default date.

How does Intrum update my credit file when I have paid a partial settlement on a defaulted account?

Intrum will update your credit file as “Partially Satisfied” with a £0 balance outstanding.

How does Intrum update my credit file when I have paid in full on a defaulted account?

Intrum will update your credit file to “Fully Satisfied” with a £0 balance outstanding.

My account is non-defaulted. When I have settled the account in full or paid a partial settlement, how does Intrum update my credit file?

Intrum will update your credit file to “Fully Settled” or “Partially Settled” with a £0 balance outstanding. 

Why has Intrum searched my credit file?

Intrum may search your credit files to gain a better understanding of your circumstances.

Why is there an entry on my credit file by the original creditor and Intrum?

On purchasing accounts the original creditor is entitled to retain their entry and when Intrum become the legal owner we are obliged to register the account on your credit file.

I have noticed a mistake on my credit file in relation to my Intrum account, what should I do?

If you find that there is a mistake made by Intrum on your credit file, you may either contact Intrum directly or contact the Credit Reference Agency where you have noticed the error who will pass your query onto us. We will investigate this and correct any error(s) we find without undue delay.

General and overall questions

What should I do if a third party is handling my outstanding accounts?

If you have instructed a third party to deal with your outstanding debts please ask them to contact us on 01737 237370. If you have appointed a debt management company then they can speak to our dedicated debt management team by calling the same number.

What if I lose my job or I am unwell or someone dies and I cannot pay?

Our Customer Care Team have received specialist training to give the best customer experience and support for those dealing with, for example mental or physical health issues. We will always treat customers with sensitivity, confidentiality and respect. 

Please call us on 01737 237370 to talk to a member of the team or contact us another way.

What if I ignore your attempts to contact me?

Please get in touch with us to discuss your financial situation. If you can’t afford to pay anything we won’t ask you to pay and we will help you get free money advice. Many customers worry and are put off from contacting us but then wish they had done so earlier. 

We can help you set up a repayment plan you can afford and work with you to pay off your debt. Our customer service representatives are highly trained and we have a specialist team to help you if you have suffered job loss, illness or bereavement. Please call us on 01737 237370.

How do I complain?

At Intrum we pride ourselves upon providing excellent customer service. Should we fail to meet your expectations or you are dissatisfied with the service we provide, please tell us.

Please contact us to make a complaint or download our complaint form here and send to us at compliance.uk@intrum.com

Once contacted we will:

  • Acknowledge your complaint in writing within five working days
  • Investigate the matter competently, diligently and impartially, obtaining additional information as necessary
  • Assess your complaint fairly and consistently
  • Keep you updated if we are unable to issue a final response within four weeks
  • Send you our ‘final response’ detailing our findings and conclusion within a maximum of eight weeks

Our final response will advise you:

  • Whether we consider your complaint to be upheld
  • What redress or remedial action we consider to be appropriate
  • Our offer of remedial action or redress, (if deemed applicable) and how we arrived at that decision

We do hope that the final response will resolve the matter to your full satisfaction. If it doesn’t you are fully entitled to approach:

Full details (and an FOS leaflet where applicable) will be provided in our response.

Intrum's anti-slavery policy

Intrum is committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activity.

For more information, please read our anti-slavery policy.

Who do we share your personal information with?

We may share your personal information with companies within the Intrum Group and the following organisations:

  • Our Clients (the original creditor) to comply with our obligations under the assignment (where we are the data controller)
  • Third Party Agents and advisers who we use to administer your account, such as approved debt collection agencies, tracing agents, process servers and solicitors
  • Credit Reference Agencies (CRA's)

For full details please refer to our Privacy Policy