There are lots of debt collectors operating across the UK, including NCO Europe Limited (also known as NCO Resolve). If you’re reading this guide, there’s a good chance that you might already have been contacted by them.
Regardless of your situation, there’s no need to panic. There are lots of options available to debtors in the UK, and this guide contains all the information you need to know about NCO and their debt collection practices.
Who are NCO Europe Debt Collectors?
NCO Europe Limited (NCO) is a UK debt recovery company that claims to be a “leading Financial and Customer Care provider” involved in the collection of outstanding debts. The firm is based in Preston, Lancashire and has been operating since 1996.
Why have NCO debt collectors contacted me?
If you’ve received communications from NCO, you probably have an outstanding debt. Your debt might have originally been with another company, and NCO are known to purchase outstanding debts from other companies in order to collect the profits for themselves.
Are NCO Europe debt collectors legitimate?
NCO Europe Limited is a legitimate company that is registered in the UK under Company Number 03122581. They act on behalf of other companies to collect outstanding debts, but sometimes buy debts at a reduced cost before going on to collect the total sum owed for themselves.
NCO are a member of the Credit Services Association (CSA), which means that they must follow a strict code that governs how they treat debtors. To review the full code of practice, visit the CSA website.
Are NCO Debt Collectors regulated by the FCA?
NCO Europe Limited Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). They can be found on the FCA’s register at the following link, under reference number 662151.
What debts does NCO collect?
NCO collect debts on behalf of a number of large companies and are also known to collect debts that they have purchased from other firms. The debts they collect stem from a range of businesses and sectors including telecoms providers and utility companies.
What action can NCO Europe take?
It might help to understand NCO’s process a little better if they are trying to collect an outstanding debt from you.
For starters, NCO Europe will probably contact you to request payment of the debt and request that you visit their website or call their team to settle your account.
If you refuse or simply ignore them, they could send debt collectors to your home. Don’t worry if this happens, as whilst the situation is serious the debt collectors cannot enter your home or remove goods without your consent. If you will not engage with them, NCO may take you to court to pursue the matter further.
How to deal with NCO Europe?
The best way to deal with NCO will depend on your individual circumstances. How you should respond might depend on whether you can afford to pay what you owe, or if you dispute the fact that you owe the debt at all.
In most cases, there are several courses of action that you could take. These include: settling your debt in full, making a part payment, agreeing to a payment plan, seeking to write off your debt by using an insolvency solution, or alternatively disputing the fact that you owe money to NCO in the first instance.
How to check if you actually owe money to NCO?
Whether you dispute a debt or not, you may wish to establish that you actually owe the money that NCO are trying to collect. When asked, they should be able to confirm your total debt figure and name the company that they are collecting the debt on behalf of.
Any information provided can then be double-checked against your own personal records to make certain that all information is correct and that you owe the amount they are chasing.
Can NCO take you to court?
NCO Europe could take you to court to make a claim for any money you owe. In many cases, any court action would involve the company that you actually owe money to seeking out a County Court Judgment against you. This is more likely to happen if you refuse to engage with NCO when they request payment of your outstanding debt, or where you simply ignore their communications.
Generally speaking, debt collectors are more likely to work with debtors if they communicate clearly and are keen to find a solution to their problems. When it comes to debt, ignoring the problem simply doesn’t cut it.
Will NCO come to my house?
NCO Europe can attend your property, but their field agents cannot force their way in. This is because they can only send debt collectors and not bailiffs, meaning that they have very limited powers and can only really ask for you to pay off what you owe.
Do you have to let debt collectors into my house?
No, NCO debt collectors are not bailiffs and they have no authority to enter your property unless you choose to invite them in.
Can NCO Europe send bailiffs?
NCO cannot send bailiffs of their own accord, but a court may do so if you fail to pay what is required of you under a County Court Judgment (CCJ). The most NCO Europe can do is send debt collectors to ask you for your cooperation in repaying an outstanding debt.
Do NCO buy debts?
NCO have been known to purchase outstanding debts from other companies who have been unable to collect what they are owed. The process involves NCO Europe purchasing debts at a reduced rate, before attempting to collect what is now owed to them. This practice is commonplace among some debt collection companies, and credit agreement contracts frequently include terms that allow this to happen.
Can I stop them from contacting me?
Without the help of a formal debt solution, it won’t usually be possible to stop NCO from contacting you. For more information on how a debt solution could help your situation, it could help to read more about Debt Relief Orders (DROs) and Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs).
NCO can still contact you unless a solution such as those described above is in place, but you can ask for them to only contact you in certain ways – for instance via post and not by phone.
How to write off my debt with NCO Europe?
Whilst NCO probably won’t entertain the idea of just writing your debt off, they may consider a full and final settlement offer put to them, even if it is less than the total figure owed. If such an offer is accepted, it may be worth requesting written confirmation that no further action will be taken against you once payment has been made.
NCO might even agree to a payment plan if you cannot afford to settle what you owe outright. For more information about NCO payment plans, visit their affordability webpage. This provides further details of how debt payment plans work, and you can even access a calculator that will help you to work out what you can afford to pay on a regular basis.
Generally, it is only possible to write off debt via a formal insolvency solution.
How to contact them?
Communication is vitally important when you’re dealing with debt. To contact NCO, use the details set out below.
- Full Company Name: NCO Europe Limited
- Phone number: 0330 060 1500
- Email address: enquiries@ncoeurope.com
- Website: www.ncoeurope.com
Office address:
NCO Europe Ltd
New City House
57-63 Ringway
Preston PR1 1AF
How to complain?
If things go wrong, there are several ways you can go about complaining to NCO. They operate a complaints and feedback webpage here.
To complain directly to NCO, you can use the above link, or call 0330 060 1122.
As NCO is a member of the Credit Services Association (CSA), complaining customers can request that the CSA act as a mediator for their complaint. They can be contacted via telephone (01912 17 0775) and more information is available on this course of action at: www.csa-uk.com/.
Finally, if you feel that your complaint has not been deal with in a satisfactory or fair way, you may wish to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Not all complaints fall within the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, but those that do must be brought to their attention within six months of NCO issuing their own response. The Financial Ombudsman Service can be contacted via telephone (0300 1239 123) or email ([email protected]), and more information is available on their website at: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.
The bottom line on NCO Europe Limited (NCO)
NCO are a leading UK debt collection company, working on behalf of various major organisations to collect payment arrears and other forms of debt. Whilst any dealings with a debt collector are likely to be stressful, NCO are a member of the Credit Services Association (CSA) and so they should act fairly and reasonably when dealing with debtors.
If you’ve been contacted by NCO, don’t panic. After reading this guide you should have a better picture of who they are and can start to plot a route forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NCO Europe Limited?
NCO Europe Limited is the registered company name of NCO debt collectors. The firm is registered with Companies House under company number: 03122581.
Does HMRC use NCO debt collectors?
No – HMRC does not list NCO Europe Limited among the companies it currently instructs to collect debts on their behalf. For a complete list of the debt collectors used by HMRC, visit their website.
Who owns NCO debt collectors?
NCO Limited is a private limited company, that is owned and controlled by NCO Holding Ltd. This holding company is registered under UK company number 11600394, and Companies House records indicate that NCO’s CEO Nick Ford is the majority shareholder.
Do NCO accept credit card payments?
NCO accepts debit card payments over the phone and online at their ‘Make a Payment’ portal.
It’s not clear if they accept credit cards, and anybody thinking of paying off debt with a credit card should be aware that doing so can result in higher costs due to the fees and interest that may be applied.
Can NCO take my car?
NCO cannot immobilise your car or take it in full or part payment of a debt unless that debt is secured over the vehicle.
Can NCO Europe sell my home?
NCO could sell your home, but they’re unlikely to do this unless you have continually refused to repay what you owe over an extended period of time. NCO would need to take you to court to seek a County Court Judgement against you, unless the money you owe relates to a debt secured against your property such as a mortgage. If a CCJ was granted against you, NCO would still need to seek a charging order for your home to be sold.
How long can NCO Europe legally chase my debt for?
Under the Limitation Act 1980, creditors have six years to chase the majority of unsecured debts – and the period begins from the date of your last payment or acknowledgement of the debt. Once this period has elapsed, NCO Europe Limited will not be able to take legal action against you to enforce the debt.
You can’t just wait for this time to elapse, however, as NCO are likely to chase you for the outstanding figure and perhaps even seek a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against you if you refuse to pay.
Can NCO issue a warrant?
NCO won’t be able to issue a warrant, but a court could if a CCJ has been granted against you.
Can I ignore NCO Debt Collectors?
NCO are unlikely to just forgive or forget a debt, and they could escalate the matter if you choose to ignore them. To start with this might mean a visit from their debt collectors, but it could even progress to court where NCO could seek a County Court Judgment (CCJ). If this is granted, you will be required to pay up and failing to do so could lead to a visit from the court bailiffs.
Can you ignore a letter of claim from NCO Europe?
Before a CCJ claim reaches court, NCO will first issue a ‘letter of claim’ to confirm what you owe and to inform you of the pending legal proceedings. Debtors normally have 30 days to respond to a letter of claim, and there will normally be a reply form enclosed with the letter.
Once legal action has commenced, debtors can expect to receive communications directly from the Court. If you fail to act on official CCJ documentation received from the County Court, bailiffs may be instructed to visit your home.
Can NCO recover debts during the coronavirus?
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the way we all live our lives, but debt collectors and firms such as NCO are still operating. They may still contact you to pay, but might be willing to consider your individual circumstances or to work with struggling debtors.
Often, the best approach is to keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to contact them if you feel you really can’t pay.
What if I can’t afford to pay NCO Europe?
If you’re struggling to cope with your financial situation, help is on hand. In the event that you’ve received a letter or another communication from NCO, don’t feel that you have to pay up without taking time to consider your position. The organisations listed below can provide free and impartial advice that could help you to make sense of your situation: