Lowell debt collectors: do you have to pay?

Companies

Lowell Portfolio I Ltd and Lowell Financial Ltd, part of the Lowell Group

Regulation

Authorised by the FCA and a member of the Credit Services Association

Main phone

0333 556 5550

Post

PO Box 1411, Northampton, NN2 1BQ

Who are Lowell?

Lowell is one of the UK’s largest debt purchasers and collectors. The group includes Lowell Portfolio I Ltd, which buys debts, and Lowell Financial Ltd, which manages and collects them. Lowell’s own website also lists a solicitors firm in the group, Overdales Legal, which handles court claims. See our guide to Overdales solicitors.

You may not recognise the name because your original contract was probably with someone else, such as a bank, utility or phone provider. If that company sold the debt, Lowell now owns it and you would pay Lowell, not the original lender.

Are Lowell legitimate?

Yes. Lowell Financial Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and belongs to the Credit Services Association, whose code of practice it follows. You can confirm its details on the FCA register.

That does not mean you owe the debt. Being a real company is not proof that a particular claim is correct, so check before you pay. If a message looks suspicious, do not use the links or numbers in it. Contact Lowell through the details on its official website.

Why are they contacting me?

Lowell contacts you because it believes you owe money on an account that was passed to it or sold to it, usually after the original lender’s own attempts to collect failed. Occasionally the person they want is someone else, such as a previous resident at your address. If you do not recognise the debt, say so in writing.

Which debts do they chase?

Typically unsecured consumer debts: credit cards, loans and overdrafts, store accounts, phone and broadband bills, and utilities. Ask for the name of the original creditor and the account number so you can match it to your own records.

What can Lowell do?

Lowell can write, phone, text and email you, and may offer a payment plan. A debt collector has no special legal powers of its own. It cannot change your original agreement and must not mislead you about the law or harass you.

• Court action. If you do not engage, Lowell can start a county court claim. Court claims are usually brought through the group’s solicitors, Overdales.
• Bailiffs. A collector is not a bailiff. For most ordinary debts, bailiffs can only be instructed after a court judgment. You do not have to let a doorstep collector in.
• Your home. Lowell cannot take your home without going to court first. A forced sale for a debt like this is rare and a last resort.
• Your wages. After a judgment, a court can order deductions straight from your pay, known as an attachment of earnings order.
• Prison. You cannot be sent to prison for owing money to a debt collector.

Can I ignore them?

You can, but it is rarely wise. Silence is the most common reason a claim ends up in court. Never ignore court papers: if you miss the deadline on a claim form, a judgment can be entered against you automatically, and a county court judgment (CCJ) harms your credit record for years and opens the door to enforcement.

Can I stop them contacting me?

• If the debt is not yours, dispute it in writing and send the letter by recorded delivery. They should pause collection while they check.
• If the debt is yours, you cannot stop them altogether, but you can ask them to contact you by post or email only and tell them if calls cause you difficulty.
• If you are struggling and in debt advice, tell them. Breathing Space can stop most contact for 60 days.

Be aware that a debt can be sold on again, which means a new collector may contact you.

Do I really owe the money?

Mistakes are common: the debt may be someone else’s, the amount may be wrong, or you may already have paid it. Before you pay anything, write to Lowell and ask for:

• the name of the original creditor and the account number
• a breakdown of the balance, including interest and charges
• proof that Lowell owns the debt, such as notice of assignment
• for many credit agreements, a copy of the agreement you signed

Check your credit reports too. The main credit reference agencies each offer a free way to view yours.

Is the debt statute-barred?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, a creditor in England and Wales usually has six years from your last payment or written acknowledgement of the debt to take you to court. In Scotland the period is five years, and the debt can be extinguished altogether.

In England and Wales a statute-barred debt does not vanish, but if it is taken to court you can raise the time limit as a defence. Be careful: making a payment or admitting the debt can restart the clock. Get advice before you do either on an old debt.

Setting up a payment plan

If the debt is yours and you can afford regular payments, start with an honest budget: list your income, then your essentials such as housing, council tax, energy, food and travel. Only offer what is left over.

• Deal with priority debts first, such as rent, mortgage, council tax and energy.
• Ask for interest and charges to be frozen while you pay.
• Get the plan confirmed in writing and keep every payment record.
• Do not promise more than you can keep up. A broken plan can restart pressure.

Full and final settlement

If you can raise a lump sum, you can offer to settle for less than the full balance. Collectors sometimes accept this, especially for older debts. Agree the amount and the wording in writing before you pay, and make sure it says the payment settles the debt in full. A settled-for-less account can still show on your credit file.

If you cannot afford to pay

If Lowell is one of several debts you cannot manage, talk to a free adviser before choosing a solution. The right route depends on your income, assets and debt, and the main options include:

• A debt management plan, informal and flexible but without legal protection.
• An IVA, a formal agreement over several years.
• A debt relief order for low income, few assets and smaller debts. Limits are updated, so check current figures.
• Bankruptcy, usually a last resort.
• Breathing Space, 60 days of protection while you get advice.

Scotland has its own options, including trust deeds and the Debt Arrangement Scheme.

Too embarrassed to call?

Many people feel this way. Debt collectors deal with people in your position every day. If you do not want to phone, you can write to them, or ask a free debt adviser to contact them for you.

How to complain about Lowell

Start with Lowell’s own complaints process. If it does not resolve your complaint within eight weeks, or you disagree with its final response, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use.

Will they ever stop chasing?

Collection is largely automated, so reminders keep arriving at low cost to the collector. Debts can also be sold to another firm, which restarts contact. Contact usually stops when the debt is paid, settled, disputed successfully, or covered by a formal solution that your creditors have been told about.

Numbers linked to Lowell

Lowell’s main customer line is 0333 556 5550 and its complaints line is 0333 556 5552. Collectors use many numbers, and callers can fake a number, so do not treat caller ID as proof. If in doubt, hang up and ring the number on Lowell’s official website. For an example of a number guide, see 07891891162: who called?

Lowell contact details

We are not associated with Lowell Portfolio I Ltd or Lowell Financial Ltd. This information is provided to help people contact their creditors. Contact details change, so check Lowell’s website before you write or call. Last reviewed 9 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions