Overdales solicitors debt recovery: who they are and what to do

Company

Overdales Legal Limited, trading as Overdales

Part of

Lowell Group

Regulation

SRA-regulated; FCA-authorised for consumer credit accounts

Complaints phone

0333 111 0795

Who are Overdales?

Overdales Legal Limited, which trades as Overdales, Overdales Solicitors and Overdales Law, is a law firm in the Lowell Group. It does debt recovery and litigation work, mainly for financial services and utility clients. It took over the conduct of cases previously handled by Lowell Solicitors Limited, so you may have been contacted about a debt that Lowell owns or manages. Our guide to Lowell debt collectors explains the group.

Are Overdales legitimate?

Law firms are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Overdales Legal Limited is an SRA-licensed body, number 806769, and its complaints page says it is also authorised and regulated by the FCA for consumer credit regulated accounts. You can check it on the SRA register and the FCA register.

Do not click links in an unexpected message. Use the details on a letter you trust or its official website at overdales.com.

Why are they contacting me?

Overdales contacts you because its client, which may be a Lowell company, says you owe money. It may send a letter before claim, which is the formal step before court action. A letter before claim is not a court order, and you normally have 30 days to respond with your position, ask for documents or propose a payment plan.

If the letter is for someone who does not live at your address, you can email [email protected] to tell it.

What can Overdales do?

Overdales is a debt collection firm, and a debt collector has no special legal powers of its own. It can write, phone, text and email you, and may offer a payment plan, but it must not mislead you, harass you or threaten action it cannot take.

• Court action: if you do not engage and the debt is genuine, the creditor or collector can start a county court claim. Never ignore court papers: a judgment can follow, which harms your credit record and lets the creditor enforce it.
• Bailiffs: for most ordinary debts, bailiffs can only be instructed after a court judgment. You do not have to let anyone in.
• Prison: you cannot be sent to prison for owing money to a debt collector.

Before you pay anything

• Ask for a letter showing the original creditor, the account number, the amount and how the balance is made up.
• Do not confirm personal details or read out card numbers on an unexpected call. Ring back using the number on a letter or the official website.
• Check your credit reports to see whether the account appears.
• Be careful with old debts. In England and Wales a debt can become unenforceable in court after six years (five in Scotland), but paying or admitting it can restart the clock. Get advice first.

How to deal with Overdales

1. Open every letter and keep copies. Ignoring contact tends to make things worse.
2. Check the debt is yours and the amount is right.
3. If it is yours and you can afford regular payments, work out a budget first, then offer an amount you can keep to and get the agreement in writing.
4. If you cannot afford to pay, do not agree to a plan you cannot keep. Get free advice first.

Free advice is available from MoneyHelper, StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice.

If you cannot afford to pay

• A debt management plan for steady income.
• An IVA for larger debts.
• A debt relief order or bankruptcy where income and assets are low or debts cannot be repaid.
• Breathing Space gives 60 days of protection while you get advice.

How to complain about Overdales

Complain to Overdales first at the details above. If you are not satisfied, or it has not resolved the complaint within eight weeks, you can take it to the Legal Ombudsman, which deals with complaints about service from law firms. Concerns about conduct can be reported to the SRA, and because it is FCA-authorised for consumer credit accounts, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to help with complaints about those accounts.

Overdales contact details

We are not associated with Overdales. This information is provided to help people contact their creditors. Contact details change, so check the company’s website before you write or call. Last reviewed 11 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions