Zinc Group debt collectors: who they are and what to do

Company

The Zinc Group (Zinc Group Limited)

Regulated entity

Complete Credit Consultancy Limited, trading as Zinc Credit Management

Based

Stratford-upon-Avon

Phone

01789 405050, as listed by NatWest and RBS

Who are Zinc Group?

The Zinc Group, whose parent is Zinc Group Limited, is a debt collection and customer-contact business based in Stratford-upon-Avon. A Financial Ombudsman Service decision identifies the regulated collector as Complete Credit Consultancy Limited, trading as Zinc Credit Management. It works for financial institutions, utilities, telecoms, public sector bodies and insurers, and is a collector, not the creditor.

Are Zinc Group legitimate?

NatWest and RBS state that the collection agencies they partner with, including Zinc, are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Check the firm on the FCA register for the regulated entity’s name.

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

Why are they contacting me?

Zinc contacts you because a client has asked it to get in touch about an account it believes is unpaid. In one Ombudsman decision, the lender confirmed that it had asked Zinc to contact the customer, and the Ombudsman found Zinc acted in good faith. The letter should name the creditor and the amount. If you do not recognise the debt, ask for details in writing.

What can Zinc Group do?

Zinc Group 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 Zinc Group

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 Zinc Group

Complain to Zinc first, in writing, and keep copies. If you are not satisfied with its final response, or it has not resolved your complaint within eight weeks, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free. You can also contact the creditor named on the letter.

Zinc Group contact details

We are not associated with Zinc Group. 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