Can Debt Collectors See Your Bank Account Balance in the UK?

How much do debt collectors really know about you and your financial situation? Chances are, they might be able to access significantly more information than you would like. Here's how DoNotPay can help if debt collectors like Lowell Financial can see your bank account balance in the UK or engage in other questionable practices.

Can Debt Collectors See My Bank Account Balance?

Unfortunately, debt collectors can see your balance and other details about your bank account under certain circumstances. Although it is more common for an original creditor to do this than a debt collector, either party can get permission from a court to view your balance and expected income from pay cheques or other sources if they are able to show sufficient evidence that you likely have the money needed to cover the debt and are simply choosing not to pay.

Although this strategy is technically legal, it can certainly come across as unethical, and debt collectors that do this in an attempt to manipulate you into paying signal that it is best to be wary of further questionable behaviour from the company. Consulting an expert if you realise that a debt collector has accessed your bank account is an important step in finding out what has been done with that information and protecting yourself from future problems.

Has a Debt Collector Violated My Rights?

Although looking at how much money you have is unfortunately not legally considered to be a rights violation that it feels like, there are several other ways that debt collectors can violate your rights, such as:

1. Continuing to harass you after you have provided sufficient evidence that a particular debt they are accusing you of is incorrect
2. Insisting that someone else's debt is yours
3. Insisting that you need to pay more than you actually owe
4. Being unnecessarily rude or threatening
5. Contacting you unnecessarily frequently
6. Continuing to threaten you after you have explained that immediately paying a legitimate debt is not possible within the context of your current financial situation
7. Consistently contacting you at unreasonable times of day

Alternative Ways to Deal With Harassment From Debt Collectors

If you have called the debt collection agency and informed them of your complaints regarding aggressive or harassing methods of collecting and they don’t comply, you have other options to make them stop.

1. You can file Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADRs) with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will check the original lender for violations.
2. You can also file a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman, especially if the following situations apply:

• You've received intimidating calls from the debt collection agency.
• It is not proven that the debt is yours.
• The amount of debt is incorrect.
• The debt doesn't qualify as enforceable debt.

3. You can make a complaint in small claims court.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of these options, DoNotPay can help you deal with collections companies that engage in several types of dishonest or unnecessarily aggressive behaviours.

How Long Can Debt Collectors Collect a Debt From Me?

The Limitations Act 1980 explains that debt collectors can only attempt to collect a debt from you for up to six years, with the exception of certain mortgage debts. Because most debt collectors are only legally allowed a maximum of six years to collect from you, you may actually be able to take legal action against the debt collector as soon as this time period has passed if they do not immediately leave you alone. However, you must not make any payments or acknowledge your debt within this time to retain that right.

At DoNotPay, we know that you probably do not want to put up with any debt collector for that long anyway, especially since it can be difficult to know exactly what information they have access to and what they may do with that information. Working with us is a much faster and easier way to get rid of the vast majority of debt collectors.

What Happens if I Can’t Pay a Debt Collector?

Debt collectors are notorious for making frequent errors and refusing to correct them, and it can be tempting to ignore posts or calls that you know are incorrect. However, this is generally not the best decision. Refusing to pay a legitimate debt can impact your credit score, cause you to owe even more through late fees and additional fines, or result in additional legal action, and it is not difficult for a debt collector to convince a court that you owe money if you do not make any attempt to dispute it.

How to Get Debt Payment Assistance

If you do owe the debt, you should pay it. If you're financially unable to do so, you should set up a payment plan that does not cause you and your family hardship.

You can also apply for a Debt Relief Order. If you qualify, the creditor will not be allowed to ask for any more money without specific permission from a court. You will also be discharged from your debts after a year.

What Are Your Rights if You're Unable to Make Your Debt Payments?

The Office for Fair Trading (OFT, 2012) states that even when you can’t make payments, debt collectors:

• Should not threaten or harass debtors
• Consider the debtor's circumstances
• Demonstrate concern and empathy

Get Debt Help With DoNotPay

Whether you were just recently contacted or have been harassed for months, DoNotPay can help you figure out whether your debt collector is compliant with debt collection laws. After guiding you through a series of questions, we'll help you determine what course of action you should take, and contact the debt collectors with a demand letter on your behalf. If you choose to report the collection agency to a governing body instead, we'll file the complaint on your behalf.

1. Search "debt collection" on DoNotPay.
2. Answer a series of questions about the debt collectors, including when you were contacted and how you were contacted, so we can determine if they have violated any debt collection laws.
3. Decide which course of action you want to take based on our guidance, such as filing a debt verification request, demanding for the collectors to stop contacting you, or reporting them to a professional trade association.

And that's it! Once you choose the course of action you want to take, DoNotPay will handle the rest. We'll deliver your request directly to the debt collectors via first-class mail, or file your complaint automatically with the relevant trade association or ombudsman.

Some of the most common debt collectors we help our members solve problems with include:

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

Getting rid of debt collectors the easy way is just one of many ways DoNotPay can make your life less frustrating, and keeping your membership will continue to benefit you well into the future. Some of the many other problems we can help you solve include:

• Getting compensation for delayed or cancelled flights
• Contesting parking tickets
• Protecting yourself from stalking and harassment
• Getting revenge on robocalls
• Scheduling a DMV appointment fast and easy
• Suing people and companies in small claims court
• Dealing with bills you are unable to pay
• Getting rid of spam mail forever
• Getting refunds and chargebacks from companies
• Getting rid of spam text messages
• Jumping the phone queue when getting in touch with customer service reps

At DoNotPay, we are here to help you minimise the number of information collections companies can use against you. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you protect your privacy if debt collectors see your bank account balance in the UK.