When you are in Debt and you are behind with your payments, your phone will often start ringing throughout the day. It can be a stressful time especially if you have a large number of debt collectors chasing you for payment. Add on all the letters you receive and the situation can seem overwhelming.

This post looks at dealing with debt collector phone calls, and how you can stop them.

Dealing with Debt Collector Phone Calls

Are you getting help with your Debt?

First and foremost are you getting help with your debt? For example you may be using the services of Payplan or StepChange Debt Charity. Tell the company calling you that you have appointed a third party to help you with your debts and provide them with the details.

Most of the debt collection agencies will typically put your account on hold for 30 days whilst your plan is set up. This will mean that collection activity is suspended, and you shouldn’t receive any calls during that time.

Screen your calls

If calls are still incoming, only answer calls from numbers you recognise. If you don’t have caller ID, see if you can get it on your phone line.

The Debt Collectors are still calling

Ask the debt collection agency to remove your contact telephone numbers from their records. Tell them that you will only deal with them in writing.

The Debt Collectors don’t take the hint and continue to call you

Make a formal written complaint to the debt collector reminding them that you have requested on several occasions that they remove your number. They should comply with your request.

The debt collectors continue to ignore you and carry on calling you

Make a formal complaint to the Financial Ombudsman. They will investigate the complaint and should be able to get the matter resolved. It can take some time though.

What I did when I started on my debt journey?

I took the easy way out. I unplugged my home phone and told my friends and relatives to use my mobile instead if they wanted to contact me. I had over 20 debts and so my house became like a call centre. Rather than stress out about it I unplugged my phone.

I then wrote to each debt collector with an offer of repayment and I also demanded that my home phone number and work phone numbers were removed from their system.

Once my payments were up and running the calls stopped and they only start again if I miss a payment. However the debt collection agencies only have my mobile number now, and I can put that on silent.

If you are struggling with debt

If you are struggling with debt and would like to get help, please see my post on where to get help with your debts.