UK Credit Services Administration to Give Debtors Breathing Space

Following an announcement from the Credit Services Association (CSA) that its members will give struggling borrowers 30 days’ ‘breathing space’ before taking action to recover the debts, debt management company Gregory Pennington has advised people in debt to seek expert debt advice as early as possible.

Responding to news that the Credit Services Association (CSA) has agreed that its members will grant 30 days’ ‘breathing space’ to borrowers who have fallen behind on their debt repayments, debt management company Gregory Pennington has advised struggling borrowers to take advantage of the opportunity to seek expert debt advice.

The CSA, which represents debt recovery agencies in the UK, says the addition to its code of practice is "one of a series of positive measures being introduced to ease the pressure on debtors."

It comes after discussions between the CSA and the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) aimed at helping the increasing number of people getting into trouble with debt.

The CSA said that it "acknowledged that the present economic environment is placing greater pressure on debtors, and debts are increasingly being passed to agencies for collection".

Starting from the moment that the borrower informs the debt recovery agency that an accredited debt adviser has been appointed to the case, debt recovery agencies will take no further action to recover the debt for a 30-day period. Borrowers can use this time to establish the best way to tackle their debts, with the assistance of their debt adviser.

Consumer Minister Gareth Thomas said: "This new 30-day rule will give people a breathing space to help them take control of their finances as well as encourage them to seek help from debt advisers."

A spokesperson for Gregory Pennington said: "This 30-day period will give struggling borrowers some room to do something about their debts before a debt collector will take any action. This has become more important in recent months, with the economic downturn putting pressure on many people’s finances."

However, the spokesperson reminded borrowers that their situation with debt doesn’t have to go as far as dealing with debt collectors, as taking the right action early can often set the borrower on their way to becoming debt-free.

"A debt collector will rarely get in touch with a borrower unless they have fallen quite significantly behind on their debts. With that in mind, the best course of action for anyone struggling to repay debt is to get in touch with a debt adviser at the first sign of problems.

"Debts can grow very quickly – and the higher the interest rate, the more rapidly they will grow. That means that the further the borrower falls behind on their debt repayments, the more costly it may become.

"We advise that people who are having difficulties with their debts should not hesitate to get expert debt advice. The sooner the problem is addressed, the sooner it can be solved.

The spokesperson added that finding the right kind of debt solution can be a huge step forward for people who are looking to clear their debts.

"There are a number of debt solutions available to help people in various situations with their debts, and a professional debt adviser can offer guidance on the most suitable solution for a borrower’s circumstances."