- Price
- €9.95incl. VAT, 2 pages included
- Delivery time
- Next working dayusually, after posting
- Proof
- Recipient's signature+ tracking
- Handed to the post
- Upload by 14:00UK time on a working day, posted the same day
- Counts as
- Inland Royal Mail letterprinted and posted in United Kingdom
When is a UK debt statute-barred?
In England and Wales, a creditor has six years to take you to court for most debts, such as credit cards, loans and phone bills. The six years run from the last payment or the last time you acknowledged the debt in writing. In Scotland the debt is extinguished after five years.
Once the time is up, the creditor cannot win a court claim, and a later payment does not revive it. Collectors may still write to you, so a clear letter stops the argument.
Which dates decide it?
| Date | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Your last payment | The six years usually start here |
| Your last written acknowledgement | A signed letter or email accepting the debt restarts the six years |
| A county court judgment | A debt with a judgment is not statute-barred; different rules apply |
How do you send it?
- Find the collector's address on its latest letter.
- Write the letter without admitting the debt or offering to pay.
- Upload it as a PDF and choose the United Kingdom.
- Keep the delivery record with the collector's letters.
Sample statute-barred debt letter
Based on the wording debt charities suggest. Send it only if no payment or written acknowledgement was made in the last six years.
[Collector's name and address]
[Date]
Your reference: [account number]
Dear Sir or Madam,
You have written to me about the above account. I have not made a payment or acknowledged this debt in writing in the last six years, and no court judgment has been obtained.
I believe the debt is statute-barred under section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980. Please confirm that you will close the account and stop contacting me about it.
This letter is not an acknowledgement of the debt.
Yours faithfully,
[Name]
[Address]
What to check before you send
- Living abroad now? Put your current address in the letter only if you want the collector to have it. A UK correspondence address works too.
Frequently asked questions
Which law sets the time limit?
The Limitation Act 1980 in England and Wales: six years for most debts. Scotland uses a five-year period after which the debt is extinguished.
Can a collector still contact me about a statute-barred debt?
It can ask, but it cannot take you to court. After your letter it should stop chasing you for payment.
Does paying a little restart the clock?
Before the six years are up, yes. Once the debt is statute-barred, a later payment or acknowledgement does not revive the right to sue.
Why send it Signed For?
So you can show when the collector received your letter if it keeps writing or reports the debt.