Do you owe money to Stirling Park?

Who are Stirling Park?

Stirling Park are a debt collection business based in Scotland that offers both Sheriff Officer and debt collection services. The company is part of the Capita PLC Group.

The business employs around 150 people, which includes 20 sheriff officers and 11 messenger-at-arms.

If you’ve received a letter of notice that Stirling Park are pursuing you for debt, do not bury your head in the sand. We know how stressful this experience can be.

If you’d like us to connect you with free debt advice, get in touch on 0330 122 8447 or click ‘Get Started For Free‘.

Are Stirling Park a scam?

No. Stirling Park are a genuine debt recovery business that is based in Scotland. Their official company details are:

• Company Number: SO300097
• Registered Office: 24 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4BG

Please note, Stirling Park is an LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) not an Ltd (Private Limited Company).

What debts do Stirling Park collect?

Stirling Park debt collection collect debts for local governments, as well as companies that lend to consumers and businesses. They specialise in the following types of debt:

• Council Tax
• Housing Benefit Overpayment
• Non Domestic Rates
• Former Tenant Arrears
• Sundry Billing
• Credit cards
• Loans

If you receive a letter or a notice from Stirling Park, do not ignore it or your debt situation will get worse. Click ‘Get Started For Free’ or contact us on 0330 122 8447 to see what options are available to you, and whether we can deal with the collectors on your behalf.

Should I contact Stirling Park?

If you receive a message from Stirling Park LLP, generally the worst thing you can do is just ignore them. This strategy risks the debt collection process escalating further, and with more serious implications.

What are my rights if Stirling Park are chasing me for a debt that doesn’t belong to me?

If you believe that the sheriff officer is chasing the wrong person, you must tell the company immediately. We recommend that you call their phone number before the action escalates and potentially damages your credit rating. You’ll need to share your details with the company and may need to show identity documents.

If you ignore their contact, then the debt situation may escalate to the stage that they are applying for bank arrestment or earnings arrestment.

How can I contact Stirling Park?

Stirling Park have the following dedicated contact details for their debtors:

• Phone: 01563 546 518
• Post: Stirling Park LLP, 25 Bank Street, Kilmarnock KA1 1HA (they no longer have offices at 16 Nelson Street)

They also have a contact form that you can complete on their website.

Should I repay Stirling Park?

If you recognise the debt as your own, and one that is recent, then paying Stirling Park is the quickest way to get them out of your life. Unless you agree to a debt payment programme, then they will escalate your case to legal action, the Sheriff Court and court orders.

If you are not financially able to repay all of the money that you owe, then you could propose a repayment plan that is affordable to you.

Alternatively, if you owe money to two or more creditors, totalling more than £5,000 then you could consider an IVA. Click ‘Get Started For Free’ to connect with our team and see if this is the right solution for you.

How can I repay my debt with Stirling Park?

Stirling Park accept debt repayments in the following ways:

• Debit card
• Credit card
• Direct debits

What if I can’t afford to repay Stirling Park?

Stirling Park will be keen to recover as much money as possible on your account. If you are facing financial difficulty, it’s important to share the details with Stirling Park. It’s within your rights to request an affordable payment plan for your account. Use their phone number to discuss the situation with a human being.

The worst thing you can do is ignore them, because their action will escalate and they may try to take money directly from your salary through an earnings arrestment or from your bank account through a bank arrestment.

What action will Stirling Park take if I don’t pay them?

Stirling Park can take the following legal action to force you to pay your debt:

1. Arrestment

They can freeze your money and your assets to recover your money. A bank arrestment involves freezing money in your bank accounts, and then sending it to the creditor.

2. Earnings Arrestment

The court could grant an ‘Attachment of Earnings Order’ which enables Stirling Park or another creditor to take money directly from your salary or wages each payday.

3. Attachment Order

Your assets, such as vehicles, are seized and sold to repay the creditor. A bank attachment is where the funds in the account are frozen and then transferred to the creditor such as Stirling Park.

4. Inhibition

An inhibition stops the debtor selling, moving or refinancing assets unless they repay their creditor, for a period of five years.

Can Stirling Park sheriff officers force entry?

Yes. In specific circumstances and with good reason, Stirling Park sheriff officers have the authority to use reasonable force to enter a house and search it – specifically when the court order specifies this. An exceptional attachment order permits Stirling Park sheriff officers to enter a home and seize non-exempt items for sale at an auction.

Can Stirling Park sheriff officers seize my possessions?

Yes, Stirling Park sheriff officers have the right to seize non-essential possessions if the court order specifies this.

What can’t a sheriff officer take?

A sheriff officer is not allowed to take essential items such as:

• Lighting
• Bedding
• Chairs
• Medical equipment
• Essential kitchen appliances
• Clothing
• Items necessary for work up to a value of £1,000

Do not let your debts escalate to the stage that your items are at risk of being seized and sold. In our experience, there is always something that you can do to get back on top of your finances. Contact our team today for free guidance by clicking ‘Get Started For Free.’

Can Stirling Park freeze your bank account?

Yes. If you don’t pay off your debt then in accordance with Scottish Law, Stirling Park can ask the court to grant a court order known as an arrestment. This order gives them the power to freeze your assets so they can recover your debt. One of the most common assets to freeze is a bank account, following which your bank will be asked to transfer your balance to the debt collector.

What is a summary warrant?

The Sherriff Court may grant a summary warrant for debts that relate to HMRC or local authorities. A summary warrant gives Stirling Park sherrif officers the powers to recover debts relating to taxes, such as council taxes, and sewage charges.

What powers does a summary warrant give to a sheriff officer?

A Sheriff Court will typically grant a summary warrant to collect on debts such as unpaid council tax, following which the officer can send a ‘charge for payment’ giving 14 days for the debtor to pay what they owe in full.

If the summary warrant relates to debt that you owe to a local authority, such as council tax, you can apply for ‘Time to Pays Direction’, which may hold some protection against further action.

If the debt came from a parking fine or traffic offence, the debtor would often receive a penalty charge notice, which does not require court endorsement. The Charge Certificate will contain a warrant for lawful execution by a sheriff officer.

What is a bank arrestment?

A bank arrestment involves a Scottish court granting an order for a bank to freeze a debtor’s bank account. This order enables the money in the bank account to transfer to the creditor to repay the debt.

The debtor may agree to sign a mandate that gives consent for the bank transfer to take place, or it can happen automatically after 14 weeks if the debtor has not registered an appeal.

What is an earnings arrestment?

An earnings arrestment is an order from the court for the employer of a debtor, to send a cut of their wages or salary to the creditor, every time they pay the individual, in order to repay the money they owe. For example, if they have outstanding council tax.

How do you deal with Stirling Park?

We recommend that you do not ignore any notice that you receive from Stirling Park because your debt situation will get worse. Instead, it is best to either communicate directly with the company to come to an agreement based on your circumstances, or to appoint a debt management to deal with them for you.

If you communicate with Stirling Park directly, you have the following options:

• Pay them in full – the quickest way to get them out of your life if you have the money
• Propose a settlement agreement if you can pay part of your debt as a lump sum. They don’t have to agree to this
• Ask for a payment plan that you can afford

Alternatively, if you owe £5,000 or more in unsecured debts with two or more creditors, you may be able to consolidate your debts with an IVA. Click ‘Get Started For Free’ to find out your options. There are 1,001 reasons why today is the best time to get started.

What powers do sheriff officers have in Scotland?

In Scotland a sheriff officer is the name of an officer to the courts. They may work directly for a firm such as Stirling Park or work on a self-employed basis.

Stirling Park sheriff officers have the following powers:

• To deliver legal papers, such as a court document
• Enforce a court order – for example, make you pay a debt or evict them
• Enforce a warrant to detain a person or remove them from a location

Sherriff officers are not police officers.

What is a Messenger-at-Arms?

Like sheriff officers, the role of the messenger-at-arms is to execute court orders. However, they have authority across Scotland, whereas sheriff officers have jurisdiction on a regional basis.

What rights do I have when dealing with Stirling Park?

Stirling Park have to adhere to specific guidelines when collecting debt payments. You have the following rights when dealing with organisations such as Stirling Park:

• The staff can’t lie to you or pretend to have powers by law that they do not.
• Stirling Park can’t share your debt information with other people without your consent. If they have to leave documentation and forms with another party at your property, these must be in a sealed envelope for data protection.
• A debtor should not feel subject to bullying or harassment when receiving calls from the company or if a sheriff officer or a messenger-at-arms comes to their door.

I want to complain about Stirling Park.

Stirling Park, like all debt collection services, has to have a designated complaints process. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from them, you should first raise your complaint with the company through the following options:

• In writing: Compliance Manager, Stirling Park LLP, 25 Bank Street, Kilmarnock KA1 1ER
• Email address: complaints@stirlingpark.co.uk

When writing your complaint, please include the following details:

• Your full name
• Address
• Reference number (if you have one)
• Contact telephone number
• An explanation of why you are complaining

Remember to keep copies of the things you send them just in case you need the details at a later stage.

What if I’m not happy with the complaint response that I get from Stirling Park?

Suppose you are not satisfied with the response Stirling Park send about your complaint. In that case, anyone can escalate a complaint to the Society of Messengers at Arms & Sheriff Officers, which is the governing body for this collector.

The FCA does not regulate them.

What fees do Stirling Park sheriff officers charge?

Stirling Park sheriff officers fees are at a fixed amount that is set by the court. Their current rates are as follows:

Fees relating to organising and carrying out attachment for heavy machinery or cars

• £80 for goods valued at £681 and under
• £150.05 for goods valued between £681 and up to £3,028
• 5% of appraised value for goods valued at over £3,028 and up to £137,809:
• 5% of the first £137,809 and 1% of the remaining amount for a value over £137,809

Stirling Park fees which apply to Attachment Fees

• To report the attachment to the local authority: £9.20
• Providing a notice of entry: £11.05
• Unsuccessful attachment: £82.70

Stirling Park fees relating to an earnings attachment or a bank attachment

• £96.80 – for a balance of £681 and under
• £150.05 – value from £681 and up to £2,737
• 10% of the value – amount from £2,737 and up to £27,564 (not £27,654 as is stated on some sites)
• 10% of the first £27,564 and 5% of the rest – from £27,564 and up to £137,809
• 10% of the first £27,564, 5% of the amount from £27, 565 up to £137,809, and 1% of the rest – for a value of over £137,809

Document Fees for businesses

• Service of a summary warrant (for example, relating to council tax debt): 10% of the amount owing
• Serving a document to each individual at a different address: £78.10
• Serving a document to each extra person at the same address: £17.60
• Postal service: £17.60
• Postal diligence: £38.95

Stirling Park fees relating to seizing an asset or a range of items and belongings

• £79.00 to arrange the possession
• £145.90 to arrange and carry out the possession

Will Stirling Park write off my debt?

It’s unlikely that Stirling Park will write off the debts of individual clients without good reasons. You can attempt to negotiate the terms of a settlement agreement that sees you only repaying part of your debt.

An alternative option is to appoint a debt management company to deal with your creditors on your behalf and provide a debt solution. For example, you can make an application for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) to consolidate your debt bills.

If you’d like to connect with one of our debt advisors to understand your options, call 0330 122 8447 or click ‘Get Started For Free’.

What is an IVA?

An IVA is a debt solution that provides an alternative to bankruptcy in the United Kingdom and gives you the potential to write off a proportion of your debt while making an affordable payment for around five years. You can combine all of your unsecured debts into one place; including overdrafts, credit card debt, benefit overpayments, unpaid council tax, and once agreed, you should not have to pay further interest or a fee on your balance.

When applying you will work with an Insolvency Practitioner to pull together the documentation for your IVA request. The documentation involves creating a list of your income and all of your necessary expenditure, such as rent, so that the Insolvency Practitioner (IP) can help you to set a realistic monthly payment.

The IP will take the proposal to your creditors and needs to secure authorisation from creditors representing 75% of your total debt.

To find out more about the conditions relating to an IVA, you can raise any queries with a member of our team by calling 0330 122 8447, and see if you qualify by clicking ‘Get Started For Free’.

Where can I get free debt advice?

Sadly personal and business debt issues are prevalent in Scotland, England and the wider United Kingdom. Your financial actions can have long-term implications for your credit records, and they can even affect your ability to take a job in regulated roles such as banking, accountancy, insurance and law.

To someone in debt, it can often feel like a lonely experience and like there is nothing you can do. You can quickly lose your sense of purpose and experience health issues from the worry and stress.

Thankfully, help is at hand. There are numerous consumer debt organisations that you can turn to for any questions you have about your debt situation.

At IVA Online, we offer support and guidance to individuals facing debt issues. We have years of experience in dealing with the debt sector. With your permission, we look across the market and our network to find the best answer to your specific debt matter; which is usually the solution that sees our client repaying the minimum amount possible. Many of our customers tell us that we gave them the steps to get their lives back on track.

If you’d like our support with your situation, click ‘Get Started For Free’ today.

What can I expect from IVA Online?

Each of our team members has years of experience in dealing with debt companies, so you can expect straightforward and friendly guidance to help you to understand your options. We know how frightening and stressful being in a collection process can be, so we offer compassion and care to everyone who gets in touch.

We offer free phone consultations on 0330 122 8447. We’ll ask you a few questions to understand your situation and to determine what options you have available. Alternatively, you can complete a short form by clicking ‘Get Started For Free’, and one of our debt advisors will be in contact shortly to support you.

LOOKING FOR HELP?

Get debt help with Stirling Park now!