Store and Catalogue Debt UK: Your Rights

The sofa was meant to be paid off in three months, and now the balance on the catalogue app has barely moved in a year.

Based on StepChange on catalogue debts, StepChange on default notices and Debt Camel on refunds. This covers the UK.

What happens when you fall behind

Sources: catalogue page and default notices page. A default stays on your credit file for six years from when it was registered, and paying later does not remove it early (StepChange).

If the account is sold on, read what changes when a debt is sold. Court papers? See what happens if you ignore a CCJ.

If you have been paying the minimum for years

StepChange says the company contacts you at 18 months and 27 months of persistent debt, and by 36 months it should offer a way to pay, such as an affordable payment plan or paying off with a loan or credit card. It may also consider pausing interest and charges, which could affect your credit file (StepChange).

A route people miss: claim back unaffordable credit

Debt Camel says a lender should check affordability at the start and before any limit increase. Credit that leaves you short for bills or forces you to borrow more most months may not have been affordable. The remedy is usually a refund of interest and charges. You cannot complain merely because the rate was high (Debt Camel).

Do not wait if you are thinking of it. You can complain if the account is open, or closed or defaulted within the last six years (Debt Camel). Check the age of any old balance with the statute barred checker.

Struggling with several debts? See debt management plans, breathing space, or what happens if you stop paying. Know your rights with collectors if letters get aggressive.

What people usually ask next

Is catalogue debt a priority debt?

No. StepChange calls it a non-priority debt, so household bills and living costs come first (StepChange).

Do I have to give the goods back if I fall behind?

StepChange says you do not have to give the items back if you fall behind (StepChange).

What happens if I miss payments?

The company asks you to catch up on the arrears. If you do not, the account will default and close, and the debt can go to a collection agency or to court (StepChange).

How long do I get after a default notice?

StepChange says a default notice must give you at least 14 days to bring payments up to date, and is usually sent after about six months of missed or reduced payments (StepChange).

How long does a default stay on my credit file?

Six years from when it was registered, according to StepChange. Paying afterwards can show it as settled, but does not remove it early (StepChange).

I only ever paid the minimum. Is the company supposed to help?

StepChange says at 18 months of persistent debt the company contacts you to ask you to act, again at 27 months, and by 36 months it should offer a way to pay, usually within three to four years (StepChange). Run your own numbers with the minimum payment trap calculator.

Can I claim money back for unaffordable lending?

Possibly. Debt Camel says the lender should have checked affordability when you applied and before any limit increase, and the usual remedy is a refund of interest and charges. You can complain if the account is open, or closed or defaulted within the last six years (Debt Camel). It will not work just because interest was high.

What if the lender rejects my complaint?

Debt Camel says to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service, sending a credit report and bank statements from about three months before to three months after the account opened and any limit increase (Debt Camel).

Worth reading next

• Debt Sold to a Collection Agency UK: Your Rights
• What Happens If You Ignore a CCJ in the UK? (2026)
• Debt Management Plan UK: How to Pay What You Can Afford
• Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) Scotland: How It Works

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