Companies House lists Phoenix Commercial Collections Ltd, company number 03753408, as dissolved on 3 October 2023. If the Phoenix name appears on a current letter, do not assume the dissolved company is the legal sender. Check the exact entity, company number, creditor, authority and verified payment details.
CDER Group’s current official site covers enforcement and collection work, including council tax, penalty charges, court fines and High Court enforcement. A current document may use different legal or trading names, so the wording on your own notice controls the next checks.
First checks for a current letter #
- Identify the legal entity. Look for a company number, registered name and official contact details.
- Identify the creditor and debt. Council tax, a penalty charge, a court fine and an ordinary consumer debt do not use the same process.
- Identify the stage. A reminder or collection letter is different from a Notice of Enforcement, warrant, writ or controlled-goods notice.
- Verify independently. Use Companies House, the creditor and the current official company website rather than a payment link in an unexpected message.
- Check the deadline. Do not assume a complaint or payment-plan request pauses enforcement.
Debt collector or enforcement agent? #
A debt collector can request payment, discuss an affordable plan and refer a case to a creditor. It cannot force entry, clamp a vehicle or take belongings merely because it sent a letter.
An enforcement agent acts under legal authority. Ask for:
- the agent’s name and identification;
- the enforcement company and legal entity;
- the creditor and warrant, writ, liability order or other authority;
- the Notice of Enforcement and case-received date;
- an itemised balance and fee calculation.
Anyone claiming enforcement powers should be verified independently.
Notice period after 1 May 2026 #
For relevant England and Wales cases received by an enforcement agent on or after 1 May 2026, the normal notice period is at least 14 clear days before the first visit. A qualifying, timely debt-adviser request for a non-business debt can extend it to at least 28 clear days. A court can authorise a shorter period.
Earlier cases can remain under the previous notice rules. Ask for the date the agent received the case rather than relying only on the date printed on the latest letter.
Current non-High-Court fees #
For relevant non-High-Court cases received on or after 1 May 2026:
| Stage | Fixed fee | Additional percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance | £79 | None |
| Enforcement | £247 | 7.5% of the debt above £1,900 |
| Sale or disposal | £116 | 7.5% of the debt above £1,900 |
Permitted disbursements can also apply. Earlier cases can remain on the previous £75/£235/£110 table. High Court writs use a separate fee scale.
Ask for a written calculation showing the case-received date, every stage, payment allocation and any disbursement.
Entry to a home #
For most ordinary civil debts, an enforcement agent cannot force entry to a home on a first visit. Keep the door locked and speak through a window, intercom or closed door if you prefer. Do not sign a controlled-goods agreement you do not understand.
Rules can differ for criminal fines, certain tax debts, commercial premises and lawful re-entry after goods were previously taken into control. Get urgent advice if an agent claims one of these powers.
Vehicles and other goods #
Refusing entry does not necessarily protect a vehicle outside. An agent may try to take control of a vehicle it reasonably believes belongs to the debtor. Finance, lease, third-party ownership, disability use and essential work need can affect the position. Keep agreements, receipts and registration documents available.
Essential household goods and qualifying tools of the trade are protected within statutory limits. Goods belonging to someone else should not be taken, but evidence may be needed.
Payment and vulnerability #
Do not agree to a payment that leaves rent, mortgage, current council tax, energy or essential living costs unpaid. Tell the creditor and enforcement company promptly about serious illness, disability, mental-health problems, bereavement, pregnancy, recent job loss or other vulnerability. Ask for the welfare process and provide relevant evidence.
An enforcement company does not have to accept every payment offer, so get advice before the deadline if full payment is impossible.
Complaints #
Complain in writing to the current legal entity and copy the instructing creditor. Include the account reference, dates, documents, recordings, vulnerability evidence and the remedy requested. Further routes can include the Enforcement Conduct Board, the creditor or the court, depending on the issue.
A complaint does not automatically suspend enforcement. Ask an adviser whether an urgent court application or statutory protection is needed.
Debt solutions #
Breathing Space can pause most activity on a qualifying debt after notification, subject to exceptions. An approved IVA may affect enforcement for an included qualifying debt, but it does not automatically reverse fees or goods already controlled and an application alone does not stop a visit.
Use the debt-help resources page for free support and check the live enforcement deadline first.