1st Locate UK Ltd specialises in tracing and debt collection support. They’re experts at finding people who’ve moved address and haven’t updated their details with creditors. When standard debt collectors can’t find you, creditors may use 1st Locate UK to trace a current address. But here’s what matters: 1st Locate UK are NOT bailiffs. They can’t enter your home or take your belongings.
If several debts are unaffordable, an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) may stop direct collection for included qualifying debts once approved. Only remaining included qualifying debt is written off if the IVA completes, so compare every suitable alternative before choosing it.
Quick answers #
Can 1st Locate UK send bailiffs to my home? No. 1st Locate UK are debt collectors and tracing agents, not bailiffs. They can’t force entry, take your belongings, or clamp your vehicle. Don’t be intimidated by letters that sound threatening.
Are 1st Locate UK legitimate? Yes. Companies House lists 1ST LOCATE (UK) LIMITED as an active company, company number 03702599. The 1st Locate website states that it is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for accounts formed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Can an IVA stop 1st Locate UK? An approved IVA can stop direct collection contact from 1st Locate UK for debts included in the arrangement. Check the original creditor and debt type first, because suitability depends on your full finances, not the collector name alone.
Before you confirm anything to 1st Locate UK #
Because 1st Locate works in tracing as well as collections, the most useful first step is to verify the creditor, reference, and address trail before you pay or confirm details.
- Match the letter to an account you recognise and check whether it was sent to an old or current address.
- Ask whether 1st Locate is tracing on behalf of another creditor, collecting as an agent, or asking you to contact the original creditor directly.
- If the account is not yours or the address is wrong, dispute it in writing and ask them to correct their records rather than discussing it only by phone.
- If this is one of several debts, compare the full position through debt help before paying the most persistent collector first.
The ICO register currently lists 1st Locate (UK) Limited as a registered data controller under reference Z6791585 at the same Leeds address shown on Companies House. That gives you two official records to cross-check if the letter, email or caller details look wrong.
Who are 1st Locate UK? #
1st Locate UK is operated by 1ST LOCATE (UK) LIMITED (Company 03702599), incorporated in 1999. The business provides tracing services and outsourced account, billing, revenue management, arrears and collection support.
Company details:
- Registered office: Apson House, Bullerthorpe Lane, Leeds, LS15 9JN
- Company number: 03702599
- Regulatory statement: 1st Locate’s website states it is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for accounts formed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974
- Data protection registration shown by 1st Locate: Z6791585
1st Locate’s website also says it is a member of the Credit Services Association (CSA). They work for organisations that have lost contact with customers, tenants, debtors, or account holders.
Why is 1st Locate UK contacting me? #
1st Locate UK contacts you because an organisation may have hired them to find you or help restore contact about an account. This typically happens when you’ve moved address and the creditor can’t locate you through normal means.
The escalation process:
- You fall behind on payments and then move address without telling the creditor
- Creditor loses contact with you (letters return as undeliverable)
- Creditor hires 1st Locate UK to trace you
- 1st Locate UK traces a possible current address using lawful data sources
- 1st Locate UK contacts you at your new address demanding payment
This is why you might not recognise 1st Locate UK’s name:
You owed money to British Gas. You moved house and forgot to update your address. British Gas tried to contact you at your old address. The letters bounced back. British Gas hired 1st Locate UK to find you. 1st Locate UK traced you to your new address. Now they’re contacting you on behalf of British Gas.
Who instructs 1st Locate UK:
- Banks and credit card companies
- Utility companies (gas, electricity, water)
- Telecoms providers (mobile phones, broadband)
- Catalogue and mail order companies
- Council tax departments
Can 1st Locate UK send bailiffs to my home? #
No. 1st Locate UK are debt collectors, not bailiffs.
1st Locate UK has no legal power to enter your home or take your belongings. Their role is to find you and collect payment. They can’t enforce debt through bailiffs unless they first obtain a County Court Judgment.
What 1st Locate UK CAN do:
- Trace you to your new address
- Send letters and emails
- Call you at reasonable times, taking account of reasonable contact requests
- Report the debt to credit reference agencies
- Take you to court (see below)
What 1st Locate UK CANNOT do:
- Force entry to your home
- Enter without your permission
- Take your belongings
- Clamp your vehicle
- Threaten you with immediate bailiff action
- Claim they’ll “seize your goods” without a court order
Can 1st Locate UK take me to court? #
Yes—and this is where their real power lies.
While 1st Locate UK can’t send bailiffs directly, they can take legal action if the debt remains unpaid.
The legal escalation process:
1. Pre-Action Protocol (30-day warning)
Before 1st Locate UK can issue a court claim, they must follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. They’ll send a formal “Letter of Claim” giving you 30 days to respond.
2. County Court claim
If you don’t respond or arrange payment, 1st Locate UK will instruct solicitors to issue a County Court claim. You’ll receive court papers (form N1) at your address.
3. County Court Judgment (CCJ)
If you don’t defend the claim, the court will enter a judgment against you. This is a County Court Judgment (CCJ), which:
- Stays on your credit file for 6 years
- Makes it nearly impossible to get credit, mortgages, or phone contracts
- Allows 1st Locate UK to enforce through bailiffs
4. Enforcement after a CCJ
Once 1st Locate UK has a CCJ, they can apply for:
- Attachment of Earnings Order: Your employer deducts money from your wages
- Charging Order: 1st Locate UK secures the debt against your property (if you’re a homeowner)
- Warrant of Control: The court issues a warrant allowing actual bailiffs to seize goods
Don’t ignore court papers. If you receive a “Claim Form” (form N1), you have 14 days to respond.
Is the debt really yours? #
Before you pay 1st Locate UK anything, verify the debt is actually yours.
Request proof under the Consumer Credit Act 1974:
If the debt is a qualifying regulated credit agreement—for example, some credit-card, loan or handset-finance agreements—you may be able to request a copy under sections 77–79 of the Consumer Credit Act. Ordinary mobile service contracts and many other debts are not covered; check the applicable section, fee and effect.
Write to 1st Locate UK:
1ST LOCATE (UK) LIMITED
Apson House
Bullerthorpe Lane
Leeds
LS15 9JNSay:
“I’m writing regarding account reference [your reference number]. Under Section 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, I request a true copy of the executed credit agreement for this debt. I also request a full breakdown of how the current balance has been calculated. I don’t acknowledge this debt until I receive proof.”
The creditor or collector normally has 12 working days to respond to a Consumer Credit Act request for eligible regulated credit agreements. If a properly requested agreement cannot be supplied, court enforcement can be restricted while the default continues.
When is a debt statute-barred?
For many simple-contract debts the headline periods are six years in England and Wales and five years in Scotland, but the start date, debt type, payments, written acknowledgement, an existing judgment and the jurisdiction can change the result. Read the statute-barred debt guide and get advice before paying or relying on limitation.
If limitation has expired and no judgment exists, it may provide a defence to a court claim. A claim can still require a timely defence, so do not ignore court papers or assume the collector decides the legal position.
Warning: A payment or qualifying written acknowledgement before the limitation period expires can restart time for some England-and-Wales debts. The effect after expiry and the Scottish prescription rules differ, so take advice before responding.
Will 1st Locate UK accept a settlement? #
1st Locate UK may consider a full and final settlement, but the outcome depends on the creditor, the age of the account, your affordability, and whether the debt is disputed.
Do not assume a discount is available. A lump sum can sometimes help if the creditor accepts it in writing, but it should not leave you short for rent, council tax, energy, food, or other priority commitments.
How to negotiate a settlement:
- Don’t offer first. Let 1st Locate UK tell you what they want.
- Start with affordability. Work out what you can genuinely pay after priority bills.
- Explain your circumstances. “I’ve been offered help from family, but they can only lend £X.”
- Get it in writing. Never pay until you have written confirmation that the settlement clears the debt in full.
- Pay via bank transfer and keep proof of payment.
How to stop 1st Locate UK with an IVA #
An approved IVA can bind creditors for debts included in the arrangement, so direct collection by this firm should normally stop for an included qualifying debt. The approved terms, debt type and timing control the result; an IVA does not cover every debt or automatically undo every court or enforcement step.
There is no single statutory debt balance or monthly-payment figure that makes an IVA suitable. A licensed Insolvency Practitioner should compare sustainable income, essential spending, assets, creditor returns and alternatives such as a Debt Management Plan, Debt Relief Order or bankruptcy.
Do not ignore an existing Letter of Claim, court form or enforcement deadline while an IVA is only being considered. If several debts are unaffordable, use the IVA suitability check as a first step and get advice on the live deadline.
How to deal with 1st Locate UK calls #
You have rights:
Ask for a reasonable communication channel. Request post or email and explain any vulnerability or accessibility need. The firm must have regard to a reasonable request, but necessary and proportionate contact may continue. Keep a written record.
Don’t admit the debt until you’ve verified it. If you don’t recognise the debt, say: “I need to see proof of this debt in writing before I can discuss it.”
Check the legal position before making a token payment. A qualifying payment or written acknowledgement before time expires can restart limitation for some England-and-Wales debts. Once a claim is already barred, section 29(7) prevents a later acknowledgement or payment from reviving it; Scottish prescription differs. Get advice first.
If you’re vulnerable, tell them. If you have mental health problems, serious illness, disability, or are in crisis, declare this. 1st Locate UK must follow FCA “Consumer Duty” rules and adjust their approach.
How to complain about 1st Locate UK #
1. Complain to 1st Locate UK directly
Write to:
1ST LOCATE (UK) LIMITED
Apson House
Bullerthorpe Lane
Leeds
LS15 9JNInclude your reference number, dates of the issue, what happened, and what you want.
They have 8 weeks to respond.
If the problem is about wrong trace data, old-address use, or how your personal data was handled, keep copies of the letters and note that the ICO register shows 1st Locate as a live data controller. That can matter if you later need to raise a data-handling complaint as well as a debt-collection one.
2. Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)
If 1st Locate UK doesn’t respond or you’re not satisfied:
- Website: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
- Phone: 0800 023 4567
3. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
If 1st Locate UK has breached FCA rules:
- Website: www.fca.org.uk/contact
- Phone: 0800 111 6768
1st Locate UK contact details #
Registered office: 1ST LOCATE (UK) LIMITED Apson House Bullerthorpe Lane Leeds LS15 9JN
Company number: 03702599 FCA statement: 1st Locate’s website says it is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for relevant Consumer Credit Act accounts
Regulatory status:
- Check the current FCA status using the firm’s official details before paying or sharing sensitive information
- CSA (Credit Services Association) Member
- ICO Registered
If you’re struggling with debt and want to find out what options are available, use our debt-options calculator for an initial comparison; it cannot confirm eligibility, approval or a write-off amount.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Can 1st Locate UK send bailiffs to my home? #
No. 1st Locate UK are tracing and debt collection specialists, not bailiffs. They have no legal power to enter your property, take your belongings, or clamp your vehicle.
Are 1st Locate UK legitimate? #
Yes. Companies House lists 1ST LOCATE (UK) LIMITED as active under company number 03702599, and the 1st Locate website states that it is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for relevant consumer credit accounts.
How did 1st Locate UK find my new address? #
1st Locate UK specializes in tracing people. They use credit reference agencies, electoral roll data, utility connection records, and other legal sources to find people who’ve moved address.
Will 1st Locate UK take me to court? #
They or the creditor may escalate the account if it remains unpaid. If you receive a Letter of Claim or a County Court claim form, do not ignore it because a judgment can affect your credit file for 6 years.
Can I stop 1st Locate UK with an IVA? #
An approved IVA can stop direct collection contact from 1st Locate UK for included qualifying debts. It is most likely to be relevant where you have unaffordable unsecured debts with more than one creditor and can afford a realistic monthly contribution.
Will 1st Locate UK accept a settlement? #
They may consider a full and final settlement, but there is no guaranteed discount. Ask for written confirmation that the agreed payment will settle the account, and do not offer a lump sum that leaves priority bills unpaid.
If you’re dealing with 1st Locate UK and several debts are unaffordable, an approved IVA may stop direct contact for included qualifying debts. Compare it with the other debt options and use the IVA suitability check as a first step.