About Overdales Solicitors
Overdales Legal Limited is a firm of solicitors in Leeds and part of the Lowell group. It trades as Overdales and Overdales Solicitors. It is authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 806769) and by the FCA for consumer debt collection (FRN 691793). Its registered office is the same as Lowell's, at Thorpe Park in Leeds.
When Overdales writes to you, it is usually because Lowell owns a debt and is preparing to take it to court. Overdales sends the formal letter of claim that the law requires before a court claim, issues county court claims, and after a judgment it can ask the court for enforcement, such as a warrant of control, an attachment of earnings order or a charging order.
A letter of claim from Overdales is more serious than an ordinary collection letter, but it is not a court claim. You have 30 days from the date at the top of the letter to reply. Use that time to check the debt is yours and the amount is right, ask for the documents behind it, and reply in writing so there is a record that you engaged.
Group Structure
Lowell Financial Ltd
Owns most of the debts that Overdales acts on. Lowell's own guidance names Overdales Solicitors as the firm that may take legal action for it.
Metis Bidco Limited
Lowell group company that owns more than 75% of Overdales Legal Limited, according to Companies House.
Company number: 07652466
Lowell Solicitors Limited (now Lowell Legal Limited)
Lowell's previous in-house law firm. It stopped practising on 5 April 2024, and Overdales says it has taken over a number of its cases.
Company number: 08647091
What an Overdales Solicitors Letter Typically Looks Like
- A Letter of Claim on Overdales or Overdales Solicitors headed paper, naming Lowell as the creditor and the original lender the debt came from.
- A response pack sent with the letter: an information sheet, a reply form and a financial statement, which the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims requires.
- A deadline of 30 days from the date at the top of the letter, after which a county court claim may be issued if you have not replied.
- Contact details of PO Box 462, Leeds, LS14 9NW and 0113 490 0825, the address and number Overdales gives on its own website.
- If there is no reply, a county court claim form, which Overdales issues through the online money claims service.
- After a county court judgment, letters about enforcement: a warrant of control, an attachment of earnings order or a charging order on property.
Your Rights
Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims
Before suing, a creditor must send a Letter of Claim with an information sheet, a reply form and a financial statement. You have 30 days from the date at the top of the letter to reply (paragraph 3.4). Once you reply, the creditor should wait at least 30 days from receiving your reply form, or from sending documents you asked for, before starting court action (paragraph 4.2).
Consumer Credit Act 1974 (sections 77 and 78)
You can ask for a copy of the credit agreement under section 77 (fixed-sum credit) or section 78 (running-account credit, such as a credit card). While the creditor fails to provide it, the agreement cannot be enforced.
Limitation Act 1980 (section 5)
Most consumer debts become statute-barred six years after your last payment or last written acknowledgement. A court claim on a statute-barred debt can be defended on that basis.
Notice of assignment
When a debt is sold, you must be told in writing for the buyer to sue in its own name (section 136 of the Law of Property Act 1925). You can ask for a copy of the notice of assignment.
Complaints
Overdales has its own complaints process (complaints@overdales.com or PO Box 462, Leeds, LS14 9NW) and aims to resolve complaints within 8 weeks. It says some complaints can then go to the Financial Ombudsman Service, within 6 months of its final response. Concerns about a solicitor's conduct can be reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Common Overdales Solicitors Scenarios
A letter of claim for a debt you do not recognise
Reply within the 30 days using the reply form and say that you dispute the debt. Ask for a copy of the credit agreement, the notice of assignment showing Lowell bought the debt, and a statement of account. Under paragraph 4.2 of the protocol, the creditor should not start court action until at least 30 days after it receives your reply form, or 30 days after it sends the documents you asked for, whichever is later.
A debt that may be statute-barred
Under section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980, most consumer debts become statute-barred six years after your last payment or last written acknowledgement, whichever is later. If that applies, say so in writing and do not make a payment or admit the debt, because either can restart the clock.
You need time to get debt advice
The reply form lets you say that you are getting debt advice. Under paragraph 4.3 of the protocol, the creditor should allow reasonable extra time for you to get that advice. Free advice is available from StepChange and National Debtline.
You want to offer a payment plan
You can offer instalments in your reply, based on your income and spending. Under paragraph 4.4 of the protocol, both sides should try to agree an affordable amount, and if the creditor turns your offer down it should give its reasons in writing.
A county court claim form has arrived
A claim form is a court document, not a letter. You normally have 14 days from service to respond, and filing an acknowledgment of service gives you 28 days from service to file a defence. If you ignore it, Overdales can ask the court for judgment by default.
A county court judgment has been made
If you pay the full amount within one calendar month of the judgment, it can be removed from the Register of Judgments. If you cannot pay, you can ask the court to change the payment terms. Enforcement such as an attachment of earnings order or a charging order needs a further court order.
Dispute the Debt by Post
Our debt collection dispute letter is written from your answers in the letter builder. Depending on what you tell us, it can say you do not recognise the debt, dispute the amount, or that it is already paid or statute-barred, and it can ask for the Default Notice and Notice of Assignment. Check the finished letter before you pay, then we print it and post it by Royal Mail.
- Disputes the debt and asks them to prove it
- Cites the law that fits your answers
- Gives them 30 days to reply
- Says you will complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they do not
- Asks for contact in writing only, if you choose
Dispute This Debt
- Guided step by step in the letter builder
- See the finished letter before you pay
- Printed and posted by Royal Mail
- Tracked delivery available
From £2.79, including printing and Royal Mail postage. Nothing to add.