debt recovery solutions

Local taxation and sundry debt recovery solutions

Marston Holdings supports over 170 local authorities in the fast and efficient recovery of unpaid council tax, business rates and sundry debts, an activity that is vital to fund public services. We are the largest provider of court order enforcement services across England, Wales and Scotland.

Our approach and philosophy always ensure that visits are conducted at an appropriate time by fully trained agents with all the tools and information they need. Our services are delivered by a professionally IRRV qualified team which understands the current and future needs of local government. This makes us the partner of choice for clients requiring the collection of monies from their customers using fair and transparent methods. We collect over 350,000 liability orders each year from a broad range of local authority types, areas and demographics. With more certificated enforcement agents than our top ten competitors combined, 23 regional offices and two customer contact centres, we can visit any address within 24 hours across the UK where customers have failed to engage with us despite extensive efforts. We focus on early-stage interventions supported by omnichannel communications to secure payments at the earliest opportunity and reduce the level of additional fees incurred. With access to real-time business intelligence, our interactive website, mobile applications and extensive data insight, we achieve this objective in up to two thirds of cases received without having to make personal visits. In addition, with the industry’s largest dedicated tracing team, we successfully locate over 75% of cases where customers have moved addresses.

Our website and app empower customers to set up their own payment arrangements. This can be a preferred method for those customers who don’t wish to speak to a person directly. Alternatively, our UK-based contact centre team is on hand to offer tailored help and support.

Our in-house digital engagement and analytics capabilities are constantly evolving, helping us to identify an increasing number of cases displaying client specific vulnerability factors during the compliance stage. This allows us to adapt our approach sensitively and responsively. Enforcement visits are only undertaken after other attempts to contact customers have failed and can help us to maximise collection of monies from those that are able to pay. They also assist in identifying the vulnerable people who are unable to pay that could otherwise be missed, enabling our welfare team to provide the most appropriate assistance. We provide a range of support services including access to a Samaritan-trained Welfare Support Team and training developed with the support of the Money Advice Trust and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. We also operate referral schemes with debt advice organisations, ensuring that customers are fast-tracked for appropriate support.

Ensuring good governance and oversight, Marston’s independent advisory board oversees the whole business. It conducts regular ethical audits to determine the extent to which its values, cultures and behaviours are embedded across its people and processes.

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