CCA request letter: ask for a copy of your credit agreement
Sections 77 and 78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 give you the right to see the agreement a creditor is relying on. Here is the request, and what it can and cannot achieve.
Section 77 or section 78?
Section 77 covers fixed-sum credit — personal loans, car finance on a loan agreement, catalogue loans with a fixed amount. Section 78 covers running-account credit — credit cards, store cards and similar revolving accounts, where the response must also include a statement of the account. If you are not sure which applies, the Letter Builder asks one question and picks the right section for you.
What a CCA request does — and does not — do
It makes the creditor show the agreement it relies on, and while it is in default of your request it cannot enforce. It does not write the debt off: once a compliant copy is supplied, enforcement can continue, and a creditor does not always need to produce the original signed document — a true copy of the terms can be enough. Keep paying any amount you can while you wait, unless you genuinely dispute that the debt is yours, in which case use the dispute letter.
A CCA request only applies to regulated credit agreements. It does not apply to council tax, energy, water, rent, HMRC or court fines.
The letter
The Letter Builder fills in this request with your details and downloads it as Word or PDF — free, and the letter never leaves your device.
Your name Your address [Date] [Creditor name and address] Account/reference: [account number] Dear Sir or Madam, Request under section 78(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 Please send me a true copy of the executed agreement for the above account, together with a statement of the current state of the account, including the credit limit, the balance and the amounts and dates of any payments due, as required by section 78(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. [For a loan, use section 77(1) and ask for a statement of the total sum paid and still to pay.] I enclose the statutory fee of £1. [Or: please tell me if you require the fee and how you would like it paid.] I understand that you must respond within the prescribed period of 12 working days, and that while you are in default of this request you are not entitled to enforce the agreement. This letter is a request for information. It is not an acknowledgement of the amount you say is owed. Yours faithfully, [Your name]
Fill it in and download as Word or PDF
What if they do not reply within 12 working days?
Write again, referring to your first letter and its date. While the default continues the creditor is not entitled to enforce the agreement, so it should not be taking court action on it. If it continues to pursue you, make a complaint to the firm and, if that does not resolve it, to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
You never have to pay for debt advice. MoneyHelper (government-backed), StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice all give free, confidential advice with no obligation.
Common questions
How much does a CCA request cost?
The Consumer Credit Act sets the fee at £1. Some requests are exempt from the fee, and many creditors do not ask for it, but enclosing it removes one reason for delay.
Can I send a CCA request to a debt collector?
Yes. If the debt has been sold, the company that bought it becomes the creditor and must respond to a section 77 or 78 request in the same way.
Does a CCA request mean I do not have to pay?
No. It pauses the creditor's right to enforce only while it fails to comply. Once it sends a compliant copy, the debt can be enforced as normal.