UK debt collection company McVicar Debt Collection Ltd based in Preston, Lancashire is facing renewed legal pressure after being served with a second winding up petition within a year, whilst also carrying an estimated £36,000 in unpaid County Court Judgements.
Public Court records confirm that a winding up petition — Case Number CR-2026-002883 — was filed on 14 April 2026 and is currently listed as open. The petitioner is Adviser Services Holdings Limited, represented by Harper James Solicitors of Floor 5, Cavendish House, 39–41 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5PP.
A winding up petition is one of the most serious legal actions a creditor can take against a company. If granted by the court, it results in the compulsory liquidation of the business and the appointment of an official receiver to realise assets for the benefit of creditors.
Current Winding Up Petition (2026)
| Case Status | Open |
| Date Filed | 14 April 2026 |
| Case Number | CR-2026-002883 |
| Petitioner | Adviser Services Holdings Limited |
| Petitioner’s Solicitors | Harper James, Floor 5, Cavendish House, 39–41 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5PP |
Previous Winding Up Petition (2025)
This is not the first time McVicar Debt Collection Ltd has faced such action. In July 2025, an earlier petition — Case Number CR-2025-MAN-001007 — was filed by Michael Anthony Loveridge, acting as a Litigant in Person, through Manchester courts. That petition was subsequently withdrawn.
| Case Status | Withdrawn |
| Date Filed | 10 July 2025 |
| Case Number | CR-2025-MAN-001007 |
| Petitioner | Loveridge, Michael Anthony |
| Petitioner’s Representative | Litigant in Person |
County Court Judgements
Compounding the firm’s difficulties, McVicar Debt Collection Ltd has accumulated a reported six unsatisfied County Court Judgements (CCJs), with a combined outstanding value of approximately £36,000.
Unpaid CCJs are recorded on the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines and can be accessed by lenders, clients, and other counterparties conducting due diligence.
For a company operating in the debt collection sector — an industry that is extremely valuable to the UK economy and built on recovering outstanding liabilities from others — the existence of unsatisfied judgements against its own balance sheet raises significant questions about its financial management and operational credibility.
It also highlights the importance of applying due diligence when hiring a debt collection agency.
Industry Implications
The debt collection industry is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and subject to strict conduct standards under the Consumer Credit Act and associated FCA rules.
Any Firms holding consumer credit permissions are expected to demonstrate financial soundness and sound governance. An open winding up petition, combined with a history of unresolved CCJs, may draw scrutiny from a regulator.
However, it appears that McVicar Debt Collection Ltd are not listed as being FCA Regulated so are not subject to the scrutiny of the Financial Conduct Authority.
Businesses or consumers currently engaged with this company — whether as clients placing debt, or as debtors in the process of repayment — are advised to seek independent legal or financial guidance given the current circumstances.
This article is based on publicly available court records. UK Debt Collection News reports on matters of public interest within the debt collection industry. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice nor represents an opinion.
