Need advice on how to deal with Lowell debt collection after 9 years working abroad!

[Edforce1]

Dear All,

For the last 9 years I have been living and working abroad teaching and now I have returned and have settled back in the UK after my adventure.

About a month ago I received a letter and an email from Lowell debt collection, stating that I owed them 800GBP for a credit card debt that was that with Vanquis Bank that I thought I had settled in 2012. I do remember having the card but I am convinced I settled it, unfortunately, before returning to the UK, I had an admin day and cleared out all my old bank statements.

I have not acknowledged anything with Lowell yet, as according to my calculations and my credit report, it will be statute barred on the 31st December 2021. This debt is on my report and is showing as defaulted.

I have received no prior communication from Vanquis or Lowell proceeding the last communication, either by post or email (our previous landlord forwarded mail to a family member for several years after I went abroad) and the email Lowell contacted me on is at least 15 years old!

How should I deal with Lowell's request and is there anything i can do to slow down the process, so the bar limit passes or are they likely to up the anti and CCJ me before the deadline, which i don't want as I am trying to get a mortgage.

In anticipation,

Edforce1

[MIKE770]

Statute Barred Letter send and get free proof of posting. keep copies on file of all letters etc

[Edforce1]

Statute Barred Letter send and get free proof of posting. keep copies on file of all letters etc

Hi MIKE770

Thanks for the info, my credit file says the debt does not expire until 31.12.21 despite the debt being from 06.01.2012. The date Lowell (i think) got hold of it was 31.12.2015, hence the 6 years before statute bar being 31.12.2021. There is a 3 year gap in which I had no comms with anyone, so when does the statute bar for the debt begin, when Lowell got it or earlier?
Thank you, Edforce1

[MIKE770]

no payments or acknowledgement since 2012 then long gone statute barred, send that letter and if not acknowledged by you then it is up to them, see what they come back with, it runs from the last acknowledgement (5 years scotland or 6 years england/wales) . so what date last comms????

[Edforce1]

Thank you again.
I heard nothing from them until this year about the alleged debt, I was not aware it existed at all. So do i send them a statute barred letter. Where can I find the law regarding this for when I phone them!

[MIKE770]

do nottttttttttttttttttttttt phone them all you get is a phone jocky who will get you tied up in knots. all written and keep file and proof of posting, start with staute barred letter and see what they come back with?

[Edforce1]

Brilliant, will do that this afternoon. Thanks again.

[Edforce1]

do nottttttttttttttttttttttt phone them all you get is a phone jocky who will get you tied up in knots. all written and keep file and proof of posting, start with staute barred letter and see what they come back with?

So here is an update. Just got a letter from Lowell saying the debt is not statute bared pointing out the 31st December date in 2015, therefore not 6 years, however, they have said they will give me 60 days to respond, no threats or asking for any payment. 60 days takes it to February next year past the SB date, work that out.

Spoke with money advice service and they said ignore it and if they try to chase after the SB date they have no hope, they also said that 3 years to issue a default would likely be thrown out if it was taken to CCJ.

What does everyone think of that?

[MIKE770]

well february will tell? they are the pits dragging beneath reality? try anything to fool people, trouble some unsuspecting will believe their lies.