Very Old Debt - Status Barred?

[WorriedDevon]

I recently received a letter from a debt collector trying to chase an extremely old debt from around 15-16years ago. At the time, things were awful, I ended up havinga bit of a break down after my partner of 16-years was made redundant 3 times in 18 months and was trying to pay everything on my own very small wage and raise two small children. Something had to give so we had a roof over our head and I paid the rent/Council Tax and utility bills and food but I ended up defaulting on my bank loan. I tried wriitng to the collectors at the time offering small amounts but my offers were completely ignored. Due to all of this and the stress of everything, my partner of 16 years and I split up and I moved out of the family home with the children and moved several times in the process. My ex promised to sort the bills including the debt as he since got a new job and I had been carrying it all myself for a very long time.

Now all the years later, I keep being written to. My ex partner has since married again and we do not talk. I have been alone until 4 years ago when I got married and settled in Devon over 10-years ago.

I looked up information and saw that this should actually be status barred, but I am just not sure exactly how this works. Today, I got a hand whardly manaritten note through the door and I am scarred. I work for the NHS and am on a small wage and hardly manage to get through month to month as it is as times are so hard and expensive at the moment.

What do I do? Please help me with some helpful advice, I cannot stand the stress and haven't got anything to give.

[echat11]

Hi WD

Firstly, don't stress yourself about it.

Provided there is no CCJ (that's been granted against you and no payments or written communications admitting the debt in the last 6 years, then the debt is statute barred. You need to know when the last payment was made, when the default notice was issued, that way you can confirm it's statute barred.

Send the following template to the debt collector, make sure you get Proof of Postage.

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/sam...cover-debt-ew/

Once you get a response from them, update the thread.

[WorriedDevon]

Thank you, I will keep the thread updated.