Hi everyone can anyone help?

[fifi75]

Hi everyone,
I have just joined today so forgive me as i am not 100% sure how it all works.
could anyone out there give me some advice? for the past 3 years my husband has been receiving letters for an unknown debt which has been passed on from one dodgie debt collection agency to the next. It started back in Nov 2007 at which point i followed all the steps as advised by the OFT and Trading Standards agency. we have no knowledge of this debt and so have written to these companies explaining this, however it just seems it goes from one collector to the next. We are so fed up of this, the most recent one arrived yesterday off Philips , any advice ??

[BillandBen]

Re: Hi everyone can anyone help?

Have none of the DCAS indicated what the debt is for?

[Zazen.Warrior]

Re: Hi everyone can anyone help?

If Philips are writing to you it probably means that the debt is now Statute Barred regardless of who's it is.

Send them this one if you haven't already:

PROOVE IT LETTER

Dear Sir/Madam

Account number

you have contacted me regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by myself.

I would point out that I/we have no knowledge of any such debt being owed to (insert company name).

I am familiar with the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states that it unfair to send demands for payment to an individual when it is uncertain that they are the debtor in question.

I would also point out that the OFT say under the Guidance that it is unfair to pursue third parties for payment when they are not liable. In not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt you are using deceptive/and or unfair methods.

Furthermore ignoring and/or disregarding claims that debts have been settled or are disputed and continuing to make unjustified demands for payment amounts to physical/psychological harassment.

I would ask that no further contact be made concerning the above account unless you can provide evidence as to my liability for the debt in question.

I await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed. Otherwise I will have no option but to make a complaint to the trading standards department and consider informing the OFT of your actions.

If you do not understand this letter, you should seek qualified legal advice

I look forward to your reply.

Kind Regards




Having dealt with Philips myself they will probably not go away, but battle lines have been drawn. The next thing is a Formal Complaint marked for the attention of their Compliance Department.

In response to this they will send you a large cardboard questionnaire to complete, it asks for all sorts of personal information and they will advise you they cannot investigate your complaint unless you complete it and return it to them, which is poppycock. They have no right to any of your information.

At this point I realised it was a bank overdraft consisting entirely of charges from about 16 years ago!!! I forcefully advised them it was Statute Barred, and reminded them of this for two or three more letters and then they went away.

Think back further than seems reasonable, is there any piddling small aged debt anywhere that you can remember?