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Hi
I'm new to the forum and would welcome advice about what to do. I had dealings with a debt collection company a couple of years back. Someone using my name had run up debts, they weren't the easiest company to deal with but it got sorted out in the end and I (naively) thought that was the end of it.
Just before Christmas I got a letter from Bradford County Court informing me of ‘Notice of Transfer of Proceedings’ to Chelmsford C.C. as I was apparently now living in their jurisdiction. This was news to me because I had lived in the Chelmsford area for over twenty years and never lived in Bradford, also, apart from my mortgage, I didn't owe anything to anyone. I phoned Bradford and I was told that someone in/of my name had taken out a loan in 2008. I was further told there was nothing I could do to resolve the issue until I was contacted by Chelmsford.
Chelmsford contacted me in early March and I was presented with an “Order for Production of Statement of Means” stating “You have failed to return the statement of means sent to you”. In fact this was the first time I had received any correspondence from Chelmsford and no statement of means had previously been sent to me.The letter further ordered me to pay over £10,000 to the court office or to face imprisonment or a fine. I managed to get the judgment set aside and was told they would contact me about the court appearance. I hadn't heard anything so I phoned the Court last week and they told me that a date had been set for mid June, they said they'd sent a letter to me but I didn't receive it. Since then I was able to dig out some further evidence that they were pursuing the wrong person and sent it off to court.
The debt collection company has now come back to me and said "Whoops very sorry our mistake, here's £80 for your court costs and £50 for charity." It was only with that letter that it became clear that this was the same debt collection company that I'd had dealings with previously, they have admitted that the information they were acting on in 2012 was inaccurate but contrary to what they had told me at the time, due to an error on their behalf, the case against me was not closed hence the letter before Christmas and all the subsequent threats.
Okay here's where I would be very grateful of any advice. This company have now twice in two years erroneously accused me of owing substantial sums of money and this time they were going to take me to court. At no time have I had the possibility of speaking to them directly and if I had done so I hope they would have realised their mistake and the matter would have been swiftly resolved. Tbh their apology and financial compensation are insulting, I don't know whether that is their intent or whether they just have no idea how much stress this causes ordinary people. They've asked me to accept their cheques and sign a consent order so the hearing doesn't need to take place because its all been resolved and its all hunky dory. I feel really angry, I don't want to sue them for eevry penny they've got but given what I've gone though it seems complelty inadequate. Do I sign or refuse to do so and have day in court? I think I'm fairly robust and it angers me that companies can behave in such a manner. I'd be really glad if anyone can give some insight as to the advantages/disadvantage of agreeing out of court.
Thanks
I'm new to the forum and would welcome advice about what to do. I had dealings with a debt collection company a couple of years back. Someone using my name had run up debts, they weren't the easiest company to deal with but it got sorted out in the end and I (naively) thought that was the end of it.
Just before Christmas I got a letter from Bradford County Court informing me of ‘Notice of Transfer of Proceedings’ to Chelmsford C.C. as I was apparently now living in their jurisdiction. This was news to me because I had lived in the Chelmsford area for over twenty years and never lived in Bradford, also, apart from my mortgage, I didn't owe anything to anyone. I phoned Bradford and I was told that someone in/of my name had taken out a loan in 2008. I was further told there was nothing I could do to resolve the issue until I was contacted by Chelmsford.
Chelmsford contacted me in early March and I was presented with an “Order for Production of Statement of Means” stating “You have failed to return the statement of means sent to you”. In fact this was the first time I had received any correspondence from Chelmsford and no statement of means had previously been sent to me.The letter further ordered me to pay over £10,000 to the court office or to face imprisonment or a fine. I managed to get the judgment set aside and was told they would contact me about the court appearance. I hadn't heard anything so I phoned the Court last week and they told me that a date had been set for mid June, they said they'd sent a letter to me but I didn't receive it. Since then I was able to dig out some further evidence that they were pursuing the wrong person and sent it off to court.
The debt collection company has now come back to me and said "Whoops very sorry our mistake, here's £80 for your court costs and £50 for charity." It was only with that letter that it became clear that this was the same debt collection company that I'd had dealings with previously, they have admitted that the information they were acting on in 2012 was inaccurate but contrary to what they had told me at the time, due to an error on their behalf, the case against me was not closed hence the letter before Christmas and all the subsequent threats.
Okay here's where I would be very grateful of any advice. This company have now twice in two years erroneously accused me of owing substantial sums of money and this time they were going to take me to court. At no time have I had the possibility of speaking to them directly and if I had done so I hope they would have realised their mistake and the matter would have been swiftly resolved. Tbh their apology and financial compensation are insulting, I don't know whether that is their intent or whether they just have no idea how much stress this causes ordinary people. They've asked me to accept their cheques and sign a consent order so the hearing doesn't need to take place because its all been resolved and its all hunky dory. I feel really angry, I don't want to sue them for eevry penny they've got but given what I've gone though it seems complelty inadequate. Do I sign or refuse to do so and have day in court? I think I'm fairly robust and it angers me that companies can behave in such a manner. I'd be really glad if anyone can give some insight as to the advantages/disadvantage of agreeing out of court.
Thanks
