Debt recovery and trace consultants

[MrsSkint]

Hi guys - This is a bit long winded - apologies in advance.

My daughter has been sent a "Doorstep Assessment" letter from two DCA's. Barclays obviously sold on the debt to them.

The first letter is from Mackenzie Hall debt recovery and trace consultants. The pursuer is Cabot Financial (Europe) Limited and the original creditor: Barclaycard for the sum of £1,996.84.

The second letter is from Meritforce Doorstep Collection Agents. The Pursuer is Mackenzie Hall Ltd and the original creditor: Barclays Bank for £1,859.66.

Both separate letters from separate companies but are using the same address!

My daughter has been sent these letters as she has debts with Barclays. This is going back a few years and as yet she hasn't put a claim in for charges. I only came across these letters yesterday and asked her what happened. She said they had added charges on top of charges and she got herself into a real pickle so she buried her little head in the sand. I said I would try and help her out but don't know where to start. She doesn't have her account numbers or any other info. on these accounts - only the address of the bank that she banked with.

Her partner apparently wrote to these guys offering them a payment plan on her behalf to try and "get rid" but they haven't received a reply yet.

Any ideas what I should do?

As always much appreciate any advice

G xxx

[Curlyben]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

Mucky Hall and Meritforce are the SAME company.

Honestly if you are receiving letters from these clowns ignore them as they specialise in completely unenforceable and statute barred debts.
Also as they are acting as an agent for another DCA, in this case Cabot, they have ZERO legal powers at all.
Their letters are designed to scare you into making contact.
They WONT be sending anyone round and even if they did simply tell them to leave your property as they have no rights to call on you without an appointment anyway.

Overall NEVER respond to Mucky Hall or any of their various faces at all.
It only encourages them

[WendyB]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

If she has acknowledged the debts and offered a payment plan then that would do away with Statute barring (if it was statute barred, in case it was over 6 years old).

First thing to do is send them the "prove it" letter, after all, you wouldn't just pay me a couple of grand just because i asked for it now would you? You'd want proof of the debt first.

When she gets the details of the account, you may need to send SAR to get all details, then add up all the charges, sounds to me like there will be a lot. Charges may even outweigh the balance. Might be worth CCA request as well. Then see which is the best way to play it.

From my own experience with Barclaycard, and Tools as well, barclaycard rolled over quite easily and paid back charges very quickly.
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Sorry CB, hadn't refreshed my screen!

[MrsSkint]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

Thanks curleyben - Mucky Hall indeed - PMSL

Do you know how I go about sending a SAR without account details?

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

To back CB up, and offer a little encouragement; if Cabot thought there was any way of collecting without having to resort to cretins like these, they would be doing their own chasing.

Cabot might SAY they are taking a more ethical stance lately. But in reality, farming poop like this out to companies who don't even understand what the word moral means, simply proves that Ken Maynard's words are simply flatulence.
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If she has acknowledged the debts and offered a payment plan then that would do away with Statute barring (if it was statute barred, in case it was over 6 years old).

If it was her partner making the offer Wendy, that won't wash. It would need to be HER that admitted there was a debt.

[Curlyben]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

Thanks curleyben - Mucky Hall indeed - PMSL

Do you know how I go about sending a SAR without account details?

As to a SAR, seriously don't bother.
Just draw a shiney line under this one and move on.

Also once a debt has passed 6 years with no acknowledgements it is statute barred and NOTHING can reset this.
Once barred it's barred FOREVER !!!

[MrsSkint]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

so they can't take her to court then?

[Curlyben]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

They think they can and make threats of that nature, but are basically stuffed

[MrsSkint]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

ok, Brill. Thanks CB. I think I'll go along the lines of a "prove it" letter so that I can get her statements through and see how much her charges are. Any idea how to word the letter?

[Curlyben]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

NO DON'T send them anything at all.

Seriously they will soon disappear up their own rear ends

[WendyB]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

CB is right, don't send them anything. I've just read through again and realise i was getting the wrong end of the stick. If it's statute barred then there is nothing they can do anyway. If they have any leg at all to stand on (although that's unlikely as snakes don't have legs) they will no doubt contact you again. They are just fishing and hoping you will roll over and pay up anyway. Which you won't. Just ignore them and as CB says, they will go away.

[MrsSkint]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

ok, thanks guys I will take your advice. If daughter receives anything else from them I'll let you know.

G xxx

[Luminol]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

Just to add, Cabot sent me the same card which I ignored, didnt phone them or anything and have heard absolutely nothing since, that was 6months ago

[MrsSkint]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

Thanks Luminol - will forget about them then!

[MrsSkint]

Re: Debt recovery and trace consultants

Just phoned DD to tell her not to worry, and explained to her about "Statute Barred". Apparently this debt is going back about 5 years or more, she can't really remember but it has been quite a few years. Anyway, she also admitted that she has been getting letters with "warrant for arrest" on them!!! What the heck is that all about? I've asked her to bring the letters over to me ASAP and I would try and find out what these scumbags are up to. Any ideas?

G xx