how should i deal with DCA

[foshizzle]

Hi there all, I have recently started receiving letters and phone calls from debt collectors trying to extort money from me. They claim I owe NPOWER £500, however I have never had an account with NPOWER. The debt is from a previous address I lived at, and my dad had unpaid bills for NPOWER at that address, and I am assuming that it is this debt they are referring to.
So I have three questions.

1. What can they do to me? (could they get a court order/CCJ's)
2. Because they are pinning this debt on me will that somehow affect my credit ratings? I ask because I have recently graduated from uni and I need to pass credit rating checks for employment.
3. How should I go about dealing with them.

Just an extra piece of information on the DCA, they are called Debt managers ltd and I read in a article somewhere that OFT had revoked its license back in July 2011.

Any information will be greatly appreciated and I apologise if this is a really loaded question I am new to this site and not fully aware of all the rules. Thanks.

[CleverClogs]

Re: how should i deal with DCA

Hi there all, I have recently started receiving letters and phone calls from debt collectors trying to extort money from me. They claim I owe NPOWER £500, however I have never had an account with NPOWER. The debt is from a previous address I lived at, and my dad had unpaid bills for NPOWER at that address, and I am assuming that it is this debt they are referring to.

Assuming that you don't reside in Norfolk and are not your own grandfather, you can probably ignore those onanists for the time being. On the other hand, you may wish to send them a letter stating plainly that:

1. You have never owed any money to NPower.
2. You have never owed any money to Debt Managers
3. You do not want them even to try to contact you by telephone ever again
4. Unless and until they can produce irrefutable proof that you owe the alleged debt, they are to cease all processing of your data and require immediate destruction of any and all adverse reports they may have sent elsewhere.

They'll probably ignore the letter, as most DCAs are rather thicker than porcine ordure, but you will at least have started to register your objections to their antics.

1. What can they do to me? (could they get a court order/CCJ's)

Both the European Court of Human Rights and the OFT (Office of Flatulent Twaddling) forbid DCAs from using thumbscrews, red hot pokers or threats to fit you with concrete boots as inducements to pay.

Despite various attempts to "streamline" the Courts, debt collectors are still unable to issue a County Court Judgement.

2. Because they are pinning this debt on me will that somehow affect my credit ratings? I ask because I have recently graduated from uni and I need to pass credit rating checks for employment.

It should not make any difference.

3. How should I go about dealing with them.

Carefully!

Just an extra piece of information on the DCA, they are called Debt managers ltd and I read in a article somewhere that OFT had revoked its license back in July 2011.

If only that were true!

Alas, the previous licence lapsed in February 2011, yet the daft Office of Faffing and Twaddling seems to have renewed another licence last year with the trading name "Debt Managers Limited" added... See attachments.

[CleverClogs]

Re: how should i deal with DCA

Another point worth noting is that doorstep collectors rarely - if ever - remove an alleged debtor's doorstep.

[foshizzle]

Re: how should i deal with DCA

Thank you for the information, it is greatly appreciated.