Help! Marlin keep calling my parents house where I haven't lived for over 5 years!

[deedee1984]

I have some very old debt and my parents keep getting phone calls as I used to live there. I've received no letters and they wont say what the debt is for. They just say it's 'very important' that I call them. I know that if I call they will just try and intimidate me into making a payment I can't afford. How do I stop them calling my parents house? They know I don't live there, but still keep calling!!

Any advice/template letters to get them to back off would be greatly appreciated.

P.S I am disputing some of my old debts, so don't even know if it's one I should be paying or not :tinysmile_hmm_t2:

[bluebottle]

Re: Help! Marlin keep calling my parents house where I haven't lived for over 5 years

Okay. How many times a day is Marlin ringing your parents and over what period of time? Is this having a detrimental effect on your parents' health? There are laws which can be used to nip this in the bud.

[deedee1984]

Re: Help! Marlin keep calling my parents house where I haven't lived for over 5 years

They have been calling there for a few months, not everyday but at least once a week. It is causing them stress, my dad gets really annoyed when they call, and my mum just worries about my debt situation. So I really don't want them ringing there!!

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Help! Marlin keep calling my parents house where I haven't lived for over 5 years

I have some very old debt and my parents keep getting phone calls as I used to live there. I've received no letters and they wont say what the debt is for. They just say it's 'very important' that I call them. I know that if I call they will just try and intimidate me into making a payment I can't afford. How do I stop them calling my parents house? They know I don't live there, but still keep calling!!

Any advice/template letters to get them to back off would be greatly appreciated.

You could send something like this, amending it to suit your circumstances, such as the fact they are ringing your parents and you don't live there, etc.

Dear Sirs

Account No: xyz

I am writing in relation to the quantity and frequency of telephone calls that I have received from your company, which I deem to be personally harassing.I now require all further correspondence from your company to be made in writing only. I am of the view that your continued harassment of me by telephone puts you in breach of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 as well as Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970.

I ought to draw your attention to the recent Harrison v Link Financial case in which HH Judge Chambers outlined the predatory way in which the account holder was hounded; I quote, from this judgment;

"Cumulatively and damningly is what I find to be the way that MBNA and the Defendant went about recovering their debt. I am satisfied that the Claimant’s description of the way that he was hounded by his creditors is essentially correct not least in the use of “non-traceable” telephone calls. It seems to me that such conduct has no proper function in the recovery of consumer debt"

If you continue to harass me by telephone, you will also be in breach of s.127 of the Communications Act (2003) and I will report you to OFCOM, Trading Standards and The Office of Fair Trading, meaning that you may be liable to a substantial fine and/or other sanctions as they see fit. Be advised that any further telephone calls from your company may be recorded and used in evidence and I expect this harassment to cease immediately.

Yours faithfully,

IP.S I am disputing some of my old debts, so don't even know if it's one I should be paying or not :tinysmile_hmm_t2:

Have you sent Marlin a CCA request?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Help! Marlin keep calling my parents house where I haven't lived for over 5 years

I have some very old debt and my parents keep getting phone calls as I used to live there. I've received no letters and they wont say what the debt is for.

If six years have elapsed with neither any payment by you or written acknowledgement of the debt by you, the alleged debt would be statute barred - section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980 (link)

If it is statute barred, you can tell Marlin to get bent.