Hamptons want my money!

[charris]

Hi
I've just had a letter from Hamptons legal saying I owe £349.94, from a t-mobile bill about 4/5 years ago. I've had a couple of letters before that from another company, which I just threw away without really looking at.
I don't own a home, have nothing on credit, no contract phone now, am currently unemployed, have no credit cards, loans or overdrafts.
The letter states if I don't enter into an agreement or pay in full then they will obtain information about me from a credit reference agency to help us decide if we should take legal action against you...blah blah blah.....can also apply for attachment of earnings (really? I'm hoping to get a job in the next two weeks)
to apply for a bailiff to visit me & remove items.
If all options are exhausted & I still haven't paid & its more than 750 then they may petition the courts for my bankruptcy.
How likely is any of this?
I haven't contacted them either.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Hamptons want my money!

Hi and welcome to LB

Hamptons are part of the Lowell Group, well known to us beagles.

The first question for you would be whether you really had the mobile contract they are referring to or whether they are on a fishing expedition.

As for the action they can take, they've obviously sent a template letter, since the amount they say you owe is under £750, they couldn't start bankruptcy proceedings.

To apply for an attachment of earnings or send bailiffs to your home they would need to obtain a CCJ against you, then go back to the court to apply for any of those methods of enforcing the CCJ. Without the CCJ, they can't do much more than keep hassling you. :grin:

[charris]

Re: Hamptons want my money!

Thank you for taking the time to read & respond to my question. Is it likely they would obtain a CCJ against me?

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Hamptons want my money!

Thank you for taking the time to read & respond to my question. Is it likely they would obtain a CCJ against me?

That's not a question that anyone without a fully working crystal ball could answer with any degree of accuracy, however, CCJs don't just come out of the blue. To obtain one, they will have to issue a claim and you'd be given the opportunity to defend or settle. Even if a CCJ was obtained, it can be wiped off the system if paid within 28 days.

Did you actually have the mobile contract referred to in the letter? If so, are there any reasons you may have for disputing the debt or the amount?