Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

[happy]

HI

I wondered if anyone could offer any advice. We recived a letter to my house addressed to my husbands x wife (divorced 14 years). On opening it it said it was trying to trace her and could she contact this number. My husband stupidly rang them and confirmed his name and that he hadn't seen her for many years. They went on to say it was to do with a debt and they are looking for both of them on this my husband hung up.

My husband dosen't remember any debt and if it was for both of them i would of thought it would be addressed to him not her. Even if it is a debt it would be statud barred now. But i'm just wondering what to do now as we know they are going to start harrassing us. Do we just ignore them or now that he has acknowledged the letter do they have any legal rights.

Any advice would be great appriciated. Thanks

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

HI

I wondered if anyone could offer any advice. We recived a letter to my house addressed to my husbands x wife (divorced 14 years). On opening it it said it was trying to trace her and could she contact this number. My husband stupidly rang them and confirmed his name and that he hadn't seen her for many years. They went on to say it was to do with a debt and they are looking for both of them on this my husband hung up.

My husband dosen't remember any debt and if it was for both of them i would of thought it would be addressed to him not her. Even if it is a debt it would be statud barred now. But i'm just wondering what to do now as we know they are going to start harrassing us. Do we just ignore them or now that he has acknowledged the letter do they have any legal rights.

Any advice would be great appriciated. Thanks

Welcome aboard

If the debt was in joint names then they can chase either debtor for it, if it was in her sole name then he'd have nothing to do with it.

If there's been no payment or written acknowledgment in at least six years the debt would be SBd, however, if it was a joint debt and they've not seen each other in years it's possible the other party may have acknowledged the debt or made a payment. :noidea:

Acknowledging the letter doesn't give them any legal rights. Without knowing any details it's not possible to comment further, I'd just sit tight and wait to hear from anyone about the debt, then post up if and when he does. :ranger:

[Kafka]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

Never speak to these people on the phone - keep it all in writing however pushy they are.

[happy]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

Thank you very much for the response. I would have thought if it was in joint names then it would have been addressed to him. But he can't remember unfortunatly. He hasn't spoken with her for 14 years so like you say unless she has paid etc we can't know for certain. Reading up on the company it sounds like they deal with status barred debts. People are also saying they have been known to contact people in the local area with the same surname to see if they get a response and will harrass anyone who responds in the hope they pay some money. They don't put any information regards the debt in the letter. It's not until you ring them that they disscuss it further in a threataning mannor by the sounds of it. They don't sound like very nice people

[nemesis45]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

Thank you very much for the response. I would have thought if it was in joint names then it would have been addressed to him. But he can't remember unfortunatly. He hasn't spoken with her for 14 years so like you say unless she has paid etc we can't know for certain. Reading up on the company it sounds like they deal with status barred debts. People are also saying they have been known to contact people in the local area with the same surname to see if they get a response and will harrass anyone who responds in the hope they pay some money. They don't put any information regards the debt in the letter. It's not until you ring them that they disscuss it further in a threataning mannor by the sounds of it. They don't sound like very nice people

I suggest you check credit files for any information on this debt.

Noddle from call credit is free online.

nem

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

Thank you very much for the response. I would have thought if it was in joint names then it would have been addressed to him. But he can't remember unfortunatly. He hasn't spoken with her for 14 years so like you say unless she has paid etc we can't know for certain. Reading up on the company it sounds like they deal with status barred debts. People are also saying they have been known to contact people in the local area with the same surname to see if they get a response and will harrass anyone who responds in the hope they pay some money. They don't put any information regards the debt in the letter. It's not until you ring them that they disscuss it further in a threataning mannor by the sounds of it. They don't sound like very nice people

Debt collectors are not known for being nice people. :ohwell:

One thing to bear in mind when dealing with such creatures is to keep it all in writing, avoid ringing them! If you receive a letter then do post up.

If the debt was defaulted over six years ago it wouldn't show up on credit files as defaults drop off six years after they were recorded.

[happy]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

Ok, well thats handy to know. As i check our credit files quite often and no debt has ever come up We have been married 11 years and have a morgage and other debts in that time and i have never seen anything. My husband is under the impression she went off to Australia when they divorced so probably answers the question to why they are chasing him. The letter was also in my husbands surname which she changed back to her maiden name once divorded 14 years ago. Thank you for all your advice. We will not call them at all and will post again if/when we hear any more. But i'm sure they will be gunning for him now.

[happy]

Re: Advice on Debt collectors GDR Trace

Ok, well thats handy to know. As i check our credit files quite often and no debt has ever come up We have been married 11 years and have a morgage and other debts in that time and i have never seen anything. My husband is under the impression she went off to Australia when they divorced so probably answers the question to why they are chasing him. The letter was also in my husbands surname which she changed back to her maiden name once divorded 14 years ago. Thank you for all your advice. We will not call them at all and will post again if/when we hear any more. But i'm sure they will be gunning for him now.