Small claims notice

discountmummy

So we've recieved a county court small claims notice and i would really like some help on how to word our defence. We of course have refused to pay this.
We have for the past few yrs advertised in a local info type paper which is usually distubuted to households in the local area by the owner of the publication and we also recieved a number of copies ourselves to give out as we are a community centre (charity run). The last couple of publications we advertised in, there were no copies given to us and we know from local feed back that there was no or little distributution of these we have paid all bills bar this last one. I have myself spoken to them and did inform them that we did not recieve copies to give out and that we had concerns about distribution for the last two editions we adertised in but all they did was forward on a copy of the last advert to prove that its was there. They were informed by us that we refused to pay hence why the notice.

Now this is were it gets tricky as far as we know the pulication folded and another company (publication) is chasing us for the money, we recieved no notification that they changed names or took over the debt but even bizarley the original publication has been brought by someone new and after a convo with us (looking to see if we wanted to advertise funnily enough) they say that the debt is with them not this other company and they would wavier it to win our business back! How do I now know who the debt is with? I feel like there something very suspiciuos going on but need help dealing with it.

I have no idea how to put this forward on the court papers and im really hoping someone will be kind enough to help me.

ukbill69

I thnk dept cannot change hands unless the company goes under and the bank is getting money back etc. Just put you never traded wih this company and under data protection act you wish the comapny to remove detials of the transaction.