Mackenzie Hall

angelclaire

Hi I'm new and extremely stressed, please help...

i have several payment plans set up with various debt collection agencies...this is under control (just). I have one HUGE outstanding debt which nobody has ever chased me for. i moved house several times over the past few years and my debt has followed me- I assumed that my HUGE one would catch up with me at some point as well, but it never has. I have now just moved again and recieved a letter from Mackenzie Hall stating:

"We are attempting to contact the above named person regarding a personal matter. We have been provided with your address as being the potential residential details for our subject"...

It goes on to give a contact number which should be called IMMEDIATELY. I dont know what to do. I have never had this before. everytime a debt has caught up before they have sent a letter saying how much i owe and who they are reclaiming on behalf of. I dont even know if they are chasing me for my HUGE debt....im sure everything else has been taken care of....what sould I do???? Please help. I dont want bailiffs at my door (i didnt know this happened in Scotland)....By the way the last time i spoke to the lenders about this money was late 2004/ beginning of 2005...I have NEVER made any repayments of this debt because they were so intimidating when I initially had concerns about it....HELP!!!

Claire

pania

there should be a template letter that someone can provide to send to them stating " i do not recognise any debt to your company" an then goes on to request full details.

hang in there, someone who knows where it is will be along soon.

and this will bump it up for now. xxx

GeorgeUK

This one?
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=11570893&postcount=3

RAS

Hi

Was the debt incurred under Scottish or English law?

angelclaire

thank you for replying so quickly everyone! I got the debt in Scotland and live in Scotland so I presume its under scotish law?? does that make a difference?

RAS

Yes

When you say you spoke to the creditors in 2004/5, did you speak to them or did you pay them or send them a letter acknowledging the debt?

angelclaire

I phoned them (Im sure it was January 2004) to ask if they would suspend my payments by a few months because I was going to study abroad and wouldnt be able to start my payments. They said no so off I went to Spain and didnt pay them. Stupid I know, but I had no option. By the time I came back, I was terrified to contact them so I waited for them to catch up with me, but they havent....

RAS

So under Scottish law this debt becomes statute barred in January 2009. What was it for?

angelclaire

It was a bank loan to buy a car and help me through uni- originally £5000 but they increased it to £10000 when i asked for more- irresponsible lending, I had no regular income and they knew that- not making excuses, I know it was my responsibility...anyway, what does that mean for me now? should i respond to this letter? what happens after Jan 2009? Thank you for the info btw

RAS

You need to think this over.

For a start, do not phone them, even if you decide to pay them.

If you do not respond, they may go away for several months and then try again. It may be that it is after January 2009 before you get to the stage where you have to respond to them.

If it gets that far, you do not have to pay them a penny. The debt still exists but they cannot pursue you through the courts and if you tell them that you are not paying, they can do nothing. They are not even supposed to sell the debt on.

If you were not paying the debt for some time before January 2009, then it could be statute barred already. MH tend to buy bad debts - those that are or will very shortly be statute barred or which are no documents - and hope people do not know the rules.

angelclaire

thanks again for the advice. Ive decided to ignore their letter and see what happens next. As far as Im concerned Im under no obligation to reply to their letter- they havent even asked for money...watch this space :beer: