McKenzie Hall - anyone know who they are?

MissConfused_2

Hi Guys,
A bit of advice please, for ages now, and I mean months, I've been getting letters/postcard type things, and perforated envelopes all from these people, saying I owe them money, at first it didn't say what for. Then this annoying, rude woman started phoning my mobile, turned out she got the number off my mum (I don't live at my parents so not sure how she got their number), she said I owe them over £300 for a debt to do with ICS Learn...to be honest I'm not sure if I do or don't, I did have a course with them once, but cancelled it within the time frame. I asked the woman on the phone to prove the debt to me, but all she said was "you owe the money, you signed an agreement", but wouldn't send me proof. Now she's somehow got my work phone number as yesterday she kept ringing, luckily I have caller display and kept rejecting the call, but she kept ringing and ringing, bearing in mind it's work, it could have got me into trouble . Today I get a letter from them saying "Doorstep Assessment", etcetc, "we may have no other option but to sanction a doorstep visit to your property by our field collectors, Meritforce, "we may advise our clients to issuea claim against you....
"if Judgement is granted......
"we may make an application for an attachment of earnings....
" we may apply to the court for an application to seize some of your assets...
Now, I am worried, and I'm not, firstly I live in a 3rd floor flat, so access is next to impossible if they do turn up, but also my car is parked outside, can they take this? Although saying that, I thought judgements, attachments of earnings etc can only be used against priority debts, which this most certainly isn't. Just need the advice of someone who know's the law better than I do, as if this telephone/letter harrasment keeps up, I'll end up telling the woman where she can stick her letters (which I'm sure won't go down too well!)
Thanks in advance
Kirsty

smashedbooboo

Hi and welcomw sweetie, please dont worry too much about this. The doorstep collectors have about as many rights as a chocolate fireguard.

How old is this debt, you have no need to speak to them on the phone at all.

There are template letters you can send to them requesting they only deal with you in writing.

I would send them a letter asking for a copy of your signed consumer credit agreement. This will cost you 1.00. Get a postal order for this. And do not sign the bottom of the letter. Print your name only. Once they have this request, they have so long to supply you with info you have asked for. This will put the debt into dispute until they can come up with the CCA.

I am sure Fermi will be along shortly to give you a b it more advice hun. You have come to the right place. As i said earlier, please dont be fretting too much over this. We will help you all we can

Boo x x x x x

smashedbooboo

1 High Street,
Newtown,
Kent
R21 4RH


June 28, 2006


The Loan Company
Company House,
Church Street,
Newtown,
Kent,
R1 7HG

Dear Sir/Madam

Re:− Account/Reference Number 4563210025897412

With reference to the above agreement, we would be grateful if you would send us a copy of this credit agreement.

We understand that under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (Sections 77−79), we are entitled to receive a copy of our credit agreement on request. We enclose a payment of £1.00 which represents the fee payable under the Consumer Credit Act.

We understand a copy of our credit agreement should be supplied within 12 working days.

We understand that under the Consumer Credit Act creditors are unable to enforce an agreement if they fail to comply with a request for a copy of the agreement under these sections of the Act.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully
Mr A N Other
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Last edited by smashedbooboo : 09-08-2008 at 11:26 AM.
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sunnydisposition_2

I too have had a call from these people today and I knew immediately from the tone on the answer machine that this was not a 'happy' company and I decided to look them up and have found a mountain of stuff. Most of the posts here are with regards to old debt though, but I have been making monthly payments and my debt is recognised, so I will not be covered by the 6 year rule or anything and I'm wondering how to deal with these people re a live debt.

I've had a loan with my ex bank for about 6 years and I have been paying it off at an affordable rate quite the thing. Then, when all the banking stuff started to rear its head last year, the bank wrote to me saying that they wanted to up my payments and that they had the right to change my low rate as I had defaulted once. I didn't even know it hadn't gone through - it was years ago and they re-applied and got the money the same week and nothing else was said at the time and I have been paying with no problems since.

At the time my bank had started requesting me to up my payments or pay off the £11,000, my old aunt had had a fall and I spent the next five months solid pulling her out of a coma, going in everyday to give her physio that the hospital wasn't prepared to give her and basically keeping her alive and making sure the NHS didn't kill her - she was a bed-hogger being 84 years old and I caught them starving her on several occasions, so I really had to be on the ball on a daily basis. It was a very stressful and unhappy time as I was her only relative here, so I just could not communicate with friends nevermind banks at the time and I ignored letters. Subsequent to my aunt's death, I succumbed to one of the various viruses I had managed to previously fend off during my hospital visits and was knocked on my back for several months. During this 9 month period, the letters from my bank reduced in number and I kept paying the money monthly, although I knew that my account was now in the hands of a debt collector as I had calls from them - which I had to ignore as I was seriously ill.

It all calmed down again, then I did some work and the money was accidentally paid into my old account - and I knew it would all kick off again and it has. I didn't ask for the money back, I just sat quietly and waited for the calls to start. And this morning was the first - on both phones. But with this new debt recovery lot. So, here we go again...

Do I have any legs to stand on if I never signed an agreement with my bank on the loan in the first place? It was all done over the phone and I did not sign the forms they sent? Are there any templates I can use to give myself more time to get them off my back? Is the loan valid to a debt collector without my signature on paper? I will contact the debtline re communicating with them, but I'd really like the heads up on what to search for online re dealing with these horrible people re a live debt.

RAS

Sd

Please send the DCa the letter that smashed put in the post above yours.

that should sort out whether the required documents exist.

katie1

i too have had a letter from Mckenzie Hall i did ring them but soon got off the phone beacuse i wasn't impressed with the way they spoke to me "very rude". I just ignore letters from them, they have now passed my so called debt to merit force who say they are going to come round my house within 14 days if i don't ring them and agree to pay xx amount of £'s weekly.

should i just ignore this or what ?

KellyWelly

My dad had some letters from these people about a debt. We didn't even know what it was for. I sent a template letter on his behalf like the one above and they couldn't produce a copy credit agreement. We still don't know what the debt was.

They did try and trick my dad into paying some money to them even after I sent the letter and their compliance department said they were putting it all on hold. I just phoned them and asked them what they were playing at and told them they couldn't produce the credit agreement so they had no legal right to demand payment from him and not to write to my dad again. The bloke I spoke to wasn't rude but he wasn't going to win any customer service awards, he agreed the debt was unenforceable and had been 'returned to our clients'. I expect they will write again tbh.

MrsTinks

No katie you need to send the letter as above. Until they prove the debt don't do anything and make sure the letter is sent recorded. NEVER just ignore them because they are vultures and they will keep hacking away. Ignoring them will not make them go away - taking action will. But you have to do it legally! it's the only way we'll every make any headway with them and never ever call them.
At least unless you know what you are doing (She says having once called a DCA and scared the living daylights out of the poor unfortunate soul on the end of the phone. I still suspect that he probably quit his job the same day as I did promise him I would not only take his company to court for harassment I would also start a case against HIM personally for failing to validate the information prior to contacting me which is part of HIS job and thus I would ensure he too was charged with harassment and fraud... I was in a bad mood...)

fermi

MrsTine wrote: »

She says having once called a DCA and scared the living daylights out of the poor unfortunate soul on the end of the phone.

I remember that thread.

MrsTinks

fermi wrote: »

I remember that thread.

And you know they never did try to contact me again... odd isn't it? :A

MissConfused_2

Hi Booboo,

Thanks for your reply, I'll get that letter off later today (left letter at home with all details, account numbers etc on!). Just trying to remember if I've asked them for it before, think I possibly did, but didn't do it formally by letter, am pretty sure the rude lady told me it was my debt and I had to pay it, what does she think, that I'm gonna take her word for it, and just cough up regardless....hmmm, she personally doesn't bother me, they can make all the threats they like, hiding behind the telephone - I'm more concerned with these so call debt collectors, but one step at a time hey.

Keep you posted