Help and advice needed please.

angeljones74

Hi i am a newbie to the site and thought i would ask for help. I fell into debt troubles in 2002-2003. Bad relationship break down, premature baby and postnatal depression and job loss. Tried to maintain my debts for a while, used CAB £1 a month to all debtors. Then buried my head in the sand and havent paid any for years. Checked my credit file this week as i had a visitor to the house saying to my partner if i lived there as they had a letter in holding for me. Two defaults still on my file from oct and july 03, nothing else. Lo and behold had a letter from stevensdrake solicitors on behalf of arrow global limited today. Scared the pants off me. Stating they will be going to county court in ten days if i do not pay up the £2299.45. Letter also talks about bailiffs and deduction from earnings.Tried to talk to my partner but he is mega stressed as buying a house, hoping to move next month. Mortgage just in his name. I really really dont know wot to do!!!! Any ideas/suggestions would be gratefully recieved. Many thanks.

Merlinexcalibur

Speak to Consumer Credit Counselling Servives on what to do next re payment arrangements.

Letter also talks about bailiffs and deduction from earnings.

Tsk! See that all too often on these 'panic letters'. Remember that's what they are designed to do, make you panic, pay what you don't have. It MAY happen, they just make those threats to frighten you more. Either in red, emboldended text just to make sure your brain gets scared enough. Nothing new.

I really really dont know wot to do!!!!

Again, speak to CCCS ASAP or soon as you can - they close in less than one hour and are open tomorrow til 1 pm so might be a little late now cos they'll be busy - as they will be more knowledgeable/beneficial than the CAB.

Stating they will be going to county court in ten days if i do not pay up the £2299.45.

Oh, yes and as you haven't plainly got it but have taken steps to pay the debt eg NOT avoid it by making token payments how would that make them look in court when the judge asks them more directly why cannot they see what is plain to everyone on your payment offer. You can't pay what you don't have. Blood from a stone.

Anyway, please phone CCCS. They also are on this site in the CCCS ask a counsellor thread.

fatbelly

angeljones74 wrote: »

I fell into debt troubles in 2002-2003. Bad relationship break down, premature baby and postnatal depression and job loss. Tried to maintain my debts for a while, used CAB £1 a month to all debtors. Then buried my head in the sand and havent paid any for years.

If there has been a period of six years (five in Scotland) during which you did not acknowledge a debt by way of payment or written communication then that debt becomes 'statute barred' and canot be enforced by court action.

Factsheet here

Be careful not to activate a debt that is close to becoming statute barred.

If they do take court action on this particular debt (and it is most likely a ploy to get you to 'acknowledege') then you can respond to the claim with help from this site.

Did you know you owed money to 'Arrow Global'?

Nargleblast

If you can't get hold of CCCS Saturday then use the weekend to trawl their website, also hunt through the MSE forums like this one. That might give you some idea of how to handle this. Then asap Monday get on to CCCS - I promise you you will feel better for it and it will be the start of you sorting yourself out. Good luck.

Deep_In_Debt

Creditors can't send bailiffs unless you have been to court and defaulted on a CCJ or an arrangement and even then it would take some time for them to do it - so they are just spouting hot air as usual. Scare tactics - that's what they do - just spout most of the time to get you to pay up.

National Debtline I think are open tomorrow morning - give them a ring but keep pressing that redial button as it takes time to get through.

angeljones74

fatbelly wrote: »

If there has been a period of six years (five in Scotland) during which you did not acknowledge a debt by way of payment or written communication then that debt becomes 'statute barred' and canot be enforced by court action.

Factsheet here

Be careful not to activate a debt that is close to becoming statute barred.

If they do take court action on this particular debt (and it is most likely a ploy to get you to 'acknowledege') then you can respond to the claim with help from this site.

Did you know you owed money to 'Arrow Global'?

It was originally with the halifax????

fatbelly

So if you do end up writing to them you MUST start with 'I acknowledge no liability for any debt whatsoever to your company'

You COULD send Fermi's prove-it letter (here) but I'd be inclined to let them stew for a bit and check your records to establish (if at all possible) when you last made a payment to this debt.

angeljones74

Great fatbelly many thanks, i was thinking about the stewing thing!

angeljones74

Also just looked at my recent credit file and an old one. Thi date has a different default date to halifax? Also my middle initial of my name is wrong?