Cabot Financial giving me trouble

Cazbar_2

Hello there - I recently got a letter from Cabot Financial asking me to ring them. There were no details regarding what I should ring them for, and as I have had dealings with debt collectors in the past I knew to ignore it until further info was forthcoming.

A couple of weeks later they wrote back with details - basically it's a really old credit card debt that I thought I'd paid off over two years ago when I bought my house. Seemingly I owe them £299. So I wrote to them and offered £150 in full and final settlement. They wrote back asking me to ring them, so I wrote again saying that I would only be dealing with the matter in writing and to respond to my previous letter asap. So they've written back again saying I need to phone them and that the debt is now at £301 and they'll be taking the matter further. What should I do now? They haven't actually responded to my request for a full and final settlement of £150.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I know it's not a massive sum, but I don't want it to get any bigger. I used to owe about £20,000 and haven't taken on any further debt since I paid it all off two years ago. Or so I thought!

Cheers

Caz x

file_wizzard

Can they actually document the debt and prove that ANY amount is owed? , I think your first step should be for them to provide a statement of account, and copy of the alleged credit agrement to verify what they claim is owed, you should then evaluate your response from there.

These people are known chancers buying up old debts and chasing them even if they have previously been settled.

Cazbar_2

Hi there, many thanks for that, I'll do that and then see what happens. It does seem very dodgy - they haven't really given me any proof to say that I do owe this money. I sent a cheque off to the credit card company all those years back and asked for the account to be closed, but it doesn't seem that they did.

Thanks again

Caz x

sportbeth

Hi,

This sounds very similar to the Westcot problem. Try reading through this thread. You have to be a bit careful in your situation to make sure you cover yourself in case they start playing silly beggars so I'd advise you to send the letter I've posted on here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=218169

Cazbar_2

Hi Sportbeth,

Actually I've already read your thread - Westcot's tactics are disgraceful. I've doctored the letter a little bit, because I suppose I have acknowledged the debt after a fashion, but basically the demand for proof under the CCA is still there. I'm already waiting with baited breath for their reply, if any! All their letters seem to read like computer generated circulars.

Cheers

Caz x

sportbeth

Oh cool. I know it's awful isn't it? I just wonder how many people get that "you owe us £100" letter and just cough up after they've phoned them? Kinda makes you realise how much you need to know when you're in this position.

I had a collector chasing me for a balance that wasn't mine once. Good job I looked on places like here before I coughed up!