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3.5 year old debt, now living overseas - any advice?
Claracbo
Posts: 4 Newbie
I'm uncertain who to ask for advice on this issue.
I lived in a Peabody Trust house for 10 years, and moved out in Sept 2006 when I moved to Australia (where I live now).
We had a dispute over rent with them saying I owed them rent and I believed they owed me rent (due to changes in payment schedules).
I received a letter from a debt collection agency today (to my forwarding address in the UK), addressed to a wrong (but similar) name, saying they're pursuing this debt.
How should I proceed? I'm certain that they owe me the money but had decided to let it lie given that I was moving away and the paper trail was very complicated.
I called them to advise them that I dispute the alleged debt and they're going to get a statement for us to go through.
My problem is that I now don't have all the paperwork (i.e. old bank statements) with me in this country to prove my position.
When we discussed the debt before, it related to some money from approx 1998 when they changed the payment schedule. Is it right that this would mean the debt is statute barred (assuming that's where they say the debt stems from)?
As I said, I dispute the fact that ANY money is owed, but I'm looking for the quickest way to close down the discussion.
Thanks for any advice.
C
I lived in a Peabody Trust house for 10 years, and moved out in Sept 2006 when I moved to Australia (where I live now).
We had a dispute over rent with them saying I owed them rent and I believed they owed me rent (due to changes in payment schedules).
I received a letter from a debt collection agency today (to my forwarding address in the UK), addressed to a wrong (but similar) name, saying they're pursuing this debt.
How should I proceed? I'm certain that they owe me the money but had decided to let it lie given that I was moving away and the paper trail was very complicated.
I called them to advise them that I dispute the alleged debt and they're going to get a statement for us to go through.
My problem is that I now don't have all the paperwork (i.e. old bank statements) with me in this country to prove my position.
When we discussed the debt before, it related to some money from approx 1998 when they changed the payment schedule. Is it right that this would mean the debt is statute barred (assuming that's where they say the debt stems from)?
As I said, I dispute the fact that ANY money is owed, but I'm looking for the quickest way to close down the discussion.
Thanks for any advice.
C
0
Comments
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the limit for debts is 6 years
however if they were smart with the way they accounted for arrears then, when you left in 2006, you were still in debt to them at that point so they have until 2012 to collect. Obviously as a debt collector has been appointed they would not be proceeding if the debt was time expired otherwise they would risk not getting paid!0 -
Did you mean to post this on the Debt-free Wannabe board? It's not a House Buying, Renting and Selling query.Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️0
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No it's not statute barred.
Be careful - if they take you to court for the money, it will never become statute barred either - the CCJ will sit there as money owed.
Your best approach is exactly what you are doing. Get the statement that they are sending and go through it carefully and work out between you and the company in question exactly what happened and who owes the money.
If you haven't got bank statements, then it's not 100% necessary as a statement of account from them is probably all you'll need to find out where it's gone wrong."One day I realised that when you are lying in your grave, it's no good saying, "I was too shy, too frightened."
Because by then you've blown your chances. That's it."0 -
litigators out there...what is the answer, as a lot of these debt companies buy debt that is either old or not worth collecting, and they often try it on with people. There will be other forum threads on this in other sections of this site...try there too.My posts are just my opinions and are not offered as legal advice - though I consider them darn fine opinions none the less.:cool2:
My bad spelling...well I rush type these opinions on my own time, so sorry, but they are free.:o0
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