Odd situation with Capquest

Passat

Hi everyone,
This is my first post and it's been prompted by my dealings with dear Capquest. I'll try to be succinct: Some time ago my circumstances changed and was unable to keep up the payments on my Marbles card. After the debt being passed from one collection agency to another (with each of them I paid a token payment as required) my account ended up with 1st Credit whom I have been paying ever since. About 18 months ago I had the usual photocopied letter from Capquest saying they had taken it over. I contacted 1st Credit who said they had heard nothing so to continue to pay them which I did.

About six months ago I had another letter from Capquest saying that my balance was £5000 odd and that I needed to get in touch with them as they had taken over the debt. I rang Marbles who said yes, they had sold the debt to Capquest but when I rang 1st Credit they said that although they were agents for Capquest they had heard nothing but would find out. I have since heard nothing from them about this but have kept to my £10 a month. They also confirmed my balance was in fact just over £4700 pounds. I wrote to Capquest explaining this and sent it recorded delivery asking for a statement but heard nothing within 28 days. In the meantime, despite my asking them to contact me by leter only as I had the usual constant phone calls in which they seemed uncertain who they were speaking to as they had an ancient address for me and resorting to all sort of tactics to find out - even phoning my 80+ year old neighbour who was extremely worried that he had done the wrong thing in speaking to them.

As I have been still paying my money to 1st Credit I have been obstructive in dealing with Capquest and returned their letters unopened. I did open one that arrived the other day and they are threatening court etc...

Does anyone have experience of a similar situation? I am not particularly worried about them taking me to Court as I believe they are barking up the wrong tree but would be grateful for any advice.

Thank you.

DarkConvict

I would only pay the DCA that marbles has issued, its not unknown for debt collectors to say they are collecting the debt when they are no longer in charge of doing so.

The best thing to do is ask if marbles will take back the debt and you can pay them, as there use of changes DCAs has caused significant confusion and frustration including the agencies ringing up neighbours something the OFT does not look well on.

Passat

Thank you for the suggestion. I did actually ask them on the phone and the fella said it was out of their hands now. I could try writing. I'm amazed Capquest are still allowed to operate given the number of complaints about them.

DarkConvict

Debt collectors never get their licenses taken away, or think about it you see all these different companies been hammered in the news , big and small companies alike, when you you ever see them have their license removed. They never do, no license means the business instantly collapses as they cannot operate in their field. The regulator would be making 100's of people unemployeed.