Statute of limitations question...

Branflake_Girl

I have just been reading about how the statute of limitations on a debt is 6 years (I had previously been told it was 3 years by a debt counselling centre and have used this to successfully cancel a debt) but I am wondering how this applies in my situation...
Through no fault of my own (honestly!) I owed some fees for accomodation when I left uni due to ill health in 2008, the uni had my new address but I heard nothing from them until 2009 when I found out that they had passed it to a collection agency AND had added interest which, when I left, they had agreed to freeze. As a result of this the amount has almost doubled! I did the sensible thing and sought the help of another debt couselling service who helped me work out my income and expenditure. Despite this showing that I have nothing to spare once the rent, bills and groceries are paid I decided I would trim a bit here and there and offer a repayment of £5 a month until my circumstances changed. Since this time I have heard nothing back from the debt collectors directly or via the debt counsellors. So I was wondering when the statute could be counted from; the date I left uni and heard no more from them regarding this (time barred by 2014) OR the date the debt counsellors contacted them but received no reply (time barred by 2015)?

MrsTinks

The rule is that a debt becomes statute barred 6 years (5 in scotland) from the day YOU last made a payment OR acknowledged the debt in writing. How an agent acting on your behalf would affect this if they admitted the debt I'm not certain...
Not sure what debt councelling centre told you 3 years btw but they'd be wrong - can you remember who they were?

MrsTinks

Oh and your comment about cancelling debt through the statute of limitations... a debt is never cancelled - if it was truly barred then all that means is that they can not take legal action to retrieve the money - if you ever open another account with that creditor I think (you may wish to check) they can still legally offset to recoup the money you owe them...