Debt Collection Letter: Should I Ignore?

Andrewsdebt

Picked up some post from my previous address which I left 7 months ago. One single letter stating that the company is trying to find (prints full name including middle) I had no debt at this address and lived there 18 months. I did have unsecured lending at my address previous to that which has not been paid.

The letter makes no mention of which debt (yes there was more than one) just asks me to contact them or if I am not the person involved to call a different number to confirm this.

I don't believe there was any link between my debtor address and this one, I very rarely use my middle name so was surprised to see it mentioned in the letter. My surname is however very common.

I hear that some companies mail drop anyone with the same name on the voters roll in the hope someone will ring them and 'confess all'?....do people recommend I respond to this letter or ignore it?

If the company concerned did catch up with me and knocked on the door one day what would happen if I simply claimed they had the wrong Andrew Jones?...how could they prove it was me who had defaulted on a loan/credit card?...can they just walk in and possess my belongings?...I also now have a mortgage on my current preoperty, would they have any claim to that via by unpaid non-secure debts?

These debts are now at least 2 years old and I suspect they have been 'sold on' to a collection/trace agency.

Any comments appreciated.

cattie1

i'm not the best to advise-i'm sure someone will be along soon to help.
i think they have means and ways of finding you-if you have other credit-i'm not sure though, but just remeber wether you ignore it or not-it will go against you on your credit score as all your old addresses are listed on it.
i recently checked my credit report and a debt from 4 years ago at a house i lived in 4 3months was on it (that i hadn't paid!)

iolanthe07

Why do you think you shouldn't pay your debts?

Broken_hearted

Agree pay it it might still be increasing because you havn't paid it.

Zammo

Ignore it? How would you feel if you lent somebody £50 and they ignored you every time you asked for it back? It's called theft.

Dr.Shoe_2

If you have debts at a previous address you must honour your obligations. They have your middle name because you have a common name and they probaly cross checked you on the electoral rolls including your date of birth and it will be a huge coincidence if this is someone else's debt.

The second point I am going to make is that a DCA doesn't just collect money willy-nilly they will be either employed by a specific creditor or they will have purchased a debt from them. Either way you are as obligated to pay them as you were the original creditor assuming that they have kept to the legal bits and pieces which you can assume for now that they have. The reason I make this assumption is because they haven't put any details of the debt in the letter to comply with the Data Protection Act.

You should call them at the earliest opportunity even if it's to find out that it is actually your debt or not. If you don't, matters will get worse because they have tracked you down to your last address and it will only be a matter of time before they get to you at your current address.

To answer your question they cannot just walk in and take your stuff. This can only follow if you default on a CCJ which will almost certainly happen if you willfully avoid your obligations.