Mackenzie Hall / CCJ

MarkTheSpark_2

They have just been slated by the OFT. See the OFT website for the judgment. So keep the pressure on them

Chris99t

Well they should have recieved my letter by now and signed for it. Low and behold I get home to a message on the answer phone saying,"This is an urgent message for Mr C Thomas please call MacKenzie Hall on.....bla bla bla. I sit and wait for thier written reply with bated breath.


Chris

poshweiller

i have just received a letter for MERITFORCE on behalf of mackenzie hall.who is this? thanks

Sol00

They're a part of Mackenzie Hall - http://www.meritforce.co.uk/

Sdu

Hi all.

It's a big thread about MH here. I didnt read it all - just the first and last pages.

My situation, in brief, is i am currently paying mh £20 a month - it's all i can afford atm being out of work.

I bought a computer back in roughly 2003 on hp - first and last time ill do that. I was in my very early 20's - 23 at most and i obviously didn't think it through.

Mh contacted me in August/oct last year i think via letter and i phoned them up and admitted the debt was mine. I remember threats about ppl coming round and taking my stuff (although Im not sure if the word "baliff" was used) and i really didnt want any problems like that so i paid a big chunk of the debt off over the phone.

I really didnt want to pay such a large amount at oncebut i felt as if i had no choice. I explained my situation to them (about being out of work and having no income) but i was told i had to pay x amount or i would have my stuff taken.

So at the moment, as i said I'm paying £20 a month - i got it reduced from £100 because i was still out of work and they agreed to reduce the payments i had to make.

I just wondered if i should stop paying after reading all this. The debt is mine, yes, and i do believe i should pay back what i owe but if there are things in place that protect people from their earlier mistakes and then companies lie to you over the phone about what might or might not happen then i feel justifed in asking this question.

I have a feeling that because I have already made payments and agreed to a payment plan my hands are tied tho?

Thanx to any response in advance.

rog2

Sdu wrote: »

I just wondered if i should stop paying after reading all this. The debt is mine, yes, and i do believe i should pay back what i owe but if there are things in place that protect people from their earlier mistakes and then companies lie to you over the phone about what might or might not happen then i feel justifed in asking this question.

Couple of points, Sdu:

1. Can you remember the length of time that elapsed between your last payment, or written acknowledgement, to the original creditor and the time that you 'agreed' to pay MacKenzie Hall? If a period of six years had elapsed (Five in Scotland) then this 'debt' would be covered under the terms of the Limitation Act, 1980 (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act, 1973) and could e 'Statute Barred. This does not mean that the debt is written off, but it does mean that it would be 'unenforceable through the Courts' and once you inform MH that you would no longer be paying anything towards this 'debt' as it is Statute Barred (the only reason you need give) then they must leave you alone and cease all attempts at 'pursuing' the debt; http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=25_liability_for_debts_and_the_limitation_act It does NOT matter if you have been making payments, providing that there was a gap (LIMITATION PERIOD) of the required length between your last payment and the time that you started making payments to MH.
2. Have you questioned MH's legal authority to pursue this 'debt'? You can do this by requesting a true copy of the original consumer credit agreement and deeds of assignment. There is a 'Statutory Charge' of £1.00 for this service, but if MH are unable to provide you with this documentation within 12 working days of receipt of your request, then they would be 'in default' and would be unable to enforce the agreement without permission from the Courts; http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=getting_acopy_of_your_credit_agreement_and_account_details
3. You say, to your credit, that you do not deny the 'debt' and would like to deal with it. MH are the type of company that 'buy' otherwise unenforceable 'debts' from creditors when the original creditor has, long since, given up all realistic hope of getting paid by the debtor and has, in all effects, written the 'debt' off. This means that MH have, most likely, 'purchased' the debt for a nominal sum - often just a few pence in the pound - and are pursuing you for the whole amount, possibly adding a few bob in unnecessary and often unlawful charges, just to rub salt into the wound. In many cases it will be possible to make them a reduced 'offer' in 'Full and Final Settlement' of the account; http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=24_full_and_final_settlement_offers

One final link for you - just to let you know how MH should, but seldom do, carry out their 'trade':

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

skimmings

I have just had a message left on my phone saying that i owe a company named as (month end money) who charge a staggering 1776% interest apparently this was borrowed in feb 2009 to be repaid in march 2009 when i rang mackenzie hall they told me my date of birth which was wrong but they had my email addy.The woman i spoke to was so damn rude and shouted at me and she hung up so i rang back and told her very politely that i do not owe this debt and when you can prove otherwise i will be waiting to answer your questions . They are the most threatening and abbusive company i have ever come across they are also very intimidating so do yourself a favour and ring them once see if you owe anything but be very careful how you answer them DO NOT give them any information at all.

SAL-GAL53

Well, since taking the advice here, of sending the company that was after me for £300+ a statute-barred letter and informing them that after 6 years they could no longer persue me for the debt, they have thankfully left me alone and stopped sending me threatening letters! I did owe the money but had not paid any for over 8 years as I thought it had been written off along with my late husband's debts at the time. They have no heart or fellow feelings when you explain things like that to them, they just want what they can get out of you - so stand up for your rights if it's over 6 years old and you've not paid anything!

rog2

skimmings wrote: »

I have just had a message left on my phone saying that i owe a company named as (month end money) who charge a staggering 1776% interest apparently this was borrowed in feb 2009 to be repaid in march 2009 when i rang mackenzie hall they told me my date of birth which was wrong but they had my email addy.The woman i spoke to was so damn rude and shouted at me and she hung up so i rang back and told her very politely that i do not owe this debt and when you can prove otherwise i will be waiting to answer your questions . They are the most threatening and abbusive company i have ever come across they are also very intimidating so do yourself a favour and ring them once see if you owe anything but be very careful how you answer them DO NOT give them any information at all.

Best not even to 'phone' them, skimmings - you can, instead, send them the 'Prove It' letter that you will find on post 3 of the following thread:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=963087

However, since you have already phoned them, may I warn you of yet another of their 'tactics' - it is possible that they will come back to you, suggesting that you may have become the unwitting victim of Identity Fraud - they will, then, tell you that they are willing to 'investigate' this matter on your behalf and ask you to sign a document giving them permission to do so.
Sign absolutely nothing and do not get involved.

the_don_4

i have been having letters from these people for quite sum time but never did answer them because i didnt know what it was and untill they told me by post with the correct info i was not gona waste my time. but today i had a letter confirming details and account numbers so i rang them. i was spoken to like a piece of u know what. and away i go having done my homework on this company i let them have it. i said to him i have paid off the loan which his reply was no or we would not be tryin to recover it. which my relpy was well we are all human and do all make mistake so any way after 3hrs on the phone i managed 2 prove i had paid this loan off 2 yrs ago so the had no reason to follow it up:T:rotfl:. in my opion this company are like this site say a bunch of chancers who like to try and force people into paying depts that are eaither barred or have been paid wot a bunch of cowboys. for the cowboys attuide towards me i have been intouch with the office of fair trading, and the financial ombusman now lets see wot they have to say. i will not be told on the phone they have a right to twist what i say to them then lie and say they didnt say that that really upset me :mad:. so now they have closed the account that should be the end of the matter :beer::j:T i hope .... any1 getting letters from these people get help dont avoid them once tey have given you all the information request the true signed copy of the agrement check your records make sure u havnt paid it and make sure it is not barred DO NOT ADMIT TO HAVING THE LOAN UNTILL YOU HAVE DONE THIS OR THE 6 YRS START AGAIN .TELL THEM WHEN YOU contact themYOU HAVE NO RECORDS FOR THIS DEbt,tell them you will be intouch within 28 days to inform them of your findings. if they bully you or make you feel pressured in anyway or u feel they have breached oft guide lines tell the oft. they need as meny people as they can do be able to do anyting about it.