Mackenzie Hall (again, apparently)

SouthernLol

Hi there, all.

We got a letter today addressed to someone we think may have rented here in the past - but that would be at least 11 years ago.

Having googled the return address I got Mackenzie Hall and learnt a whole load about that company which makes me wary of doing nothing except returning to sender.

I tried ringing the number on their website to ask them to take our address off their records for this person (have checked, and he isn't linked on our credit reports or listed as a voter either) but it cut me off before I got through.

So - put envelope back in post with a scribbled note on it or is more drastic action called for and if so, what?

Many thanks in advance for help.

SouthernLol

Glitzkiss

As you have probably already worked out they are fishing for [STRIKE]someone[/STRIKE] anyone to pay a debt that is, in all likelyhood, statute barred. There is a strong chance it's not even the previous tenants debt either :mad: Mackenzie Hall are scum who buy old debts cheap and trry and bully someone into paying them.

You could ignore them as it's nothing to do with you but if you want to do something about it have a look at this thread

Good luck

SouthernLol

Glitzkiss,

thanks for that link. I've e-mailed the OFT to alert them.

As Mackenzie Hall, or anyone else for that matter, cannot have corresponded with the addressee for at least 11 years if they think this is where he lives then there's a high chance they're trying to collect on a debt that's outside the 6 year statute of limitations.

SouthernLol

RobertoMoir

SouthernLol wrote: »

Glitzkiss,

thanks for that link. I've e-mailed the OFT to alert them.

As Mackenzie Hall, or anyone else for that matter, cannot have corresponded with the addressee for at least 11 years if they think this is where he lives then there's a high chance they're trying to collect on a debt that's outside the 6 year statute of limitations.

SouthernLol

While that's despicable of them, your own research can't have led you to expect any better and (I mean this in the nicest possible way) you shouldn't get involved. Your sensible options are ignore the letter or pop it in the post with 'not known at this address, return to sender' written on the envelope.

Say or do anything else and they'll think you're either the debtor lying about your identity or at least that you know the debtor, and will continue to write.

Glitzkiss

RobertoMoir wrote: »

While that's despicable of them, your own research can't have led you to expect any better and (I mean this in the nicest possible way) you shouldn't get involved. Your sensible options are ignore the letter or pop it in the post with 'not known at this address, return to sender' written on the envelope.

Say or do anything else and they'll think you're either the debtor lying about your identity or at least that you know the debtor, and will continue to write.

Whilst I agree the sensible and least hassle free option is to ignore it I do worry about the un-savvy people MH may potentially target. Although not applicable to SLol's case they have sent out fishing letters to people simply because they have the same name as the person who ran up the debt. My neighbours are mostly elderly and I can think of several who would be scared if they received a fishing letter. I'd like to think they'd ask about it but as debt is still a stigma for many of the older generation I worry they would simply pay up to make the problem go away. Therefore I think SLol is correct to email OFT. If more people do so this issue might be picked up by the news to highlight this problem to the masses.

SouthernLol

Roberto,

I absolutely agree with you about not getting involved - it was the amount of personal information they wanted from me to even register a complaint, by email, as a non-account holder that put me off going that route. The less they know about me the better and I'm certainly not going to give them my date of birth or contact details other than the address which they already have.

If the OFT don't want to take it further the envelope will go back into the post return to sender and a note to say addressee unknown.

SouthernLol

magpiecottage

If you want to make a complaint to a DCA about a consumer credit matter, including pursuing you for somebody else's outstanding credit, you do not need to provide anything other than your own name and address (so they can reply to you). They then have eight weeks to go to sort it out to your satisfaction or you can take them to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

st999

my date of birth

make something up, it confuses them when you write back and say I wasn't born then I was born on this date and make another date up.

Also slightly misspell your name, my name can be spelt 2 different ways I use my correct name for anything official and my misspelt name for anything else.

And of course never sign anything.