Provident Debt Collection letter

threesacrowd

I have this morning recieved a letter from provident saying that they have been appointed by sdfs to collect a debt for £422 from shop direct.
This debt must be at least five years old and at the time i sent a letter requesting proof as i didnt owe this money and the letters and harrassment stopped. ive heard nothing about it in all this time and cannot recall all the details.
This letter states that an agent will call in the next few days and i dont know what to do. My partner (stupidly) has a provident loan which he pays for weekly so im assuming that this will be discussed when the agent calls tonight i really dont want to pay provident for a debt that i disputed so long ago but i dont know what to say face to face to the agent. the letter suggests i take a credit agreement with provident to pay the debt weekly help

cobblers_boy

I think my suggestion would be "no proof - no pay". Don't even bother talking to them about it. Certainly don't sign anything. Insist they do everything in writing and if necessary go through the prove it letter again. However some people with better knowledge than me will probably be along shortly who may have other advice.

CB

Tixy

Hi

I would write again with another prove it letter and possibly adding in a section from the don't doorstep visit me letter.

If the agent does bring it up I would simply state that you dispute a debt existed and are not prepared to discuss it with them and have written to provident direct.
The agent probably doesn't want to get into a lengthy dispute with you either, once its clear you are not going to pay them anything (or take a loan from them to pay it) they won't want to waste their time on you when they have other properties to visit.

Prove it letter http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=11570893&postcount=2

Doorstop letter - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=23635529&postcount=60

threesacrowd

Thanks very much, i will get started on the letter straight away. Theres no address on the letter that they have sent me so i will just sent it to the address on their website. This letter shocked me this morning as i wasnt even aware provident was a dca. it couldnt come at a worse time.

Tixy

They have turned to being a dca as well fairly recently.
And the standard spiel seems to be to try to get people to take out a provident loan to pay off the old debt so a double bonus for them.

Are you aware of the rules on statute barred debts? even if they provide proof of the debt to you then you might want to consider if its statute barred.

Plus of course even if you do owe it then either arrange to pay them at a rate you can afford or consider a low full & final settlement. Whatever you do don't sign up for a provident loan to pay it (in fact don't sign anything!).