Can credit ref agencies give my details to debt management companies?

Mulrey

I've been in debt for 14+ years, ever since I turned 18 and could get credit. I cut up credit cards and store cards (!!!) about 9 years ago, and have been away from debt since then. I paid some of the debts, but was unable to pay everything, so I did the wrong thing and went into a corner to lick my wounds. I also left the country for a couple of years, and by the time I came back to the UK, after several address changes I'd lost track of which debt management company had responsibility for my debts. Over the last 2 years I've been contacting companies to pay off some debts, but not all of them. My financial history is a nightmare and I long for the day when I'm debt-free. In six years I think I racked up about £10,00-12,000 debt (credit cards, bank loans, HP, store cards).

I'm now with a lovely partner and have been for a few years, but he has NEVER been in debt and has a perfect credit rating. In an effort to see my report I contacted a credit ref agency, for a free trial. Things did not look too bad at all (once I'd spent ages trying to understand it) and I rang up to cancel my account - as a person trying to be debt-free I can't afford to pay £6 a month to maintain paperwork. When I rang up to cancel the woman got shirty and said did I realise that I hadn't checked all my addresses? She named an address I lived at 9 years ago and I told her I still wanted to cancel my account. I, perhaps naively, thought anything from 9 years ago wouldn't matter?

Now, I've received a letter from a debt management company asking me to verify this address from 9 years ago. They said they got the name from a credit link via a credit ref agency and could I contact them to verify details.

Is it right that credit refs can pass on your details to a third party? I anguished for weeks on whether I should access my report as I didn't want to open a can of worms and only went for it because I read that my details would remain confidential. This seems in breach of data protection. I know I owe money, and I'm doing what I can to pay back debts, but each time I receive a letter it's like my world stops and I have to go through another financial upheaval.

Should/can credit ref agencies give details to debt management companies?

I really want a future with my partner but we can't think of marriage as I won't have my name linked to his and affect his credit rating.

Phew, sorry I wrote so much, but it does feel good to have everything down.

bargainbetty

The whole point of a credit reference agency is so that your credit can be checked - not just by you. If your listings are showing a potential address from that long ago, then of course DCAs are going to try to come after you.

If you have a debt that you have not made any payment to or acknowledged for six years and do not have a CCJ against (five in Scotland) you can send a letter to the creditor/DCA stating that it is statute barred and therefore you cannot be pursued through the courts for it. It will remain on your file, but you cannot be chased for it.

If you choose to repay it, you will be able to do it on your own terms, which is a positive thing. You can use this to clear up your finances, once and for all!

If you choose to communicate with the DCAs, do it in writing, by recorded/signed for delivery at all times. Refuse to accept telephone calls or doorstep visits/appointments with them (there are templates on here to help). Send a prove it letter for any debt they accuse you of holding, and include the bit about those more than six years old being statute-barred.

Do not sign your letters - print your name only. Some DCAs have been accused of re-using signatures to sign agreements.... although I am sure none of them do it really!

Good luck

Mulrey

Thank you so much for your reply and pointing me in the direction of the 6 years statute, I now feel a lot better, especially as I read on a previous post that Aktiv Kapital, who contacted me, aren't the most reliable! It's a scary world out there.

saltnvinegar

bargainbetty wrote: »

Do not sign your letters - print your name only. Some DCAs have been accused of re-using signatures to sign agreements.... although I am sure none of them do it really!

Good luck

I am afraid they do. I have personal evidence of it, but cannot say too much as I got a debt written off on the back of their fraudulent activity!

SnV

Mulrey

Thanks, glad you got your situation sorted out, snv.