Direct and Legal Collections Erroneous Letter

mrees84

Hello

Today i received a letter to my address with an incorrect forename but correct surname from DLC on behalf of Hillesden Securities Ltd with a "one time offer" to clear a debt to the tune of £10416 by paying 5k on a phone number. After picking myself up off the floor after opening the letter i began to wonder where the hell this has come from. Firstly i do not owe anybody that amount of money or ever rung up such a debt. It is addressed to the wrong name and is the first such letter or telephone call i have received from this mysterious DCA and have only resided at this address for 9 months. I would normally ignore such a letter but a worried i am going to get months of hassle from these jokers for a debt that isnt mine. Am i going to have to go through some process of proving this debt isnt mine or can this letter simply be ignored.

Thanks
Matt

Tixy

If its not in your name then I would ignore it to start with.

You might however want to consider getting copies of your credit files to check nothing incorrect has been added.

mrees84

I have checked both my experian and equifax files and nothing untoward there.

Tixy

Well I would just ignore it or return the letter with not known at this address on it.

They are clutching at straws and probably mailing anyone in the area with the same surname as their debtor and you (well unless your surname is Smith or something that is!).

Culex

You do not need to prove the debt is not one you have incurred.

They would need to prove the debt was incurred by you if they were to enforce it.

From the level of "discount" offered, I'd guess that Hillesden Securities Ltd have bought a debt from another company which is, or which will shortly become, over six years old and hence statute barred.

Culex

Perhaps one might remind them of the celebrated retort in the case of Arkell v. Pressdram?

Heyman_2

Ignore it.

We still get the odd DCA letter for a particular previous occupant (from 4 and a half years ago!!!), and it's clear from the letters that they have reached the 'Please please call us, we've bought this debt and we can't pin it on anyone else' stage.

I'd say we get that kind of letter about once every 3 months.

Needless to say, they go in the bin.