Please help, nasty debt collectors

jodenice

(I posted this on the debt free board but they said should post it here for advice!)

I went bankrupt in 2002 and all my debts were cleared with the bankruptcy.

One of them was with dorothy perkins. I have recently been getting threatening letters from a company called Debt Managers Ltd who said that the debt had been passed over from Dorothy Perkins and that it couldn't have been covered by bankruptcy as it still had me showing as defaulted in 2003 (apparently). They sent me a letter saying they were taking me to court but when I phoned up an incredibly unpleasant boy called Daniel told me to expect doorstep debt collectors!

I'm moving in a couple of weeks anyway but found it quite scary and not sure what to do. what if the ballifs come round? What do I do? I'm pretty sure I haven't got documentation showing that dorothy perkins was on it - I've just my bankruptcy certficate.

gettingitsorted

Hi the only thing i can think for you to do is telephone the OR office that delt with you and see if they still have your files and ask them to check if dotty p's was included in your bankruptcy ,or the other option is to get your credit files and see if anything is still showing on there .

someone else will be along shortly that may have a better idea though

shameless-about-money

I would phone the OR - that would be the way to go

jodenice

Well Dorothy Perkins obviously sold the information to aktiv someone or other who passed it onto this lot. they say they don't dispute that I went bankrupt but they do dispute that amount was covered as I went bankrupt in 2002 and this showed as defaulted on 2003. They are saying I owe 370. I have phoned the OR and they have confirmed that Dorothy Perkins were covered - but to the amount of £293. Since the day i went bankrupt I have not had one single thing on credit, don't have an overdraft, credit card, loan, store card etc so its not any type of new application. But what if the differing amount is something that didn't show when i first applied for bankruptcy. I'm worried I'm being pursued for some type of missed amount on my credit.

he sounded about 12, this guy on the phone and he was SO RUDE and SO ARROGANT that I am still seething and thinking up bizarre thoughts of revenge...

Bakeybadoo

Personally, I'd say if it was covered in your BR proceedings, the debt has been written off so tell them to take a running jump.

Can you find out what the extra £77 is for? If it's charges? If, which company applied them and when exactly they were applied.

If it's outstanding money that you actually spent, it might just be worth paying the £77 and getting rid of them. Getting it all in writing of course that that the account will then be settled and the default righted on your credit score.

I think they are trying it on though to be honest. I also don't think that they can add interest or charges to any debt that has been written off under BR. Once it's cleared, it's gone. End of.

jodenice

I'm also wondering about a letter that says 'see you in the county court' and when I ring up and say 'yep, fine, see you there' they change it to actually we'll be sending people round to collect the money? They were bullies and desperately trying to get my new address and phone number ...............

Bakeybadoo

The letter really says that? :eek: Yeah, that would ring huge alarm bells. Hardly professional sounding.

In that case, as I said, ask them for an exact breakdown of what they are claiming for, if it's just the £77 and if so, what's that for.

You will probably see that they are just trying it on with charges.

Are they asking for the entire amount back then? Tell them that £293 was included in BR and as your OR confirmed, it's therefore written off and so you are disputing the £77.

Erikin_2

It is either bankruptcy debt or it isn’t.

The way forward on this is to draw a line across the calendar when you went bankrupt – time, day and date. All debts older - say for argument sake 10am 16 March 2002 – goes into the bankruptcy estate.

You should be able to recall whether you incurred debt with Dorothy Perkins after the BO. If you did Dorothy Perkins are entitled to pursue you for that part of the money as it is post bankruptcy.

If this is bankruptcy debt the best move is to forward the correspondence to the OR for him to deal; also inform the debt collectors of this and for them to deal with the OR direct.

jodenice

I have found my bankruptcy forms and Dorothy perkins is definitely listed as an unsecured debtor. I have written £291??? where it says amount you believe you owe (the OR at the time said just fill in an approx amount as they would contact the debtor).

I really don't understand why they would have a date of 2003 as I've had no debt since that day. (and the supposition of the guy at the debt place that I'd run up debt again, with the same company I'd owed money to before, when I as stil bankrupt - just laughable)

At least I have the forms..

Bakeybadoo

As far as I know, when BR happens, all outstanding cards/accounts are closed so you couldn't run it up again anyway.

Just tell them to take a hike and to deal with the OR if they think they still have cause to chase you for it.

shameless-about-money

jodenice wrote: »

I have found my bankruptcy forms and Dorothy perkins is definitely listed as an unsecured debtor. I have written £291??? where it says amount you believe you owe (the OR at the time said just fill in an approx amount as they would contact the debtor).

I really don't understand why they would have a date of 2003 as I've had no debt since that day. (and the supposition of the guy at the debt place that I'd run up debt again, with the same company I'd owed money to before, when I as stil bankrupt - just laughable)

At least I have the forms..

On Monday morning phone your OR's Office and tell them what is going on.

The DCA has obviously been turning out some paperwork and has come across yours - and is ignoring the fact you went bankrupt.

It is very easily sorted out - with just one phone call.