Ruthbridge and a 13 year old debt

cee76bee

Hello everybody,

Often lurked here but never posted - now I have a reason to!

Ruthbridge (who I see from this board are notorious in all the wrong ways) have sent me 3 increasingly threatening letters over the last week. The debt of mine (after extensive memory searching!) I believe they are chasing dates back to 1999 and is therefore, I believe, statute barred. Having re-checked my credit file there is nothing regarding it, nor any CCJs, on there - indeed, I've successfully applied for credit a couple of times in the last 12 months and also been checked for the purpose of letting a new home: surely I'd have been turned down if there had have been?! Likewise, I lived at my previous address for more than a decade and was always on the full electoral roll - why didn't it get chased then?!

Anyway, questions: should I go ahead and send them the SB letter I see floating around all over these forums? Ignore them and assume they will go away as they cannot enforce the debt? Assume that their threats are empty? Has nayone actually had them appear on their doorstep? I'd like to do all I can to stop this happening as I have a very young family who don't need exposing to this kind of BS!

Thanks in advance.

19lottie82

Hi, I don't have it to hand but there is a template floating about that you can personalise and send to them basically telling them that you don't have to pay along with instructions for them to leave you alone or you will report them for harrassment.

I'm sure someone will post up a link shortly.

So, yes, you're best plan of action is prob to get it sent off.

Takingcontrol_2

Hello, I would send them the SB letter for sure

cee76bee

Thanks guys,

I will certainly be sending the letter forthwith!

I'm still intrigued about what might/might not happen next though! Lots of threads talk about similar situations with Ruthbridge: they say they're going to send the letter and then the thread ends! I want to know the ending people! Is it a happy one?!

cee76bee

Can any of you kind people point me towards the correct letter template to send these guys? Thanks.

fatbelly

Saying a debt is 13 years old is not the same as saying it has not been acknowledged for13 years.

I'm assuming this is a credit debt like a catalogue, credit card or loan.

If you are sure that there has been a period of six years or more with no acknowledgement by way of payment or in writing then send the relevant statute barred letter from this thread. If there is a ccj on it, this gives the creditor an opportunity to let you know when they reply.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2606811

What is on your credit file is irrelevant to whether or not this is statute barred.

willtodaygetbetter?

Hi all

New to this, usually just browse also but need help. Similar situtation cee76bee - my ex-husband received a letter today from Ruthbridge. He rang them and they said it was about a debt from Halifax on a joint account from 1998 for £6000 and they want it now - he did not acknowledge the debt as he really doesn't know anything about it as we have been divorced since 1995. Further more I do not know how the amount is £6000 but vaguely remember an overdraft of around £500 that may have gone over and honestly I never settled it. What should I do? Should I send the Statute Barred letter to them including a paragraph that no further contact is to be made to him also??

fatbelly

willtodaygetbetter? wrote: »

Hi all

New to this, usually just browse also but need help. Similar situtation cee76bee - my ex-husband received a letter today from Ruthbridge. He rang them and they said it was about a debt from Halifax on a joint account from 1998 for £6000 and they want it now - he did not acknowledge the debt as he really doesn't know anything about it as we have been divorced since 1995. Further more I do not know how the amount is £6000 but vaguely remember an overdraft of around £500 that may have gone over and honestly I never settled it. What should I do? Should I send the Statute Barred letter to them including a paragraph that no further contact is to be made to him also??

You shouldn't contact them directly if you have not been written to.

You could direct him to the letters in this thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2606811

and, if they have identified the account as the one you remember, he could send the SB letter.

If, as you say, he doesn't know about the account, the 'hybrid' letter in that thread may be more suited. Or just a straight prove-it to get the ball rolling.

He needs to stop talking to them on the phone.