Visit from Debt Collector

Tallulah_Chicken

Please do not allow them access to your home. A bailiff is not allowed to enter your property except by peaceful means initially. This does mean that they can enter through an unlocked door or window, but they cannot force entry e.g. break a door down. If you allow them entry the first time they can use force afterwards to gain entry. The best advice is to keep your door on a chain and refuse to open it for them. Alternatively speak to them through the letter box!! Ask them for the number of their office and ask them to wait in their car while you speak to them and try to figure out what all this is about!! They should also have given you 7 days notice so that you have an opportunity to sort this out as you will incur further costs from their visit. Can't think of any good way to keep all this hidden from your visitors though, sorry.

angelavdavis

Listen to Southern Scouser on this one!

The facts:

1) you mention the debt is several years old - if it is older than 7 years, it is statute barred - send them this letter on nationaldebtline. I suspect this is why they have giving these threats and getting nasty.

2) they have failed to prove this debt is yours - no court in the country would give them an order on this basis.

3) unless they have a court order for entry and are accompanied by police, you are NOT obliged to answer the door to them.

If you do answer, they are NOT allowed entry - again unless they hold a court order - you will have been served papers previously, etc. If you feel you need to communicate with them when they call, do as SSB says
- that they have failed to provide proof that the debt is yours and because of this, you are not acknowledging the debt as you are legally allowed to do. - Politely ask them to leave, saying that you are intending to take this matter to trading standards.

3) if you feel you are being harrassed by this company, Nationaldebtline have advice here that I suggest you read so you are aware of your rights before they turn up.

I suspect they won't turn up personally - I think this is a threat designed to frighten you and think you should complain to Trading Standards .

hur575 - you have worked within this industry - have you ever heard of a company coming on a statute barred debt and where you haven't even provided proof that the debt actually belongs to the individual concerned? I seriously doubt this is the case. I suspect you might have worked for a more decent member of this industry - unlike some of the companies people have dealt with on here.

Annie, there are posts on here daily from people who have had threats such as these that simply aren't carried out. Please read the advice on nationaldebtline about harrassment so you know your rights and if I were you, I would not answer the door.

Once tomorrow is over, please, as SS says, followup as I suggested in my post here. It is bad enough being harrassed by these people over debts that are yours, but to be hassled over debts that are either statute barred or not yours is crazy. Don't let them get away with it!

DAVETHE_CARDBOARDBOX

is hur some kind of foreign debt collector stooge ????

hur575

Ageldavis as I said she is with her own right not to open the door but if they have prove she owe the debt then it is with their own right to knock on her door BUT you are not obliged to open the door and if you do they can not force themselves in.

hur575

DAVETHE_CARDBOARDBOX wrote: »

is hur some kind of foreign debt collector stooge ????

not sure why you have to be rude!!!

aaroncaz

hur575 wrote: »

Can I also add please do not be rude to the debt collector in the phone they will not help you otherwise. I use to help people as much as I can but if people are rude for no reason and become abusive I have no time for them. When someone is very nice I even give them the loopholes, you might find debt collector aggressive because they are used to stressed people who just love to have a go.

This i find to be laughable!!Not!! Debt collecters are reknown for their rude, aggressive, threating behavior on the phone.

hur575

aaroncaz wrote: »

This i find to be laughable!!Not!! Debt collecters are reknown for their rude, aggressive, threating behavior on the phone.

Yes they work on commission they have to pay their bills too, manager in their case if they do not collect as much. At the end of they day, are human there is nice and rude people, if you owe the debt and be rude they will not do plan to pay in instalment and they will write in their note "debtor refused to cooperate" and will demand the full amount.

DAVETHE_CARDBOARDBOX

Hur 575 , perhaps a rhetorical statement is lost on someone with a tendancy to back up the unscruplulous and indefensible ?

aaroncaz

hur575 wrote: »

Yes they work on commission they have pay their bills too, manager in their case if they do not collect as much. At the end they are human they are nice and rude people . At the end of day if you owe the debt and be rude they will not do plan to pay in instalment and they will write in their note debtor refuse to cooperate and will demand full money.

Debt collectors quite often pressure ppl into paying more than they can afford, and putting the fear of god into the person,it's forums like this, that tells ppl, they don't have to put up with this.

hur575

aaroncaz wrote: »

Debt collectors quite often pressure ppl into paying more than they can afford, and putting the fear of god into the person,it's forums like this, that tells ppl, they don't have to put up with this.

Yes these are techniques collectors use to get commission from you. Know your right they will try to scare people to pay more but you can not be forced to pay beyond your means and if you offer to pay in instalments and they refused then they do not have a case.