help please - letters from Lowells & Hamptons

charl8710

Please help!I have started getting letters from lowell group saying I owe money. Today I received a letter from hampton legal threatening court action for the debt of £261.77I know this debt was from at least over 8years ago and during this time I have never had any contact with them. I have checked my credit report and it isnt on there somi dont know what to do as I thought after 6 years the debt is barred?They want it paying in full by 18th sept 2014 or will take me to court.!Please help im currently in the process of buying a house and I dont want this ruining my mortgage chances.

fermi

Links to info and letters in this thread ---> https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2606811

If you are not sure what to do with that then call National Debtline on freephone 0808 808 4000

National_Debtline

Hello there,

Based upon what you've written, it sounds like the debt could be 'statute barred'. The above thread is excellent and really worth reading. If you would like an abridged version of what you need to do, you can find all the information within our Limitation Act fact sheet:

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/25%20EW%20Time%20limits%20for%20recovering%20debts/Default.aspx

Very best wishes,

David @ National Debtline.

charl8710

Thank you so much

Bogus_Rogues

Good luck with everything. You might find that my blog is helpful which is my username at weebly. I am in a different situation but the element of statute barred also comes into my case.

charl8710

Sorry more advise needed. Do I have to send my letter as a letter or can I email it to them since their email is on the letter they sent me.

relhaopyla

The above thread is excellent and really worth reading.

sourcrates

charl8710 wrote: »

Sorry more advise needed. Do I have to send my letter as a letter or can I email it to them since their email is on the letter they sent me.

Do everything in writing, yes that means a good old fashioned letter, only a letter is a legally accepted form of acknowledgement.

Toe-Jam

sourcrates wrote: »

only a letter is a legally accepted form of acknowledgement.

Not accurate.

Any form of communication where the terms have been clearly outlined and agreed to constitutes a contract.

I personally do not recommend sending letters with your signature on it to a Debt Collection Agency.

Emailing the standard Statute Barred template is more than adequate.

rizla_king

The Limitation Act 1980 says.

an acknowledgment must be in writing and signed by the person making it.

SeduLOUs

We had success with a statute barred letter to Lowell's and got confirmation that they would no longer chase the amounts soon after. This was over a year ago and I haven't heard a peep since.

We sent an old fashioned letter, but printed name rather than signing as didn't want to take the risk of providing a specimen signature to a DCA.