debt demand from 1999

moonrakermagpie

Hi, I have recently posted on this forum (TITLE "past credit accounts debts") to which angelavdavis has replied, I will digest and work through this and the other replies

I have posted a seperate thread for this problem as it is completely new.

Yesterday my daughter received a letter out of the blue from littlewoods, the cloths catalogue, it was a demand for payment for goods purchased back in 1999, (apparently)

My daughter has an account with them at present and owes around £50 which she is paying off before buying any more.

She has had no contact from littlewoods since 1999 regarding this old debt and has moved several times in that time.

Although she says she had an account back then and seems to think she had goods and that her sister had some stuff she has no real idea on the details.

Thinking that the request was with regards to her present balance she has phoned them and discussed it, they say the debt is from 1999 and is for £121:98 (there is no breakdown supplied).

On the phone my daughter explained that she had no "spare" money to pay this and explained that the most she could pay is £5 per month, They then offered that if she paid a one off £60.99 pound then that would settle the demand.

She has not got the £60 but I could pay it for her and get it back later on. I am dealing with several other debts for her and managing her day to day finances as she is not able to do this herself and is the reason for her financial problems in the first place. I do not want to just pay off all her debts for her as I would prefere to teach her how to manage them herself (with a lot of handholding) and to show her how to manage her finances on her own.

My main question is can they pursue this debt from 1999 , if so how can we be sure it is correct and if it is could we bargain to pay the reduced sum of £60.99 at £5 a month.

What do you think is the best thing to do.

Cheers S and for E

kevtrader

From what I've read on the site once there is no contact about a debt after 6 years it gets written off and they can't chase you for it.

I think that's what the rules on this are but more experienced posters will come and give their thoughts on this.

rog2

Provided that the DEBTOR has made NO PAYMENTS toward the alleged debt, nor made any WRITTEN contact to the creditor, in regard to the debt, then the debt will, normally, be covered by the Limitations Act, 1980, making it 'Statute Barred' and, therefore, un-collectable through the courts.
The creditor CAN pursue this 'debt' until the point that your daughter informs them that she will not pay the debt, as it is 'statute barred' - the creditor should, then, cease asking for payment.
For a template letter, to send to the creditor, click on the following link:

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/temp/5657_10811.pdf

The creditor, or his agents, should, also, provide you with all details of the 'alleged debt' on request.