Mackenzie Hall and am I doing the right thing?

sirfartalot

I see that there are a lot of threads on here about a company called Mackenzie Hall and about the type of company that they are.

I have today received a letter marked as a 'final notice' with a payment deadline of yesterday!

I had no idea what this was about so rang them and they say that it is from a Barclaycard which defaulted in 1997. Now I vaguely recall having a Barclaycard a long time ago but as far as I am aware it was paid off (after all, Barclaycard happily gave me a platinum card when I applied last year). At the end of the day though, I don't keep records going back ten years or more and I have no recollection of this figure or if I really owe it. I told the operator as such that I did not recognise the debt and he gave me my Barclaycard number and asked me to contact them for confirmation. I asked why it had taken years and he said that a letter had been sent out at the time of the default (ten years ago!) and they have apparently been waiting for me to respond!

Can anybody clarify:

1) That I have NOT acknowledged the debt by telephoning (I did inform the operator that I had no recollection of and did not recognise the debt).

2) I should NOT contact Barclaycard seeking clarification as this would acknowledge the debt.

3) I SHOULD write to Mackenzie Hall using the sample letter from National Debtline disuputing liability as I have had no contact for more than six years.

Or would I simply be better off doing nothing and ignoring the whole thing?

Crown

There trying it on. If the debt is 10 years old then its statute barred anyhow so you are not legally obliged to repay this debt even if you did know about it. If it is there final notice what exactly are they going to do? They have no legal claim for the money but are using typical bully tactics to scare you into making a payment.

I would send the template from the NDL site and amend it by adding that you do not acknowledge this debt and as it is over 6 years old that you aware of your rights.

Hopefully that will be the last you hear from them

RAS

Hi

One of our favourite DCAs, who buy up old debts.

Send the recommended letter, as long as you think it is at least 6 years since you paid anything.

A telephone call does not consitute acknowledgement, it has to be written.

make sure the letter starts:

I do not acknowledge any debt to your company.

And send it recorded delivery.

Insert a line requiring all future contact to be by mail if that is not included in the template letter as they love making you phone them.

And make a formal complaint about them sending misleading documentation contrary to section 2. of the OFT Guidlines for debt collection and advise them tat you are reporting them to the OFT and their local Trading Standards.

Then report them.