Lowell-they say I have a ccj but I've had nothing from the courts! Scam?

TwinkleStarr79

Hi, I need some help with a Lowell issue if possible, for months I've been getting harassed with letters and calls from Lowell, about a Debt I have no idea about, except it might possibly be a debt with capital one from many many years ago, the letters seemed pretty dodgy to me in their wording so I've just dismissed them as a scam and ignored them, today I get a letter from "Lowell solicitors" telling me I now have a ccj and have to pay Lowell £50 a month, I was pretty sure that if I had been taken to court for a ccj I would have been sent something from the courts, so I researched online and lo and behold I discover there is a process that has to be gone through, and involving several forms from the court, none of which I have been sent, never mind any official letter from the courts actually telling me I have been given a ccj! Literally nothing. Not sure how to proceed from here, has anyone experienced this from Lowell or other suspect debt collection agencies who can give me some advice? Many thanks

[Deleted User]

It'll be on your credit files if you have one.

sourcrates

Have you moved in the last few years ?

Court papers will of gone to last known address on file.

If its an old account, and you've moved, there's your answer.
If you have a CCJ less than 6 years old it will show on your credit report.

Or at trust on line.

DorisTrousers

If it isn't an oxymoron, Lowell are one of the good guys of the DCA world, and it is very likely that they are correct, but of course you should follow it up. They should at least be able to give you a claim number.

National_Debtline

Hi TwinkleStarr79


Further to the above posts, it sounds plausible to me that there might indeed be a CCJ in existence, if only because the courts often default to setting a payment rate of £50 a month for small-to-middling sized debts if they get no response from the defendant (i.e. you) - which is exactly what will have happened if court papers have indeed gone to an address you've long since vacated.


You can obtain a free online copy of your credit report by contacting the following credit reference agencies:



http://www.experian.co.uk/


https://www.equifax.co.uk/


https://www.callcredit.co.uk/


Best to check those files out first of all before deciding on your next steps.


Dennis
@natdebtline

HampshireH

Just out of interest if lowell have the OP current adressess from the people they have a debt with then would the court not be given the same address?

Seems odd they would be given a different address when the OP is receiving mail from Lowells

fermi

HampshireH wrote: »

Just out of interest if lowell have the OP current adressess from the people they have a debt with then would the court not be given the same address?

Seems odd they would be given a different address when the OP is receiving mail from Lowells

No unusual at all for DCAs. Giving the court a previous address is very prevalent. DCAs would no doubt claim this is an administrative error, or that they don't have certainly for the new address, but the prevalence of the practice from DCAs makes it quite obvious that it is often a deliberate tactic to prevent people being able to respond to, or even knwo about a claim, until they have obtained a judgement by default. At which point DCAs miraculously find the new address.

TwinkleStarr79

Thanks everyone, it seems very strange to me that if Lowell have my current address then why haven't the courts got it.. due process surely has to be followed so if I haven't been given the opportunity to follow that process then I am going to question Lowell's claims. I have seen lots of reports online about the suspect practices of Lowell. I going to demand that I see official court documents before I hand over any money.

sammyjammy

Why not just check your credit reports?

HampshireH

Trustonline.org.uk will give you details of any ccj you hace and a reference number. Its a small fee but sounds like it would be worth paying so you can see what you have recorded against you and a reference to contact the courts with

fatbelly

You shouldn't have to do the legwork on this and certainly not have to pay out to find info when there are free versions of credit reports available and all records (Equifax, experian, callcredit and registry trust) only go back 6 years. This may be older.

If Lowell are telling you that there is a judgement for you to pay £50 per month then ask them 'which court?', 'what date' and 'what reference?'

When they give you that information you can ask that court to confirm the details and give you the particulars of claim.

You can then consider whether setaside is appropriate.

Note a judgement more than 6 years old can only be enforced by permission of the court.