Letter from debt collector

MR_M_P

Had a letter from a debt collector, saying I owe EE £367, I rang them saying it must be a mistake as I've never dealt with EE
They said it's from 2006
They went on to say they have another account from a bank for me, I had a dispute with the bank, came to an arrangement and settled, they now appear to want to pursue me for the amount taken off the balance in order to reach an agreement
Can they do this? 
Can they even pursue it from 2006? 
Thanks 

fatbelly

They can ask, and you can say that you deny owing any money to them or any organisation that they represent.

Also, on the basis of their own evidence this would be statute barred etc etc.

The DFW board has a hybrid letter in this thread, which you can adapt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6027755/statute-barred-debts-and-the-limitation-act

PRAISETHESUN

The debt is probably too old to enforce, but you mention a settlement payment - when was this? If in the last 6 years then that can reset the enforcement timer. If it was a full and final settlement you should provide copies of that to the collectors, otherwise I'd send them a "prove it" letter first rather than going straight for the statute barred defense. Once you've gotten the full details they hold, then you can send them a second letter saying it is unenforceable because it is statute barred, etc. Better to have all the info just in case they try something funny, since the statute barred letter will count as acknowledging the debt, and if you've made any payments/otherwise acknowledged the debt in the last 6 years then the statute barred letter would reset the enforcement timer again.

sourcrates

It`s never recommended to speak to debt collectors on the phone, best practice is to do everything in writing only.

The debt from 2006 will be statute barred, and as you deny the debt is yours, I would go with the link to the hybrid letter in fatbelly`s post above.

As for the other balance they are chasing, whenever you settle a debt for less than the outstanding balance, its imperative to obtain a written assurance from the creditor that what you are paying them, settles your account with them, and that any outstanding balance will not be chased, by them or their agents.

Did you obtain such an assurance in writing from them ?

Also on what date did this happen, more than 6 years ago or less ?

MR_M_P

The one with the bank was settled at the very least over 12 years ago 

BT_Broederbund

EE would have been TMobile or Orange back in 2006.  Have you ever defaulted on a mobile contract?

sourcrates

MR_M_P said:

The one with the bank was settled at the very least over 12 years ago 

Then that is what you tell them, you cannot reasonably be expected to keep paperwork 12 years.

Should this go to court, which is unlikely, its 50/50 who would win, Lowell will usually back down if you put up staunch resistance, just tell the truth, without evidence either way its your word against theirs.

MR_M_P

BT_Broederbund said:

EE would have been TMobile or Orange back in 2006.  Have you ever defaulted on a mobile contract?

I did have a contract with orange, I do remember some dispute at one point, can't remember how it was resolved