Hoist Finance contacting after 9 years of completion.

TheDev

Hello. It's been a long time since I've been on here. I'm hoping someone can advise and offer some help as amazing as it was 9 years (blimey) ago.

Yesterday I had two text messages from Hoist Finance telling me I had an account set up to deal with my debt management. I understand this could just be phishing, but they are a legit company I believe.

I completed on my IVA 9 years ago after being in a plan with Payplan for I think 5 years prior to settle my debts. I have the completion certificate and have not had a peep from anyone for those 9 years. I have blocked the number as they haven't emailed or sent any post, though I have moved since completing.

I just wouldn't want anything bad against my name and wondered if ignoring them is the right thing to do. I didn't want to give up any information about myself of course and wondered if anyone else had been contacted this long after completing a debt plan. 9 years seems a little crazy?

Many thanks!

sourcrates

This advice applies to anyone who is chasing you for a debt, emails/texts and phone calls can be ignored.

If they want to get serious, they will write to you, if they ever do so, then your response would be to tell them that said debt was covered by your IVA and to enclose a copy of your completion certificate with your letter.
The fact you have moved may be problematic, although tracing someone is quite simple these days, companies such as this don`t always bother, so if they were to get legal with you, all correspondence would go to your old address, and the first you would be aware of it, will be the CCJ on your credit file.

It`s not unusual for old insolvency debts to be resurrected, sometimes years later, they get sold on occasionally, and the new owner may sit on it for a time, and not be aware it was subject to an insolvency.

I believe Hoist are one such company that specialises in trying to get a payday on old, statute barred or otherwise written off accounts, they buy them in bulk, so perhaps won`t know the debts history, or so they will claim.

If you want to offset the risk of a CCJ by default, by all means get in touch with them, they will have no remedy against you for this debt, you are under no obligation to provide any kind of proof whatsoever, but all you need do is show them a copy of your completion certificate to make all this go away, it`s up to you.

TheDev

sourcrates said:

This advice applies to anyone who is chasing you for a debt, emails/texts and phone calls can be ignored.

If they want to get serious, they will write to you, if they ever do so, then your response would be to tell them that said debt was covered by your IVA and to enclose a copy of your completion certificate with your letter.
The fact you have moved may be problematic, although tracing someone is quite simple these days, companies such as this don`t always bother, so if they were to get legal with you, all correspondence would go to your old address, and the first you would be aware of it, will be the CCJ on your credit file.

It`s not unusual for old insolvency debts to be resurrected, sometimes years later, they get sold on occasionally, and the new owner may sit on it for a time, and not be aware it was subject to an insolvency.

I believe Hoist are one such company that specialises in trying to get a payday on old, statute barred or otherwise written off accounts, they buy them in bulk, so perhaps won`t know the debts history, or so they will claim.

If you want to offset the risk of a CCJ by default, by all means get in touch with them, they will have no remedy against you for this debt, you are under no obligation to provide any kind of proof whatsoever, but all you need do is show them a copy of your completion certificate to make all this go away, it`s up to you.

Thanks Sourcrates! That's great advice.

I do wonder if they have written to my old address of (4 years ago). I'd hate to have a CCJ on my credit file so I'll check it now to see if anything has happened.

I think I might try and email them the certificate and tell them to politely... go away. 

TheDev

TheDev said:

sourcrates said:

This advice applies to anyone who is chasing you for a debt, emails/texts and phone calls can be ignored.

If they want to get serious, they will write to you, if they ever do so, then your response would be to tell them that said debt was covered by your IVA and to enclose a copy of your completion certificate with your letter.
The fact you have moved may be problematic, although tracing someone is quite simple these days, companies such as this don`t always bother, so if they were to get legal with you, all correspondence would go to your old address, and the first you would be aware of it, will be the CCJ on your credit file.

It`s not unusual for old insolvency debts to be resurrected, sometimes years later, they get sold on occasionally, and the new owner may sit on it for a time, and not be aware it was subject to an insolvency.

I believe Hoist are one such company that specialises in trying to get a payday on old, statute barred or otherwise written off accounts, they buy them in bulk, so perhaps won`t know the debts history, or so they will claim.

If you want to offset the risk of a CCJ by default, by all means get in touch with them, they will have no remedy against you for this debt, you are under no obligation to provide any kind of proof whatsoever, but all you need do is show them a copy of your completion certificate to make all this go away, it`s up to you.

Thanks Sourcrates! That's great advice.

I do wonder if they have written to my old address of (4 years ago). I'd hate to have a CCJ on my credit file so I'll check it now to see if anything has happened.

I think I might try and email them the certificate and tell them to politely... go away. 

Although I wonder if contacting them will just fuel something. I'm in two minds now. They only seem to have my phone number and now at my previous address the owners will be dumping anything that comes through after all this time for sure.

Would an email to their main contact simply stating my name and email address (silly question, do they even have my name?) basically outlining they can't chase statute barred debt. I have found a template to send.

I have no reference from them which is annoying in the text it was literally a log in so I just deleted it as phishing.

sourcrates

You can`t fuel anything by contacting them, you have no liability here, that cannot change.

It certainly looks like a phishing trip to me, but if they don`t have up to date contact details, it can cause problems, the problems could be rectified, but it would cost time and probably money as well, I would always advise to nip these things in the bud quickly if you can.

There must be a reference number somewhere, a quick email will suffice.

TheDev

sourcrates said:

You can`t fuel anything by contacting them, you have no liability here, that cannot change.

It certainly looks like a phishing trip to me, but if they don`t have up to date contact details, it can cause problems, the problems could be rectified, but it would cost time and probably money as well, I would always advise to nip these things in the bud quickly if you can.

There must be a reference number somewhere, a quick email will suffice.

Thank you for the advice. It's reassuring! I'll email them now.

Thanks Sourcrates. 

TheDev

Just an update in case anyone else has this. I’ve emailed them with the account number they set up asking them to send me proof of the debt. Heard nothing back for a week or so now. I get the odd voicemail which is just a recorded answer message asking me to call Hoist Finance.

I suite I can just ignore it and it goes away eventually. I
would think that if they ever try and seriously pursue it they would see it was all settled 🤷🏻‍♂️

TheDev

Another update! I’ve had this email back from them. So wondering if I should actually call them but not give any details about myself other than what they know? Seems like I need to sign up to Hoist to actually find out what it is they want which seems inappropriate to me.

Unable to respond.

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A response to your query will be sent to your address in the meantime.

Any advice would be great.

fatbelly

'A response to your query will be sent to your address in the meantime.'

Fine, leave it at that

TheDev

fatbelly said:

'A response to your query will be sent to your address in the meantime.'

Fine, leave it at that

Hey. I think I mentioned above but will mention again that they have my old address from 4 years ago so I’ll never receive it.

sourcrates

Well, I said it above, the debt was wiped out by your IVA, so no further action can be taken against you here, it won`t hurt to chat to them on live chat, explain what has happened, your debt solution, your address change etc etc, you will have to do this if you want it resolved.

Alternatively put it all in writing with a copy of your completion certificate, and send it that way, or you can just hope they get tired and move on to someone else, up to you.