Unrecognised debt on file - should I send a prove it letter?

hereagain22

Hi all, just wanted to ask for advice on whether I should contact a creditor AGG Booth. I have been discussing this on another thread where others have had them pop up on their credit file with no contact - and I think someone has tracked down some contact details for them - or a related company so I have an address and email to try to make contact for AG Massey. 

They have added a credit card record to my file with late payments for each month - no default.
They have never made contact with me. I am assuming it is for an old Vanquis credit card as Vanquis just closed the account randomly with no contact - so is this the account they have sold on. 

I have raised disputes with Transunion and Experian - I keep checking Equifax but it is not listed on there at present. Transunion have suppressed the record as they have contacted them with no response. Experian have just added a note but the monthly missed payments are adding up.

I need to sort my file out as we want to apply for a mortgage in the next few years - I have some accounts to pay off and close and a few defaults to drop off my file. I am now really stressed about this unresolved issue on my file and worried that even if I can get it 'suppressed' it could pop up again at some point - possibly sabotaging any mortgage applications. 

I feel like I need to face it rather than just ignore it for that reason so how do I deal with it? 

Should I send a prove-it letter? What do I do then does it depend on their response? I haven't sent a prove it before - is this asking them to provide proof that they have bought the debt? As I am not totally sure of the contact details for this company should I just use the AG Massey details that were suggested on the other thread. Should I try ringing/writing to Vanquis and asking them what they did with the account? 
So confused - any help appreciated! 

Thanks 

Grumpelstiltskin

Just send the Prove it letter. Under no circumstances speak to Vanquis, hopefully the Prove it letter will work if not complain.

hereagain22

Grumpelstiltskin said:

Just send the Prove it letter. Under no circumstances speak to Vanquis, hopefully the Prove it letter will work if not complain.

Ok thanks - I have checked the templates and it covers when a creditor has contacted you but in this case they haven't! So do I just update the wording to say 'added to my credit file' rather than contacted me. 

Grumpelstiltskin

Yes just change it to fit.

fatbelly

It's an unusual situation that this has just appeared on your file with no letter being sent to you.

This company does not provide an address, do not respond to CRA queries and it is only by detective work that we have some sort of address, which may or may not work.

I think I would frame your letter along the lines of a complaint. Maybe head it FORMAL COMPLAINT. Then if you hear nothing in 8 weeks you can refer it to FOS.

There's no guarantee they will respond to any of this but ignoring FOS will cause them more problems

hereagain22

fatbelly said:

It's an unusual situation that this has just appeared on your file with no letter being sent to you.

This company does not provide an address, do not respond to CRA queries and it is only by detective work that we have some sort of address, which may or may not work.

I think I would frame your letter along the lines of a complaint. Maybe head it FORMAL COMPLAINT. Then if you hear nothing in 8 weeks you can refer it to FOS.

There's no guarantee they will respond to any of this but ignoring FOS will cause them more problems

Yes it is so weird that they haven't made contact but have posted on credit file. It is highly frustrating as it feels I am having to chase them to pay them money - not at all what I want to do lol - but I don't feel like I can leave it as needing to clean up my file ready for mortgages in the next few years. 
I will try to head it as a complaint as you suggest. Transunion and Experian have also queried it with them but received no response. Frustrating that Experian do not remove it from the file as TU have. 

hereagain22

Well I’ve had an update from Experian as they’ve had a response from this company. It says they request I contact them before they take action. Take action!! They’ve got a cheek as they’ve never contacted me!  

Part of what they say doesn’t make sense as it says they have no record of my claim. Well no as I’ve no idea who you are guys you’ve just popped up on my credit file. So annoying!! 

fatbelly

And did Experian share their contact details with you?

Post them up if you get them

hereagain22

fatbelly said:

And did Experian share their contact details with you?

Post them up if you get them

Just an email address - contact@agmassey.com 

hereagain22

Right - I have done an amended prove it letter to AGG and attached it to an email to this contact as provided by experian. I have complained about it all. Sure they will just ignore me but I just don't see how a company can act this way. They claim to experian to have bought the debt in 2021. So why buy it then do nothing with it for years? So annoyed at all this and the impact it is having on my mental health! 

hereagain22

Just as an update - I have received a reply from AG Massey and my complaint has been passed to a complaint officer to deal with. This was on the 13th March but I didn't receive the og email so only just finding out.

No word yet from said complaint officer....wonder if that is because he is busy or just because he cba responding. Watch this space!