Help with an old debt

Trishababybue

I was very silly alot of years back opened store cards etc and racked up debt.

A few years later I thought I had cleared them all up but apparently one has come to light for £900 that a company called verify is threatening to visit my home.

This debt must be over 20 years old, as its in my maiden name.

My credit file is now fairly good, best course of action?

Thanks

fatbelly

It'll be statute barred but because you don't really know what it is, send a prove-it

If you can send it to the company that Verify work for that is best. Then you can ignore Verify completely.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter

Trishababybue

Thanks,

If it statye-barred and I send a prove it letter and it is mine. Will this affect my credit file if I start to pay it off?

ManyWays

Why would you start to pay this? Wait until they "prove" it's yours, if they do, state that it is statute barred, then they have to stop asking you to pay unless they can show it is not.

fatbelly

Even if this is your debt, it's not coming back to your credit file if it was defaulted more than 6 years ago.

If it turns out to be your debt, and statute barred, then it means there is nothing they can do with it.

Although under English law it still exists, in practice you can ignore it and tell the present debt owner to stop contacting you.

Trishababybue

Thank you, I'll get the prove it letter sent today

RAS

In Scotland a statute barred debt is extinguished.

Elsewhere, the creditor cannot enforce the debt in the court, but it still exists and you are allowed to pay it if you want.

Or not to pay, although you'd be wise to object formally if they started legal action. Some debts are sold on repeatedly and the most recent owner might be hoping it's not statute barred or trying it on.

sourcrates

Just to clarify a point, Verify are a tracing agent, not a debt collector, if they call on you, it will simply be to tell you their client want to speak to you about a personal matter, that`s all.

From what you`ve said the debt will be statute barred, and you have had good advice above on what to do next.