A letter from a debt collector - help please!!

Phiepho

I've recieved a letter from a Debt collction agency called ECI referring to an outstanding debt from Cabot Financial.

It states they have been instructed by a client to collect a debt of £861.98 which has been outstanding for some time and must now be paid.

I haven't had a credit card in years and all my debt is contained within one loan from HSBC which I am actively paying off and isn't a massive sum anyway. I think this is referring to a debt which must be from my days at Uni when I was terrible with money and is about 5 years ago now.

Basically I'd like some advice as to how to progress with it. I'm not sure what the debt is for, possibly a credit card, this is the first I've heard of it in years and also it is near impossible for me to pay off £861.08 at the minute, I'm barely earning enough to live off from month to month!

The letter itself isn't very threatening, just full of "strongly recommends" and "failure to respong will result in continued efforts to contact you".

What is the best way to deal with this? Any advice would be extremely appreciated.

Billy_two_speakers

Do as they ask "respond" ask them for full details of the debt copies of all paper work find out if it really is your debt, admit nothing

10past6

Phiepho wrote: »

What is the best way to deal with this?

Hi :hello:

Welcome to the forum, send them this letter, amend the details as required to your own specific requirments, send the letter by recorded delivery:

(Your home address)
_________________
_________________
Date: ____________

To: ______________
__________________
Dear Sir/Madam

Account no:

You have contacted me/us regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by myself/ourselves.

I/we would point out that I/we have no knowledge of any such debt being owed to (insert company name).

I am/we are familiar with the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states that it unfair to send demands for payment to an individual when it is uncertain that they are the debtor in question.

I/we would also point out that the OFT say under the Guidance that it is unfair to pursue third parties for payment when they are not liable. In not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt you are using deceptive/and or unfair methods.

Furthermore ignoring and/or disregarding claims that debts have been settled or are disputed and continuing to make unjustified demands for payment amounts to physical/psychological harassment.

I/we would ask that no further contact be made concerning the above account unless you can provide evidence as to my/our liability for the debt in question.
I/we await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed.

Otherwise I will have no option but to make a complaint to the trading standards department and consider informing the OFT of your actions.

I/we look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully

(Your signature)

10past6

Phiepho wrote: »

I think this is referring to a debt which must be from my days at Uni when I was terrible with money and is about 5 years ago now.

FYI, a debt is NEVER, EVER, written off, unless it's been paid.

However, there are certain guidelines laid down as to when a creditor can / cannot try to enforce debt.

Send the letter I've included above, and wait and see what happens.

Hippocampus

If Cabot have involved a 3rd party to try to collect on a debt they have bought, this USUALLY means they know full well that the debt is likely to be unenforcable for one reason or another anyway.

Certain DCA's are known to have less scruples than even Cabot in their methods of debt collection, as a lying, bullying, threatening approach tends to work wonders with the ill informed, even if those sorts of methods are unlawful. And as you are now here, ill informed you are not!