Pesky Debt Collection Agency.

sarah0404

Hello. I've not been here for ages I hope someone can help me with a problem.

About 6 years ago I went on holiday and when I came back I opened a letter that said something like "Thank you for your order but we can't dispatch it till you've paid for the goods you've already recieved." I look at the invoice and its for duvets and a pair of shoes and I was like WTH??? Then I looked more closely and saw that the flat number was down as flat D, and I was living in flat B. There were some dodgy people living in D at the time, so they must have got some post of mine by accident and used my name to open an account with a catalogue.

Phoned the catalogue, told them the story, they said they'd put a stop on all orders to that address, blah blah. I also went to the police to report it, but they weren't much help.

A few days later my dh was outside when a delivery came. It had my name on it and flat D as the address. He took it in and the neighbours came running down asking if he'd taken a parcel in. He asked them what their name was. She said Sarah, but she couldn't pronounce my last name! He told her that he'd give her the parcel if she showed him some ID. They moved out about 5 days later. The item was picked up by the courier company after I phoned the catalogue (again!)

A few months ago I got a letter from Buchannan Clark and Wells, saying I owed them £53.10. I've actually moved from the original address, so I don't know how they found me. So I phoned them told them what had happened and they asked me do I have a crime number! Yeah, of course someone would keep that for six years! :rolleyes: They said I should contact the company the debt was with, which was Marshall Ward. Marshall Ward had no information of this debt at all. I phoned the DCA again after their 2nd letter, and they said they'd send out the signed credit agreement, and that my account would have a stop on it till then. Nothing came, but a few days ago I got a letter kindly offering to knock £20 off the balance if I paid up right away. Phoned them again, asked them why they were sending this when I was waiting for the credit agreement, and they told me they have a new policy that I'd have to write and request the credit agreement and send £1.

Heck no! I'm not giving them £1 of my money. Why should I write and request a credit agreement that I haven't signed? It has nothing to do with me!!!!!!!! I just want them to **** off! I feel so angry :mad:

What should I do?

Ames

Do you know exactly when the bill was run up? As it could be statute barred anyway. Someone more knowledgable than me will be along soon though.

RAS

If the debt was last paid for or acknowledged in writing more than 6 years ago it is statute barred, It still exists, the DCA are entitled to ask you to pay and you are entitled to tell them where to go. In which case, they cannot pursue the debt or transfer the debt to another DCA.

sarah0404

Thanks for the replies. I think it would have been about May/June/July 2002 that the debt was run up. I doubt anything was ever aknowleged or paid towards the debt. Stuff was bought in a false name. MY NAME!!!! :mad: So they obviously had no intention of paying.

The letter also has the name Phoenix Recoveries on it. It looks as if the debt has been with Phoenix and they've passed it on to Buchanan Clark and Wells.

So how should I tell them where to go? Should I phone? I'm just annoyed that AGAIN I have to sort out this mess. I already wrote to the catalogues back in 2002. Its just an extra hassle I don't need.

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

tell them to sling there hook, your credit file must be clean any way
there just chancers do not pay it, and do not spend your valuable time ringing them up or what ever .IE DONT PLAY BALL