Being chased for 15+ year old debt- have I massively fucked up here?

[AngeloMysterioso]

I got a text message this morning from Resolve Call saying your account has been passed to us for a home visit. To prevent please visit then a weblink.

I have recently missed a credit card payment so thought it might be relating to that, although I thought it was a bit hasty as it’s only been a few weeks! So I clicked the link, confirmed my id and looked at the letter.

The address on the letter is for my old address that I haven’t lived in for nearly 5 years. The debt is supposedly with Lloyds TSB for over £1200, except I haven’t had an account with them since uni, and I graduated in 2008! So I’m thinking it’s an unpaid student credit card? I was utterly shit with money back then and was also financially supporting my mum at the time (long story).

I know that debts usually get written off after 6 years if you don’t engage with the creditors, but would my confirming my details and reading this letter be sufficient to revive it somehow?

Any advice gratefully received as I am now freaking out about this.

The message I got has my name, and the letter has my old address that I moved out of in August 2019.

If you believe that you had a debt you didn’t pay a long time ago then follow the advice given above.

find out first if you actually have a debt - someone like Equifax ? I think you can have a free credit check / credit report, I have also seen tv adverts for Clearscore ?

I use ClearScore- there are no Lloyds TSB debts on there

Speak to your local CAB. They know what's what with stuff like this.

Even if it's possible it is a genuine debt Op the amount of time since it accrued is way too long. Don't engage with them, don't confirm anything. A lot of old debts get sold on, if the debt collectors get nowhere then they sell it on again, even if they know your correct address they are very unlikely to call at the house.

Wonder if you paid for a credit check with Experian. Think they do free trials. You could see if it was your debt, because it would come up there.

@AngeloMysterioso I had similar recently. 12 year old debt I had forgotten.

Look up the rules of The Limitations Act 1980. IF a debt write off is applicable, then email company with your reference number and state
'Under The Limitations Act 1980 I believe this is time expired. Please confirm. Thank you.'
Don't admit to owning the debt, don't agree to pay, admit nothing. Speak to no-one.
This should end the matter IF the rules of debt write off apply to your situation.

A debt older than 6 years is statute barred, it will not (should not) be on your credit file and if you are chased for it you can demand they desist and sue them for harassment if they continue. Call them to find out what this debt refers to and when it was defaulted (when you last paid or made contact about it); if it is indeed statute barred they should admit it immediately and stop contacting you. If they continue to come after you, contact Citizens' Advice. Don't communicate with them in writing. If the debt is less than 6 years from default or last contact, you are still liable and will have to either ignore them and hope they go away, or pay it. The fact they are using an old address sounds like they're probably chancing it.

Coincidentally I read this the other day... I don't know if it's relevant to you https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/apr/22/unregulated-identity-tracers-harass-people-for-debts-they-do-not-owe

Reading the letter does not constitute an acknowledgement of the debt. You can take a breath and ignore this. I think I’d be tempted to just ignore the matter completely given they don’t have your address and they can’t take you to court for enforcement.

I had almost exactly the same experience as you back in 2021. I had no idea a debt collection company had been trying to reach me at an old address for only around £100 for a sky TV bill I just didn't know I'd not paid during a break up. It was just under the 6 years as the break up/incident was from 2015 but I found out because I was trying to buy a house in 2021 and my mortgage application got flagged due to a CCJ so I had to then acknowledge the debt in order to clear the CCJ. I had no idea about the CCJ as that had also gone to my old address in 2020. So just be careful as the CCJ is a real pain for your credit score and annoyingly even after clearing, stays on your record for 6 years I think. So I'd definitely look into that. Good luck getting it sorted! I feel your pain! X

@AngeloMysterioso I wondered did you hear any more. I've now received a letter to my home address. It now has an old married name on it. I still do not know what it is but they say they are coming to my house!

Coming back to this thread to say they’ve just turned up at my house! I wasn’t there but DH answered the door, the chap asked him for my number (which DH didn’t give him) and then handed him a sealed letter saying it was a private matter. Apparently the letter asks me to call them about my account, but no reference to whom the account is with! Dodgy fuckers.