Debt collectors company trying to collect a debt from 2003

[olddebt]

As the title says. Since 2016 they’ve been trying to get me to pay some money back and I have ignored this, apart from in 2022 when I politely but firmly explained that I wasn’t in a position to pay anything back and if I was I wouldn’t be doing so. But every couple of years they come back. Is there any way to stop this? DH saw a letter and is now fretting.

Well, I guess setting up a payment plan if you can't afford to settle it in full will keep them happy

look up Statute Barred letter. There are strict criteria you must meet though for it to be valid.

@Doggymummar this is really bad advice. The debt is not on my credit file, and hasn’t been since 2009. Starting to pay it back now would put it back on.

Thanks @Dueanamechange2025 - will do.

There is a very simple way to stop this... Pay the debt.

Please see above.

Get your local CAB to write them a letter.

If for the first 6 years after the debt was incurred they did not contact you at all, then legally they cannot pursue it 13 years later. However, if it's council tax then the 6 year timeline doesn't apply.

It isn’t council tax. Thanks. The statute barred letter does actually apply to us so I will send it off.

You have acknowledged the debt so it might not be statute barred

If you owe the money then you should have made arrangements to pay it at the time. If somebody owed you money you would want it to be paid. I really don't see the issue here.

Send the letter, but be aware that they may consider your letter to them in 2022 to be acknowledging the debt and thus resetting the timescale. Might be worth having a chat with Citizens Advice.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/help-with-debt/dealing-with-your-debts/check-if-you-have-to-pay-a-debt/

Agree , the time resets when you enter into a discussion and acknowledge that you owe something.

Depends if it was acknowledged in writing or not, but does cloud the waters.
Maybe do a SARS request first. This should show any acknowledgement.

You owe it, you should pay it. You've had years to gather the funds.

I wasn’t in a position to pay anything back and if I was I wouldn’t be doing so.

That makes you look pretty shit. Saying you wouldn't pay even if you could is really shabby.

Why do you think that you are exempt from paying for goods/ services that you have already received?

I didn’t send a letter. I spoke to them on the phone.

It isn’t on my credit file and I plan for it to stay that way. It would be beyond stupid to pay it back now.

Presumably it never got to a ccj which would have expired in the meantime. Does not mean you are exempt if not on your file though.

When you engage with them, by phone, letter, whatever, the six years starts again.

You need to ignore, ignore for six years ànd don't engage or acknowledge.

would be beyond stupid to pay it back now.

Why? You owe the money

Nah I wouldn't pay, this surely must be statute-barred if they didn't contact you until 13 years later. This will just be a predatory debt collection company that bought the original debt and is chancing its arm on getting something back. They probably paid pennies on the pound of that original debt for the chance to try and recover something.

I have explained why. It would make me liable to pay it back. This isn’t a post about the morals of it. Someone has answered with what I can do to stop the company contacting me and I plan to do this.

Not being on your credit file doesn’t confirm or deny that it is statute barred. TBH, I would just ignore it. They are hugely unlikely to go to court for a CCJ after all this time. So may just receive letters every now and then.

You haven't said why you won't pay, just that you don't want to. Fair enough but I can't see what would be 'beyond stupid' about paying a debt.