15+yo debt has been sold on and harassing my family!

[StresHed]

More than 15 years ago (2008) I moved house and I as I understand it, there was an outstanding utility bill with EON (under £300)

at the time I was splitting from my ex so it was financially messy. I didn’t know about this debit until Some years later the debt got sold to Lowell, however it was over 6 years so I ignored the letters after checking MSE, never engaged with them and they stopped coming.

Recently I moved again and they are now bombarding me with letters, emails, texts and calls about this £220 EON debt, from 15+ years or so ago! they have now started harassing my relatives by text who live in our household!

Am I just to write them a cease and desist type letter? Any advice?

Why don’t you just pay your debt?

Why don't you just pay it?

Because it isn’t actually her debt, is it?

How have they got hold of the phone numbers of relatives?

Yes it is.

If only her name was on the bill, yes it is.

I think this is absolute rubbish though, how would they have got relatives’ mobile numbers? Much less be allowed to use them for this purpose.

It sounds like the debt collector is trying it on if the debt is over 15 years old. Speak to CAB?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/help-with-debt/dealing-with-your-debts/check-if-you-have-to-pay-a-debt/#:~:text=For%20most%20debts%2C%20the%20time,years%20on%20the%20main%20amount.

Yes an electricity bill from a house Op lived in

Pay your debt?

Pay your bill

Why don't you think you should have to pay for energy you used?

It’s over 6 years old, so it’s statute barred. I had this with a debt that wasn’t actually mine and I wrote back saying so, and also that for every letter, phone call etc, received, I would charge them a £50 admin fee. Heard nothing ever again.

Do not acknowledge the debt otherwise the countdown starts again.

If recovery action took place prior to the debt being 6 years old, I believe they can continue to recover it. Contact them and make a payment arrangement if you cannot afford to pay in full.

@StresHed
Please ignore the “just hand over the money” crew.
(a) We don’t know if OP’s name was on the bill
(b) We don’t know if the data is accurate
(c) We don’t know if they have already had payment from her ex- under the jointly and severally liable rules
(d) We do know that a company that takes six years to send a bill as absolutely taking the piss. And should be laughed at.
(e) We do know that she believes it is either out of time, or otherwise not due (I don’t know the UK rules well enough to comment)
(f) We do know that they are harassing her and her family by the phone calls to relatives.

As you saw the first time, there are rules about this. I think I would reject that you owe them anything, tell them to stop harassing you and your family, and say that as of now you will charge them £50/hr to deal with them, and that contacting you counts as accepting those terms and conditions.

Nobody is "harassing" your family. You owe them money and you refuse to pay.

Ignore them. Do not contact them in any shape or form either by text, letter, email or phone. If you do, you will be acknowledging the debt and it will be considered "active" again. If a debt is five years old or more it is statute barred (basically dead) and there's nothing they can do about it unless you resurrect it by engaging with them. But I'm extremely curious to know how on earth they got your relatives' phone numbers? That's very odd and (I'm pretty sure) illegal. Either way, none of you should engage with them.

Was the bill in your name?

Of the OP lived at the property, they can still be considered to have used the energy and owe it. If the debt has been secured in court, it can still be owed.

“Cease and desist” you know that’s a made up thing with no legal bearing in the UK, right?

so if you owed some money you’d be absolutely fine with them harassing your elderly parents for example, or your adult kids?

@StresHed Whose name was on the utility bill contract at the time you and your ex were living in the property?

To be honest, I’d be embarrassed I hadn’t paid and mortified that my actions were impacting onto my relatives. I’d be surprised if most people didn’t feel the same.

Pay your debt OP, people like you make make things more expensive for everybody else.

Statute of Limitations law:

www.stepchange.org/debt-info/can-i-write-off-debt/statute-barred-debt.aspx

Check your credit report!! Pay your debt!!