This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Legal Eagle Column by Dean Durham.


Consumer champion & legal expert from www.youandyourrights.co.uk


Being chased for a debt you don’t owe


Last week I received a letter from a debt


collector claiming that I owed £2100 in relation to a credit card, which I knew was not correct. I contacted the company and they informed me that they had purchased the debt from the credit card company but could not tell me any more. I know that I do not owe this money. This week I went out on twitter and discovered that this is happening to lots of people, some of whom have been subjected to months of hounding by debt collectors.


In some cases the whole thing is simply fraudulent, however on other occasions the company chasing you believes that you owe the debt but they are in fact wrong. Either way, you obviously should not pay.


If you fi nd yourself in this situation here’s what you need to do:


1. Check your credit report


If the debt is a loan or in relation to a credit card then check your credit report. You can do this online with companies like Experian. This is a good start as the report should show details of any money that you currently owe, including who you owe the money to. If the debt that your concerned with does not show on your report tell the debt collector.


2. Demand information


Remember, when you’re chased for money unexpectedly there is always a good chance that it is not genuine. You therefore need to ask the debt collector to provide you with as much information as possible to verify that it is a genuine debt. If the debt is to do with a loan or credit card you will want to see the


56


agreement that you signed. This point is very important, as under the Consumer Credit Act a lender cannot recover a loan from borrower unless they can produce the agreement.


You also need to ask them for proof that not only do you owe money but also that you owe the actual amount that they are asking you for. You should also do your own investigations on this point, such as looking through bank statements to see what payments you have made. 3.


If they come knocking..


If you believe that you do not owe the money simply tell the person that knocks in your door this and ask them to leave. Remember, a doorstep collector has absolutely no power when it comes to chasing you for money. In fact all they can do is ask you nicely for the money and leave if you say no. There are also now clear guidelines laid down by the Offi ce of Fair Trading for the behaviour of debt collectors. These guidelines say that debt collectors should not contact people several times a day, or early in the morning or late at night. Neither should they pursue people on social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook, threaten people physically or verbally, or ignore people if they say they don’t owe the money.


If any of these things happen, then complain directly to the company that says it is owed money, not to the debt collector. If that doesn’t work, report them to Trading Standards.


4. What next? If the debt collector cannot provide you with a copy of the agreement (if the debt is in relation to a loan or any other form of credit)


To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e. the.wire@btinternet.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101