Mackenzie Hall Asking For Payment From My Deceased Mother

[nowayjose]

Received today out of the blue a letter asking for payment for a debt of £167.96 from Mackenzie Hall, nothing unusual about that except the fact that it is in the name of my late mother who passed away in 1999, although the name is 'miss' not 'mrs'.
Its true that my mother lived at my address she later left the house to me, but if this debt is hers I have no idea...
the letter reads as follows:-

Phoenix Recoveries (UK) Limited S>A>R>L -v- Miss XXXXX
Original Creditor: Shop Direct
Account Ref
Principal sum £167.96

You have been written to on numerous occasions however the above debt remains outstanding. To avoid further action a monthly payment plan must be in place within the next 7 days.
Therefore as a gesture of goodwill, our client will accept the account to be paid by monthly instalments providing the amount to be paid by Standing Order Mandate is completed, signed and returned to Mackenzie Hall within the next 7 days.
On the receipt of the Mandate being returned, Mackenzie hall will not take any further action against you providing you do not default on payments.


They then ask for £25 per month until balance is clear and also want my name, bank account no and sort code, telephone number home and work and signature.

Even if this is an outstanding debt it must be over 8 years old and statute barred.... any help much appreciated
Thanks
NowayjoseX

[renegotiation]

Surely even with these people it might be worth just simply phoning up and explaining for a situation like this and over an amount so small?

[ODC]

Originally Posted by renegotiation

Surely even with these people it might be worth just simply phoning up and explaining for a situation like this and over an amount so small?

They are complete idiots and would not believe you even if you produced a Death Certificate, a copy of the funeral service and a photograph of the grave. I would let them churn out their threatomatics for as long as they like. They would have extreme difficulty of getting a dead person into a Court.

[2Grumpy]

I can imagine that it could have been distressing to recieve that letter.

It sounds like a fishing trip for people of the same name

If it was your mother's, they should have claimed from the estate. It's too late now.

You are not responsible for your mother's debts.

It would be interesting to see if they claimed that they had received payment in the last 6 years to prevent it from becoming statute barred .....

Definately don't call them

I think that the best thing to do is ignore it unless you keep on getting the letters

If there's better advice, you wil receive it soon!

Grumpy

[renegotiation]

I have the tiniest amount of faith in D.C.A. humanity. Dial 141 to hide your number. 'Hello. My mum died 8 years ago. You're certainly not getting this £167. It was her debt, not mine, and it would be statute barred anyway. This is distressing me. Please just go away.' Couldn't they just say 'Ok' one time? For £167? Maybe i'm just having one of my John Lennon days...

[tomterm8]

get the executor of the will to send:

Dear XXX,

FORMAL COMPLAINT UNDER THE CONSUMER CREDIT ACT 2006 COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

Please note that I am the executor of XXX's will.

Mrs XXXX has been dead for XXyears, and the probate procedure has been carried out in full. i enclose a copy of Mrs XXXths death certificate.

Please note, that this death occured XX years ago, and, as her SON/DAUGHTER I consider it highly insensitive that you send such a letter, when you are fully aware of the death of Mrs XXXX.

Please confirm that you will not send any further letters, except those that deal with this formal complaint.

Yours Sincerly,

XXXX.

[mr.ton]

Originally Posted by ODC

They would have extreme difficulty of getting a dead person into a Court.

Knowing this lot as i do...they would proberbly have more chance of doing that than they would getting a living person into a court

[nowayjose]

Thanks for all your replies I def wont be phoning them, Im also a bit wary of sending a copy of the death certificate as it was MISS not MRS it could possibly not even be my mothers debt? Is there a prove it letter I can send or maybe I should just CCA them??
TYVM
NWJx

[ODC]

The way I see it is that its not up to you to prove you mother's death. Let them keep posting their stupid letters. Now you know who they are from stick them back in the post marked GONE AWAY return to sender.

[renegotiation]

Well, good luck. I hope this gets sorted quickly without too much hassle for you.

[ODC]

nowayjose

Have a read of all the other threads on here about MH. Have a read of all Mr Sensibles posts and I think you will figure out the right thing to do is certainly NEVER ring them up,

[pt2537]

Originally Posted by ODC

nowayjose

Have a read of all the other threads on here about MH. Have a read of all Mr Sensibles posts and I think you will figure out the right thing to do is certainly NEVER ring them up,

Totally Agree

[ukaviator]

It's also Statute Barred debt anyway, it's over 6 years old. So write to them as the others have said. I would not worry about this at all, they're just trying it on.

[renegotiation]

Ok, Ok. I plead temporary insanity!!! Have to agree about Mr. Sensible. Was he one of the Mr. Men?

[Docman]

Well Mr S, you could well be right. MH could have been passed a debt or bought one, it doesn't really matter. And yes, the old lady could have owed the debt. But as many on this site know, telephoning a DCA is about as much use as buying a losing ticket for tonight's lottery tomorrow morning. Zero.

All the DCA is interested in is getting cash from people they have caused some distress to - as in this case. MH would have known it was statute barred and probably that the old lady had passed away. They don't care all long as they fool or bully someone into parting with cash.

I would send the exec letter from post # 6 above by recorded delivery and then just file their threatograms until it gets to court - if it ever does!

[nowayjose]

Thanks for all your replies ...except Mr Sensible that is It has been a bit upsetting today especially when my daughter picked up the post and asked why would anyone be writing to Nanny...I think for now that I will file under ignore until perhaps they start getting more heavy after all even if I get a visit from one of these muppets or they do a land registry search they will draw a blank on her name...will post anymore correspondence when I get it, Anyway Ive got bigger fish to fry at the mo....

TYVM

Nowayjose