I wouldn't use a company but I've got no idea about account numbers or dates as OH used to throw out all his letters so I've only got access to DCA letters for the last couple of years. I suspect there's an annual statement in the pile which might have an account number on it, presumably I'd have to SAR Halifax to find out what was paid and they might not tell us because it was over six years ago. Still might be worth a shot though.

Will do, thanks very much!

Thanks for the replies. Yes the debt is absolutely 100% statute barred, for nearly a year now. I am not 100% sure if it has been sold, it is still with the first DCA to have it. I haven't had any contact with them until now but they sent a letter offering 5%, so I called and said if they sent a letter confirming it was F&F I'd pay it. Debt was originally with Halifax, DCA is 1st Credit. Is that likely to have been sold? No, I just mentioned it on the phone because they started wanting I&E and I wasn't interested, I said they could take it or leave it. They took it, they had no choice. I've had other debts sold on even after I told them they were Statute Barred, so I thought this might put an end to it. Alright, I hadn't thought of it like that. I thought it would stop them from selling it on. I'll just go back to ignoring them then, it isn't like they aren't used to it by now and there's nothing much they can do. Thanks very much for the advice.

Hi, I wonder if anyone has experienced this? My OH had a bank loan and defaulted on it seven years ago. The amount he owed was around ten thousand (with all sorts of fees) and that is the amount the DCAs chased us for. He recently got an offer from the DCA to (F&F) settle for 5%, or less than £500. I know the debt is statute barred but we can just about afford this and it will put an end to constant reselling and pestering when it cycles round again and again. At the same time, he keeps getting letters from the original lender about reclaiming PPI. This would be worth more than we're paying for the full and final. So, can we do this? who would get the reclaimed PPI? us or the DCA? I've got a letter saying it's definitely full and final, not partial settlement. I made them send it before we paid so they couldn't sell the debt on. Thanks for any insight on this...

I have just recently checked my Equifax report to check that all is well and United Utilities is now showing the last five months status. I am up to date with my water bill but this account was opened in July 2000 and I have never signed a credit agreement with them or given them my date of birth

Righto then, no point asking for trouble when trouble will find us if it wants to. Thanks again.

Thanks very much for the help, it's reassuring It's the same job and company he worked for before he got sick, they took him back when his diagnosis and medication were sorted out enough for him to work again. He hasn't got a hope of working for anyone else in this job market with a recent five year sick leave so we'll have to like or lump whatever they say about this debt. I might CCA them all this year just to show we're trying to deal with it?

Hi, thank you for your help. SC refers to the security clearance a lot of companies use for sensitive jobs, they check criminal history and financial records etc. He works for a govt. contractor.

My husband went through Security Clearance recently after more than five years off work due to sickness, going back to the same job he had before. He wrote a completely honest covering letter explaining how the debt happened when he went off sick and how PPI should have kicked in to cover it but he didn't get a diagnosis for three years. He had around £18k in debt, more than a years wages. No company has ever taken him to court so no CCJs, but a couple are still on credit reference agency files for around £9k. He told them about all of it though, just in case. All the creditors did was ring us and write a few letters (even the one large £7500 debt). He ignored it all and they eventually got old enough to be statute barred. They sent him a form asking for proof that he was dealing with his debts as well as the latest letter from each debt and to each company. But some of the debts had stopped writing to us a year or more ago. We just sent the latest from each and explained each individual debt. The main problem for us was that although debts disappear off the CRA after six years (as most of ours had), the letter the SC clearance people sent asked if he'd defaulted in the last TEN years. Even though they had no way of telling from CRAs, we had to be honest. Luckily we hadn't taken on any debt or credit at all in the last six years, our rent has been paid on time and we've lived entirely within our basic income and saved up for things instead. They gave him a years clearance and said they wanted it improved by next year when they'd write to him again. We will have to write to companies that gave up on recovering anything over a year ago, for statute barred debts that nobody has any details on. Will SC accept that all of these debts are statute barred, or will we have to start paying them for him to keep his clearance for the job? It would be a shame to lose his job when he's been so careful to avoid any additional debt for six years.