Hello

Having just posted in the Halifaxicon forum with regard to my current account, I am quite getting into the swing of things...

I would appreciate any advice as to my best course of action with regard to my long-ignored debt to barclaycard. I stupidly took out this card as a student when I clearly had no money to pay it back.

The latest letter shows the balance at £721.87. I couldnt even hazard a guess at how much of that I actually spent, and haven't retained any of the original paperwork detailing what the credit limit was.

I have received relatively few communications relating to this account. They are:

1st May 2006 - Nelson Guest & Partners Solicitors - instructed by Westcot. Will commence legal proceedings within seven days.

16th May 2006 - Westcot Credit Services Ltd - am I aware they have written to me several times? No, this was the first.

21st August 2006 - Lowell Portfolio I - debt has been sold to Lowell on 28th July. Please contact us immediately.

15th September 2006 - handwritten postcard addressed to "The Occupier" at my parents address - Please call Amy at Westcot Credit. Postmarked Hull.

20th March 2007 - red debt collectionicon services (trading style of Lowell Financial Ltd) pay within seven days or they will petition me for bankrupcy.

I am somewhat inclined to think I may be best ignoring this one because it can't be too much longer until it will become statute barredicon (is that the correct terminology?). The last time I made a payment or acknowledged this debt was 2004 at the latest. It could have been as early as 2003.

Is there a way of finding out when the debt was last acknowledged or a payment paid without acknowledging the debt in the process?

Am I right in thinking my alternative best course of action is send CCA, and await non-compliance. Should I receive it, send SARicon to try and reduce debt.

My number one aim here is to repair my shattered credit rating - I'm not too fussed about the letters, there's nothing I haven't heard before and I have long since learnt not to take them seriously. Does anyone have any advice bearing this in mind as to whether I should continue to ignore them for potentially three more years (it would probably take me at least this long to pay off the debt anyway) or go down the legally advisable route of CCA followed by SARicon etc.

All help appreciated!!