If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to Dorothy Parker

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination Oscar Wilde

Hi Elster A CCA is a Consumer Credit Agreement. There's a basic letter to send to these lovely, caring folk which you can find here: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html It's letter N that you want. They have 12 working days to come up with the original copies of your agreement (which, as I'm learning, they are ...erm ... very unlikely to have - snowflakes and hell spring to mind). As nailpost says, this puts your account in dispute - so any payments should be put on hold. Unfortunately, MH will not acknowledge this, but you will then have the law on your side and are quite within your rights when you do not pay them anything. Send the letter by registered (?) post - so you can check that they have received it. Then sit back and wait. Let CAG know what is going on so others better able than me can continue to advise you. Oh - and don't talk to the neds on the phone (unless you are recording their phone calls). Tell them you have sent them a letter and are waiting for their reply.

Hi Mick I'm very new here, so I'll leave the advice to somebody else who is more experienced than me. Just wanted to say welcome. Oh yeah and DON'T PHONE THEM. EVER! (Although, having read a bit around these forums, I am tempted to ring them with call barring, ask them to confirm their personal details, then ask them how they sleep at night ...)

Hi Elster I'm a newbie here myself thanks to these bullies phoning my aged parents and upsetting them about a very old "debt" of mine. Don't worry - if that's possible. They will try to scare you into paying - do not give in. If they phone again DO NOT TALK TO THEM! Tell them you will only communicate with them in writing. If they continue phoning, there is a harrassment letter on this site you can hit them with - or you can call back the national debtline and they'll send you a sample letter. Keep smiling.

I'm 100% sure And no - I never do the lottery

I'll keep you posted. Forgot to say - I'm not asking for the CCA. Having listened to all of you and thought about it, I reckon the best thing to do is to go the statute barred way. As, although I do not admit any debt, time is on my side. However, it is late in the night. Yet again I am sleeping on it, so if you think I am wrong please tell me. You folk obviously have loads more experience than I do of dealing with these sweethearts. I just want to get them off my dad's back. He's not coping well with this. I can't get him to write any letters, so I have to do this myself

Thanks for that advice andrew and ODC - I'll be taking it. Can you help me with another question? The love letters from MH are being sent to an address in England. However, I live in Scotland. Obviously, the legal situation is different depending which address I use. Up here, this would be statute barred after 5 years - and after that time the debt ceases to exist. Which makes me think it might be to my advantage to use my own address to contact them. But, but, but ... What are your thoughts? (PS: is it wrong that I am, in a sense, starting to enjoy this now?)

Thanks andrew and ODC. I've checked the CCA request letter. However, I think I will send the letter below first (gonna sleep on it, maybe ask a couple of my lawyer mates tomorrow night). Basically, I have two issues to address, which are not mentioned in the CCA letter I found on this site*: 1) I do not owe this money 2) The demands (both by letter and phone) are beign sent to my parents address. So, here's my proposed letter: ...................................................................................................... ADDRESS DATE COMPANY ADDRESS WITHOUT PREJUDICE Dear Sir/Madam Account No: XXXXXXXXXXX You have contacted me at the address of a third party regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by me. I do not acknowledge any such debt being owed. I am familiar with the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states that it unfair to send demands for payment to an individual when it is uncertain that they are the debtor in question. I would also point out that the OFT say under the Guidance that it is unfair to pursue third parties for payment when they are not liable. In not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt you are using deceptive and unfair methods. Furthermore ignoring and/or disregarding claims that debts have been settled or are disputed and continuing to make unjustified demands for payment amounts to physical/psychological harassment. I ask that no further contact be made concerning the above account, other than a letter confirming that no further attempt will be made to contact me with regard to this matter, unless you can provide evidence as to my liability for the debt in question. I await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed. I look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully NAME ..................................................................................................... *(correct me if I'm wrong - it may be that I was looking at the wrong thing) Of course, as these numpties do not have my real address, I'll not be giving them that - I'll be sending it c/o my parent's address. I think I got my dad to understand tonight that he must not speak to them. Thanks for being here, all of you. I was feeling really rotten when I got this letter and reading this site and your comments have given me the confidence I need to stand up to these neds. Slainte Mhath

Thanks Tiglet. I think I ought to send them a letter. But, having looked at it again, the statute barred letter makes it sound as if I am saying that there is an old debt. And what I am saying, is that there is no debt. Och, I am so confused.

Hi all Phew - I'm so glad I found this thread. A couple of weeks ago my mum got a phone call from these delightful folk demanding to know if I lived there. Although she said that I didn't, they have still sent me a letter to her address, which she's forwarded to me. It purports to be about a Barclaycard debt. However, I have had no credit cards for the past 15 years - settled my last bill in full, as ever, returned it to the bank when I gave up my fat cat job and became a poor student. I have told mum in no uncertain terms that I DO NOT OWE THIS MONEY, but my dad is pretty senile and we are worried what he might do (i.e. pay the bill) if he answers the phone. What do you reckon? Ignore and be worried about the old folk being hassled? Or send the statute thingy letter?