Hi. Just punched my gen into Equifax (Been using Experian/Credit Expert before today) and according to my credit report I have a default dating back to 2006 with Lowell Financial at an address I've never lived at and have never given. Interestingly, it's actually my parent's address (I've never lived at their new home) and my Father has revealed today that in fact they've been getting letters from Lowell and similar for years. Thanks Pa! I don't know how they got my folk's address (trying their luck maybe? I used to live 5 miles from them, have a very unusual surname and they're in the phone book). So, a few questions for anyone who knows: 1. How does my Father (or I) go about getting it taken off his address? 2. I want to investigate this further as I have no knowledge of the debt and have obviously never received any communication stating anything is owed - If I do this by sending the standard Non-Acknowledgment-of-Debt-Show-Me-The-Paperwork-And-Prove-I-Owe-It-Or-Bog-Off letter bearing my current address to Lowell, will the process start again or will they simply transfer the default to my current address on my credit file? If I do owe it, I'll pay it all immediately obviously. But having no knowledge of this, what it relates to and having never received correspondence from them about it, I feel I am owed the opportunity to deal with it without it appearing on my credit file, in the same way things like this haven't appeared when they've written to me about other matters in the past. I've asked them to produce papers and in every single case they've dropped the matter formally presumably having failed to gather the necessary from their client - In these cases nothing's ever shown up on my file whilst it was being sorted. How should I play this?

Thanks so much for all your replies. Really appreciated. I'll get the letter off today.

Afternoon! I received a "Statement of Account" this morning from Lowell. Never received anything like this from them before (See Attached). I've never had any correspondence from them regarding this debt before, and I have no knowledge of it. Before I sent the standard letter back to them, I thought I'd ask for a little advice if anyone would be so kind as to help. I should point out that I have removed from the attached all identifying features from the attached including the "Original Creditor" name and the amount they claim that I owe. What is concerning is that the "Period Covered" and "Opening Balance" dates all pertain to 01/10/2008 By the way it's also worth saying that the "Opening Balance" is the same figure as the "Closing Balance" as I nothing of this, is the first time I've received anything about it and therefore I've paid nothing off it. I wasn't in the UK at the time, and I hadn't been since July 2004. I have no knowledge of this debt and even if I did have there is no way that I could have acknowledged the debt at any point from that point as I wasn't here! The last time in fact that I remember having any involvement with banks and credit cards etc was back in early 2003 so dependent of course on what dates these so called "debts went into default, am I correct in thinking they are likely to be coming up to the "Statute Barred" 6 year cut off? There's also no record of this on my credit report - The last time Lowell searched me was early last year. Never had any correspondence regarding this before. Should I ignore it or send the standard "I don't acknowledge the debt - Prove it or naff off" letter? Thanks as always in advance.

Morning! Had a letter last week from Lowell Financial stating that I owed a sum of money to one of their clients. I have no knowledge of the debt, so on 30th March I sent them a Special Delivery letter, taken from the templates on this site - The one that states that I do not acknowledge the debt and asking them to provide evidence of the debt. They signed for and received that letter on 31st March. This morning I received a letter dated April 5th stating: "In previous letters sent to you it was made clear that unless an acceptable offer of repayment was made we would take appropriate steps to recover the amount owing. As you have failed to enter into a repayment plan we must instruct an agent in your area to visit your home to discuss repayment of your account. Unless you make contact with us within the next five days our agent will contact you with a view to arrange a visit" etc, etc.... I have called Lowell and stated once the person on the phone stated the call might be recorded, that this call is in no way an acknowledgement of any debt. I asked if they acknowledged receipt of the letter for which they signed on the 31st. The operator said they could neither acknowledge or deny receipt of the letter due to a mailroom backlog. I stated that as I had sent them a letter not acknowledging the debt, asking them to provide proof of the debt and reminding them of their responsibilities under the law, that their sending me a further demand for payment is harassment and that their company are in breach of the law. Is this correct? Are they able to continue to harass me like this without providing the evidence I have requested? What should I do? Send them another copy of the letter I sent them last week? The operator has offered to arrange for proof of the debt to be sent to me. It will, I am sure, turn out to be incorrect or Statute Barred as I cannot remember anything like the client they mention or the amount. Any help as always very gratefully received - Thanks!

Again, thank you.

Thanks for that. Much appreciated. From which date does the "clock" start ticking before a debt becomes Statute Barred? Is it the date of the last payment to the creditor? What happens if you have never made a payment? Just trying to arm myself just in case! Thanks again.

Morning. I've received this morning from a DCA called Rockwell stating that they have been instructed by Tessera Portfolio Management regarding a debt "that remains unpaid". I have no knowledge of either of these firms or the debt. Can someone please advise if writing to Rockwell stating this constitutes in law any acknowledgment of the debt? I have been advised to send them the following letter. It is a letter that has been sent by another party to Rockwell regarding a similar case in the past - I'd appreciate any suggestions: "You have contacted me regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by myself. I would point out that I have no knowledge of any such debt being owed to Rockwell Debt Collection Agency, Tessera Portfolio Management Ltd or anybody else. I am familiar with the ‘Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance’ which states that it is 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 or 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 would ask that no further contact be made concerning the above accounts 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. Otherwise I will have no option but to make a complaint to the trading standards department and consider informing the OFT of your actions. I look forward to your reply."