Well, finally a result, a sucessful one! Having sent a CCA request to Lowell along with the requisite £1 money order in mid-December and a receiving a couple of letters from Lowells since stating they're awaiting the CCA from Redcats Finance Ltd, today I received a letter from them stating my account is closed. Quelle surprise, no CCA could be found - of course, it never existed! They actually state that the CCA 'is no longer available due to the lenght of time since the account was opened' - load of rubbish. The CCJ is another matter of course but I'm 3.5 years through that, only another 2.5 to go and seeing as I'm not looking for credit any time soon that's not a problem. Thanks to all for your help - I wouldn't have this sucessful result if it wasn't for you and all the info in the forum, I'm massively grateful.

Good point dx. Thanks. It can get a bit intimidating having so much to find out about but these threads are so brilliantly worthwhile to arm oneself with. I appreciate all the help.

Ooh, what's an absolute assignment letter dx? Intriguing. Nope, I've not received anything like that.

What does the CCJ 'now lies with' them mean dx? Am I being a doofus?

Thanks Bazooka Boo and dx. The Registry Trust confirms I have a CCJ from 17/09/07, tis indeed with Northampton. Lowell didn't buy the debt until 1st June this year - so I guess I can presume the CCJ is with the OC La Redoute. I'll try calling Northampton bulk to fnd out who the current creditor is. Thanks Elsa too, it's a relief to know I may not have to go back to attend a hearing if I put the wheels of the set aside in motion.

Well, I'm in France and plan to be here for at least another year, but that still sort of the 6 year mark. And yep, mother in law did pass the letter on to me and she's a little afeared of impending threats if I don't pay. Although I must say none of the letters have been at all threathening yet, and no phonecalls so far either. Is there any point at all in my requesting a CCA from Lowell? They can't provide it because I never signed anything. Or is that just moot point at this stage? If the letters were coming directly to me it would be be easier for me to ignore I must say. How does one go about finding out who the the Judgement was awarded to? What a big world of questions is opening up in front of me!

That should say 'now that I'm living outside the UK', sorry. And just to be specific - no, I didn't attend the CCJ to defend myself because I recieved no notice that it was happening. Annoying (and typical I suppose) that Lowell could track down my most recent UK address but whoever was dealing with the debt at the time leading up to it going to CCJ (Redcats I think) didn't. Grrrr.

No, I was never aware this was to be taken to court Bazooka Boo. The debt occured in Dec 2006 and I moved house soon after with no idea I had a debt, the CCJ happened in July 2007, again without my knowledge. The first I heard of anything was in June this year when Lowell contacted me. But, not that I'm living outside of the UK, applying to have the CCJ set aside requires my having to return at short notice to the UK to attend a hearing. Even if I do get it set aside - at quite an extensive travel cost additional to the cost of the process - where does that leave me with the debt? I don't want to give in to Lowell - because this does all appear quite wrong and no doubt effects people who may be in a worse position than me - but I'm just trying to work out the best options.

Oh and another thing is, if I pay the dept the downside on me is that it's a starting post for my CRA to be in negative for the next six years - three years on from the CCJ itself. Ah (bad thoughts!). Damned if I do and . . .

Thank very much for the extra advice dx100uk. My concern is really that I want to do this the right way - I'm annoyed that I never signed a credit agreement with La Redoute and also that the whole time they were contacting me at my old address - whereby I obviously didn't receive any of these letters - La Redoute continued to email me every week with their promotions - couldn't they have tried contacting me that way and I could have dealt with this years ago? Now that Lowells have my last UK address I'm worried my mother in law will get hassled by them, I could withstand it as it's my problem but she really shouldn't have to. Should I just pay the debt - in a bid to stop any future correspondance arriving at her address - and also to stop the cost of the debt increasing - and deal with the CCJ seperately? The latter of course being an issue as yes I'd have to fly back, incurring more cost to me. And if yes, is there anything I can do to fight the issue of my never having signed a credit agreement with La Redoute so therefore something very underhand went on there instigated by them? Forgive my naivity Bazooka Boo, but what does it mean to sub?

Yes, postggj, I totally understand and of course I wouldn't not turn up. Judges take a dim view of people not turning up for very good reason.

Thanks dx100uk, that's really helpful and it's very kind of you to reply so quickly. It says in the N244 form notes that 'Most applications will require a hearing and you will be expected to attend. The court will allocate a hearing date and time for the application.', the problem for me is that I don't live in the UK anymore. The debt letters have been going to my mother in laws house which is my last UK address. Do you know if the possibility of me being required to attend a hearing for this is high? Added to this I still have my concerns about the debt with Lowell, if I do get the judgement set aside will that render the debt no longer valid perhaps or will I have to continue dealing with them? Much appreciated.

I have a specific query about County Court Judgements and whether that means I can't fight a Lowell Potfolio debt. The background is - I'll try and keep it concise - I received a letter from Lowell on 21st June this year. This letter stated La Redoute sold a debt in my name of £137.29 to Lowell Portfolio. I called Lowell as I knew nothing about this debt. I realise now that wasn't the right move but I did not acknowledge any debt and requested details of what it was. On 15th July I received their 'your account has been placed on hold whilst we search for copy statements' letter. Nothing more until 26th November (over four months later) when I received a letter along with La Redoute statements of the item that caused the debt. The letter stated 'Please be advised that the outstanding balance shown on the enclosed documentation does not match that of the outstanding balance above. However, we can confirm that we have contacted Redcats Finance Ltd who have confirmed that the difference in balance arises because charges were added due to County Court Judgment'. The enclosed statements do match a purchase of mine from La Redoute in December 2006 totalling £25.85. But I never signed up for credit with La Redoute - I had used them a number of times and paid by debit card previously. Moving shortly after this and not thinking I had a debt with them I never updated my address on their files. it appears after reading a lot of the really helpful threads here that my next step should be to send by recorded deliver a CCA including a £1 postal order to Lowell. But I have also checked with Registry Trust Ltd and there is in fact a County Court Judgement against me dating back to September 2007. Does this render requesting a CCA from Lowel pointless? Must I now just pay this debt and all it's charges? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oops and apologies, that thread title is ''La Redoute and Lowell Portfolio'.

Having delved more into these threads, the thread entitled 'La Redoute and Lowell Portfoliothis' seems to apply to both our situations Kyosanto. As per the wonderful help and advice there I am going down the route of posting a CCA request with the required £1 postal order by recorded delivery to Lowell (as they're the ones chasing me having bought the debt from Redcats). A CCA they they'll be unable to find as I never signed up for or agreed to Credit with La Redoute. To anyone out there who may be able to advise I have two further concerns I'm wondering if I should raise in the same CCA request letter? One is whether I should request details of the County Court Judgement they're saying has been brought against me because of this debt and which has also increased my debt four fold. And secondly whether I should enquire if I've had a default placed on my credit rating file as a result of this 'debt' - something that has not been mentioned in any of the letters I've received so far. Any advice anyone may have would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks very much. And have a lovely evening all.