I had an account with Next that went £85 into the red. I paid £35 online via my HSBC account and was told by Next that on my request a new statement would be sent out showing the adjusted balance - this was last November. So was suprised to receive a letter from the above agency last month stating that the full amount was still outstanding. I told them what had happened and agreed to send in a bank statement. I did this twice and was told that it hadnt been received both times. In the meantime they had been phoning twice a day chasing it and eventually I gave in to their demand to pay what I believed to be the remaining balance (ie £50). Resent the statement on friday but this time recorded delivery but in the meantime they are phoning me from a witheld number saying that if I dont make the payment of £35 NOW then it will go on my credit record. I have told them I am recording calls and only wish to correspond in writing but they are still phoning!! I am now ignoring the calls but that can only go on for so long!!!

Ok, where do I start.I have an outstanding bank debt dating back to 1996 this account got into debt of £800 without my knowledge, when I found out what had been going on I cut up the card and although I know it was wrong I stuck my head in the sand as I was young and stupid. 10 years on and the account has been referred to Aktiv Kapital. On the advice of someone on this forum I sent the following letter in response to a letter from them threatening legal action WITHOUT PREJUDICE Dear Sir/Madam Reference: Client reference: You have contacted us regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by ourselves. We would point out that under the Limitation Act 1980 Section 5 “an action founded on simple contract shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued.” We would also point out that the OFT say under their Debt Collection Guidance on statute barred debt that “it is unfair to pursue the debt if the debtor has heard nothing from the creditor during the relevant limitation period”. The last payment of this debt was made over six years ago and no further acknowledgement or payment has been made since that time. Unless you can provide evidence of payment or written contact from us in the relevant period under Section 5 of the Limitation Act, we suggest that you are no longer able to take any court action against us to recover the alleged amount claimed. The OFT Debt Collection Guidance states further that “continuing to press for payment after a debtor has stated that they will not be paying a debt because it is statue barred could amount to harassment contrary to section 40 (1) of the Administration of Justice Act 1970”. We await your written confirmation that no further contact will be made concerning the above account and confirmation that this matter is now closed. We look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully They kept writing to me trying to get me to phone them which I have been advised not to do! I got a letter this morning saying that on 09/02/07 my account will be passed for doorstep collection. What earth do I do now?? I am so scared, I have a 5year old and a 1 year old and I dont own anything of value apart from my car as everything else was bought by my partner. Please help me

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Hi, sorry to be a pain but I sent the letter and have heard nothing since until today when i received a letter from Aktiv Capitel saying that I wasnt sticking to the repayments that I agreed to!?!? I am totally confused by this now.. Is this them trying to trick me into acknowledging the debt? Should I write back?? Thanks in advance xx

Hi..Just a bit of an update for you. I sent the letter that I was advised to send about the "10 year rule" and have not heard anything from them since. Not sure whether this is a good or bad thing but thanks to you all !!!

..some of you might remember my post regarding a debt of £707 from 10 years ago. When I was 14 my mum took me into a well known bank neginning with B and signed me up for a current account (lying about my age so I was to them a year older) so I could get a part time job. After that she left my dad and had a bit of a breakdown. She then used my card to pay AOL for dial up for a few months saying to me that as she had given them details that were false that it wouldnt be linked back to me. 10 years later I have just received a letter from DEBT MANAGERS LTD stating that I need to give them £707 to settle this account. I have a 5yr old and a young baby so i cant get a job as I cannot get affordable childcare and we barely make enough to cover the bills etc as it is. I have no idea what to do or say to them on Monday when I have to phone them I cannot speak to my mum about it as she refuses to talk about that period of time. Please please help I followed the advice given (thank you!!) and wrote to them rather than phoning and quoted what I was advised to quote stating that after 6 years they can't chase me. I sent this letter on Tuesday 15th Aug. I got a letter this morning dated 16th Aug. It is a notice of Legal Action basically telling me that their solicitor is preparing paperwork to take legal action against me unless I pay in full TODAY. Help!!!!

I hadnt really thought about that. Surely I wouldnt have been liable for responsibility at 14 years old? the account was only used for a few months before I cut up the card so it isn't like I have used it recently. I am a bit worried about dropping my mother in it though as she has since got back on track with her life. From the letter it looks as though this has been passed to them by "Aktiv Kapitel" on behalf of barclays..why would that be? and what happens if they say they have contacted me for example by letter that I hadn't received? The problem is that I think my aunt who I stayed with for a little while after my mum was evicted and younger siblings were taken to my grandparents by social services and I suspect she may have intercepted a letter when I moved and phoned this Aktiv Kapitel. I am sure she didn't mean any harm and was acting out of concern for me but how would this affect the situation?

So I just change my address (and the account number of course) and send them that letter? Won't they just take that as refusal to pay and take me straight to court?

When I was 14 my mum took me into a well known bank neginning with B and signed me up for a current account (lying about my age so I was to them a year older) so I could get a part time job. After that she left my dad and had a bit of a breakdown. She then used my card to pay AOL for dial up for a few months saying to me that as she had given them details that were false that it wouldnt be linked back to me. 10 years later I have just received a letter from DEBT MANAGERS LTD stating that I need to give them £707 to settle this account. I have a 5yr old and a young baby so i cant get a job as I cannot get affordable childcare and we barely make enough to cover the bills etc as it is. I have no idea what to do or say to them on Monday when I have to phone them I cannot speak to my mum about it as she refuses to talk about that period of time. Please please help