Link Financial - speculative letter - what to do?

[stellamaris]

I had a number of debts originating in the late 90's which resulted in me being credit blacklisted and spending a few years (mostly 2000-2003) being chased by bailiff's at various addresses. I part-paid these debts over a number of years with the last payment to any agency being made (at a rough guess) somewhere between 5 and 7 years ago (but most likely more than 6 years ago). I am not 100% sure what I still owe in total but was under the impression it must have been written off as have had no contact with any debt collector for approx 6 years and my credit rating has restored itself and is now good again. Rather annoyingly only about a month ago I shredded all my financial documents relating to that time period (basically anything that was over 5 years old) so have no evidence of anything from that time.

 

Recently my parents received a call from Link Financial agency looking for a contact for me which was then followed up by a badly written letter to them which they have not acknowledged. They did not give out my phone number or address but I have now received a speculative letter from "Link Financial Outsourcing Ltd" to my correct address which states that my address has been highlighted to them "as a potential new address for our customer with whom you share the same name"

 

I need help with the following questions:-

 

1) As this letter is worded in a speculative manner I presume it is best not to acknowledge it in any way? I do not know if they are simply "fishing" or have actual evidence that I am the person they think I am. It is possible that they have traced me through a friend/ colleague or online but I suspect they've just gone through the electoral roll as my credit reference report where I currently live shows no evidence of anything bad from the past.

 

2) Assuming their letters get worse and/ or more threatening what can I do? I believe this particular debt is my student loan from the 1990's. As I said already I believe that the last time I had any contact from anyone in relation to this was 6 or 7 years ago and in the 3 or 4 years prior to that it did the rounds with me receiving letters from about 7 or 8 different agencies. Is this covered by statute of limitations assuming 6 years have passed since I last made a payment? if I'm misremembering the date of this then at the very least it's been 5.5 years since any last contact.

 

3) How can all of this affect my current credit rating? As they now have my correct address (albeit that they dont know it's the correct one) can the fact they're chasing me again affect my current rating?

 

Sorry for all the questions!

[rebel11]

Hi stell

 

Welcome to CAG

 

The guys will advise as soon as they are available.

 

Thread moved.

[dx100uk]

i would very much doubt they can do anything to your CRA

 

if it doesn't show - its SB'ed..

 

as you've prob seen, link are one of the worse fleecers there are.

 

totally ignore them.

 

now, just a couple of things i notice from your story.........

 

you mention the word 'bailiff'............

 

NO DCA IS A BAILIFF _ THEY HAVE NO SUCH POWERS!

 

in fact - they have NO POWERS AT ALL!!

 

there is also no such thing as a 'blacklist' either.

 

any how

 

leave link alone and get on with your life

 

dx

[stellamaris]

Thanks for your advice - good to know they have little or no powers. I guess I used the word bailiff because the letters I received in years gone by would be hand-delivered through my door threatening removal of property. I dont want to get into that situation ever again. I also meant I was "blacklisted" in the sense I couldnt ever get anything on credit but fortunately in the last 4 years this has improved. Cheers again

[donjon32]

I would ignore them and see what other letters they come away with. Do not speak with them on phone as they have selective hearing. I would however check your credit file as these wonderful caring people placed a default notice on my husbands file, despite it being a joint loan, one week prior to them being assigned the debt, which would add was over 5 years since any payment had been received. In the middle of disputing this with OC and Link.

 

They are all hot air and wind to be honest as they leave it months between correspondence.

[scottybhoy]

How ironic? I have just had a phone call from this company about a loan I have with them - or rather my partner. They clearly cannot read as I have sent them numerous letters telling them not to contact us by telephone. Formal complaint now sent, next time complaint goes to the Financial Ombudsmen. They are a nasty piece of work, started calling me at my work about a year ago and telling people who they were and why they were looking for me - well the credit agreement is in my partners name - not mine. Also sent me some land survey letter basically indirectly threatening my house - honestly, dirty rotten scoundrels! Anyway sorry for the rant.

 

My advice would be the same, ignore them for now and see what else they send, if they get more heavy handed - maybe send a Statute Barred letter to them. But whatever you do - refuse to talk to them on the telephone and never sign any letters sent to them.

 

Good Luck