Mack hall calling wife's work over my debt

[acerbic]

Hi all, I've just had to phone Mackenzie Hall and ask them to remove my wife's office number from their dialling system. How dare they!! They reluctantly removed my home number from their system a couple of weeks ago for the same thing. Now they're phoning my wife.

The embarrassing thing is that they left messages on the answer phone and another of her work colleagues picked up the messages and passed them on.

 

What's my next step?? I owe them nothing and never have, they have probably bought old debts that they are trying to collect on. They would be statute barred from years ago. Can I take them to court for harassment and possible embarrassment??

 

I would love to.

 

Any thoughts.

[citizenB]

First of all you should definitely make an official complaint to Muck Hall - send directly to their Head office.

 

Then , you should also make a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading, you should point out in your complaint that there is no debt to collect on, even if there were, it would be statute barred.

 

You should also ensure that your credit files are not being updated with any adverse entries.

[unclebulgaria67]

Presume that this debt must have been joint, as otherwise I am not sure how they would have got her details.

[padja]

first of all dont ring them of course they will say they have took your number off their system, until they start ringing again, go to harassment library on here and send off the telephone harassment letter to them

[acerbic]

You'd think that it was a joint debt, but no, it would have been a debt that was only in my name. What I find astonishing is that they can ring my wife's place of work and ask to speak to me by my name!! Then they get told that Mr XXXX doesn't work there, but they carry on phoning. Both harassing and embarrassing at the same time. Will making the complaint actually get me anywhere? Also, do I have an obligation to tell them that all debts are statute barred? I've never mentioned it 'til now to them, I've always insisted that they only contact me in writing, (which I then bin), because there is no substance to any of their letters.

[renegadeimp]

Contact mucky halls local trading standards office. They come down on them pretty hard and give them 5 days to resolve a complaint, unlike the FOS who give them 8 WEEKS. There is a pretty big file on them right now, so its worth contacting them asap.

[acerbic]

I think my answer lies in telling them in writing that all debts are statute barred. According to the OFT press release from April 2009 they have been told it is unfair to chase debts when they know them to be SB. I think I'll do that and see where it gets me. The only thing that concerns me they'll offload all my details to some other idiots who'll start all over again.

Hmmmmmm

[acerbic]

I am going to contact trading standards though, is it Ayrshire TS??

[cerberusalert]

I am going to contact trading standards though, is it Ayrshire TS??

 

http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/BusinessAndTrade/TradingStandards/TradingStandards.aspx

 

These are the clowns you're dealing with. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/anthrax-alert-at-debt-collectors-caused-1006752

[acerbic]

Many thanks to you all, will keep you posted.

[citizenB]

Unless you tell them that the debts are statute barred and that you will not be accepting liability, then they will continue to pursue. Once you have told them, they cant say they "didn't know" if you decide to later make a claim of harassment against them.

 

Even their own industry regulator advises that once they have been made aware, they are to cease.

 

Last paragraph in the attached pdf

 

 

Stat barred debt[1].pdf

[NailPost]

Telling MHall debts are statute barred should be enough - but for them your admitting there is a debt, even if old, is rason enough to chase. UI would tell them that IF there WERE any debts they would be so old as to be Statute Barred. Complaint to OFT, FOS and Trading Standards are a must. Also consider Ofcom for wrong use of a phone system and the Info Commissioner for wrong use of data.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

As CB has said it is the simplest and quickest way of being rid of this.

 

To The Compliance Manager

 

xxxx

 

Re: Debt for £ xxx .xx I do not acknowledge any such debt, and I have concluded that any such debt is statute barred so I will not be making any payment.

Final Response.

 

That's the simple way!!