Lowell chasing deceased husbands debt

[hollysmum]

Good morning - I wondered if any of you excellent people could advise me as to the best way to deal with a very upsetting letter received from Lowell yesterday?  It was addressed to "The Executor for the Estate of Mr XXXX XXXX", and is apparently in respect of an outstanding amount owed originally to Home Retail.  

 

My husband died at the end of June, and as you can imagine, I am still very much grieving for him, so this was not a good thing for me to come home to yesterday evening.  I'm unaware that he owed anything to Home Retail, but they are stating that it's over £2000. 

 

They say they've referred the matter to their probate agents, Philips and Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd, who will apparently be writing shortly to discuss the matter.

 

The fact is, though, whether or not this was my husband's debt, there is no estate.  He had nothing to leave except what was in his bank account, and that was signed over to me by his bank back in July.  What intrigues me, though, is that they say "Thank you for notifying us that Mr XXXX XXXX has passed away." 

 

Well, I didn't, because I didn't know anything about this!  They even have the cheek to offer their condolences.   What would be the appropriate way to respond, if at all, in this case?  My sister was concerned that I shouldn't simply ignore it.  Thank you so much. 

[fkofilee]

Hey  -  Welcome to CAG and sorry for your loss - Its always hard to lose a loved one. 

Probate is a contentious subject etc - P&C are known to be Coffin Chasers and can respectfully be ignored. 

Lowell too... There isnt much they can do to you if there is no estate. 

 

Can you post up the letter minus personal details please? 

[hollysmum]

Thank you for your kind words, fkofilee - I'm going to try and post up the letter for you.  I had a feeling that there might actually be nothing they can do, but really, sending letters addressed in that way is vile, in my opinion.

lowell2.pdf

[fkofilee]

Agree - The letters done  

Ignore... No Estate - No Dice...

 

Sorry Lowell - No money for you...

[hollysmum]

In that case, I will "file" this letter, fkofilee!!  I will, however, expect to get something from this Phillips and Cohen outfit, and then that can be similarly "filed".

 

Thank you very much for your reassurance. 

[fkofilee]

A couple of things  

 

Dont post your name in the posts  Keep it Anon

 

Also aswell - By filed, do you mean used for Hamster Bedding? 

[hollysmum]

Noted re Anon, fkofilee - force of habit.   Spot on re the filing!!

[fkofilee]

Treat your hamster to some high quality bedding  

[hollysmum]

As I don't yet have one, this is a very good excuse to go and get one!  You're a star, thank you.

[Bazooka Boo]

2 hours ago, hollysmum said:

As I don't yet have one, this is a very good excuse to go and get one!  You're a star, thank you.

 

Excellent idea!

No words of mine could ever assauge such a loss, I truly hope you're coping well? X

 

As for lowlifes, this is how they get their name, for their troubles you should send an email/letter to your local MP, let them know just how morally bankrupt they are, lowlifes not the MP.

 

Nothing will get done of course, but a bad word said against these vile parasites is never wasted.

[hollysmum]

Thank you, Bazooka Boo, for your sympathy.  Some days are better than others, some are truly awful - better now I'm back at work with my lovely colleagues.  I have a nasty feeling, however, that my MP was one of the ones sacked by Boris yesterday!!!

[AndyOrch]

Thread title updated

[brassnecked]

Yes sorry for your loss, and coffin chasers are not a nice thing to deal with.  Now considering Lowlife's model is sending random mail to every J Jones in an approximate area they think a debtor for  a debt  they have bought for peanuts  lives in, they also will send a speculative letter hoping the deceased is their J Jones and the executors respond and pay up without question. but as advised by the others no estate ignore,  and do complain to your MP.

 

It's about time the sale of written off debt for pennies in the pound as just an entry on a spreadsheet, and the legal right for the purchaser to pursue the full amount even through County Court and use of bailiffs to enforce was banned.

[hollysmum]

You've all been brilliant, as always, and I'm really grateful, and thank you all for your kind and sympathetic words.   I will definitely write to my MP, sacked by Boris or not! 

[dx100uk]

god Philips and Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd again

ignore them.

 

dx

[hollysmum]

Hey, dx100!  I fully intend to!

[ericsbrother]

sorry for your loss, dont let them bully you into agreeing anything as what is someones estate and what are their effects are very different.

Joint bank account? automatically yours and no claim on it. same with house held jointly and severally so that leaves stocks, shares and significant works of art or "collections" No Rembrandt or safe full of gold sovs? then no estate.

BT are a bit like this as well and will decide that anyone who tells them of a death has taken over the deceased's account unless you slap them down.

hopefully when the time comes they will accept a simple letter stating he died intestate with no estate so sorry but tough

[hollysmum]

Thank you, ericsbrother, for your sympathy.  He literally only had what was in his bank account, even his car was paid for by the Motability scheme, so no, there's no estate.  If only there WERE a Rembrandt!!  I really appreciate all the reassurances you and the others have given me - I was so upset yesterday evening, but there's plenty of fight in me yet!

[ericsbrother]

also dot forget that people pay for their own funerals so even if he had a couple of thousand in the bank a debtor doesnt get first dibs on that, the person notifying the death does.