ACI/Perch -old Lending Stream/Uncle Buck PDL - Scotland

[JessePinkman]

Had a loan in 2015 (either Lending Stream/Uncle Buck).

I believe I paid the first instalment back then

Defaulted on this due to life circumstances (long story etc)

it was never added to any of my credit files as far I know or could see from looking at the reports.

I had completely forgotten about it over the years

only recently when checking an old e-mail address did I notice collection e-mails from Asset Collections and Investigations (ACI).

The total owed is around £360.

As of the 1st Feb this year, Perch Capital ltd has added a default to my file.

From a quick search they appear to be a parent/sister company of ACI.  

Last updated: 1st Feb 2021
Start date: 29 May 2015
Date of default: 21 July 2016

I called them as I originally thought the debt was statutory barred (I live in Scotland)

the agent on the phone said because I had paid one instalment this was not the case and I also believe it would be statutory barred on the 21st July 2021 upon further reflection.

went through my reports and saved copies of my reports from through the years and not once on any of them has the account itself been reported on my file until this default was added at the start of Feb this year.  

called them back and they said it was a continuation of a previous default however I never let on that this had never been recorded.

searched the internet for a partial settlement offer letter template and inserted my details and my offer of £190 and e-mailed it back off to them on the 5th March.

I also asked them the following questions as per advice/template:

confirm that you agree that you or any associate company can take no further action against myself to enforce or collect this debt and that I will be released from all liability?

confirm that you will also mark my credit reference agency file to show that you have accepted the above amount as the full and final settlement and that the account is closed and paid?

They replied via my old e-mail address on the 15th March and said they are able to accept my settlement offer. However they did not mention or confirm any of the questions I had asked in the e-mail.

I replied on the same day, with the same questions, stating that once confirmed I was able to pay the partial settlement figure right away. I never received a response to that e-mail.

On the 16th March, I received another e-mail from them this time stating 

"Thank you for your recent email and offer of settlement. Your available settlement is £325.88. This offer is available for 30 days."

 Of course, they had already stated in the previous e-mail they are able to accept my partial settlement offer, I replied with that and attached a copy of the e-mail they had sent me just a day previous.

On the 18th March they replied stating "Thank you for your recent email. We can confirm we have accepted the settlement for £190.00 however the payment will need to be paid on or before 31st March 2021.Please note, if we do not receive the payment your account you will receive communications."

Once again, they did not answer my two questions. replied once again stating that once they confirmed the information in my questions that I would make the partial settlement payment right away once done.

received a reply a day later on the 19th with what I'd describe as a very vague response. 

"We write in response to your recent email. To make the payment for £190.00 please either visit the online portal by using the link below or please contact the office on ___.Once the account has been paid at the settlement offer, we will look to update your credit report as a true reflection, and it will show as partially satisfied." 

 

replied to this, once again asking them to confirm what I had asked and I have yet to receive a response to the failure to confirm that they can take no further action against me to enforce or collect this debt - completely ignored that question. And the wording of the updating my credit file is vague and confirms nothing with the "we will look to".  

I have tried calling, only to be placed on hold several times for 10 minutes plus, at which point I had to hang up because I'm working or something has come up.  I have also e-mailed them back this morning, once again asking for confirmation of the above and yet to receive a reply.

 

I am currently drafting up a letter to send recorded delivery, however looking through previous posts about this company on this forum they seem prone to ignoring letters. They also ask you to send them letters to a PO Box address in Blythe, where as there is another address for a Blackpool office.

 

I suspect for them to actually receive this letter that I'd need to send to the Blackpool office as that seems to be their main location.

I suspect they regret accepting my settlement offer and are just holding out for whatever reason.

 

I am unsure of my next steps, if someone can point me in the right direction, that would be appreciated.

[dx100uk]

please stop ringing and emailing these fleecers.

 

they are debt buyers and bought your old PDL for less than 15p=£1 and are now chasing you for the whole balance.

the default will remain on your file paid or not, paying or not until its 6th b'day when the whole account will be removed.

 

the fact that you are in scotland means the debt will be extinguished, dead gone parrot 21/7/21, so only a few months to go.

you go pay anything toward this, it will reset that for another 5yrs. and they will demand the rest.

 

the original creditor would have defaulted you on or before sale, nothing to do with ACI 

[JessePinkman]

Thanks dx,

 

I managed to arrange a payment with them based on the 15p=£1 and got it sorted and my credit file is now all updated and it has been removed.

[dx100uk]

why did you pay it? 

you need to be very careful here as you've reset the SB date and someone could go after the rest now for 5yrs.

just remember a DCA is NOT a bailiff

and have

zero legal powers on any debt no matter what its type

 

sorry but i worry you've got had here.

 

dx

 

[BankFodder]

open

[JessePinkman]

Just wanted to provide an update on this.

Nobody is chasing me at all or will be, and my credit file is correct as it should be.

The debt is gone and all is good. 

No reason to worry I've been had!