Being chased for a mysterious debt in the UK

I hope this is ther right place to post

About 5 years ago we left England for Ireland. As far as we were aware we had paid off all our debts and thought nothing of it. We gave our inlaws address in NI as a contact for final statements etc as we were initially living in temporary accommodation. Once settled here, we received bit of corresspondance via the NI address but after about 6 months they all stopped. About a year ago our inlaws received a letter addressed to my spouse from debt collectors on behalf of SKY TV saying we owed them £22 with all the usual threats. My mother in law rang them and said we did not live at the address but refused to give them our Irish address. We then emailed the company to say as far as we were concerned chasing us for debt we do not believe we owe after 4 years is ridiculous but if they would email us a breakdown of the debt we would check against our own records. They said they can only send that to our new address which we have refused to give them. Letters intermittently went to the NI address which were returned to sender but my mother in law however they are continuing to write to that address and are now threatening to send a collector to the door. My mother in law says she feels she has no option to give them our address. I can see her point, but I would not like to think that this could screw up our credit here. Myself I am tempted to just send the money but my spouse is reluctant

Has anyone been in a similar position. How much legal strength would this company have over us in the ROI if we did give them an address, especially considering they have effectively refused to provide us with how this figure has been arrived, and waited 4 years to act on it. We have never had an credit problems in the past so am worrying that this could snowball into a mess.

Strange Debt UK

A couple of things spring to mind - Have you?
(a) Requested that they fax/email the debt details to you? (b) Considered exactly why you don't want them to have your ROI address? It is only STG22 we're talking about here after all, and for the amount of hassle your MIL is receiving I would consider giving them your current address a small courtesy to your relative! (c) Contacted the local civil court in the area you previously lived to see if there is an actual judgement registered against you at your MIL address. (d) Kept copies of ALL correspondence to your MIL for record and documented the timescale that it took for Sky to contact you.

Re: Strange Debt UK

Yes we have asked for details by email which they refuse and say they will only post it to us in the Republic.

I guess I just want to give out my address to someone I don't know for a debt I don't believe we have. We have everything from leaving the UK to date and the debt collection agency came right out of the blue, especially considering we have Sky here as well in the same name.!

Personally I am just tempted to send the cash and have done with it, I am not familiar with how debt collection people work having always paid things on time and I was just a bit worried about possible repercussion, such as if we gave them out address here could they register it with ICB anyway as a default even if it was occured in the UK

Re: Strange Debt UK

If you're pretty sure that the debt is not yours then you have little to lose by getting in direct potal communication with them. If they are wrong just write to them telling them so and ignore it from then on. If they are correct then just pay up and there should be no adverse implications for your credit history as far as I know.

Re: Strange Debt UK

I can see your point about giving out your address, even if it does seem slightly illogical to others here. I would be reluctant to give out my address to a company that isn't willing to fax or email you the details.

You could get a PO Box for a short period of time.

Your MIL should write "Not known at this Address" and return all mail to sender. If a collector arrives tell them you don't live there.

I have heard of people being landed with Debt's from SKY and NTL based on previous occupants of the house etc. I also had a note through my letter box from SKY once to tell me they'd be round later that week to connect me up, I didn't have a TV so I was a bit surprised, it turned out they were meant to be connecting someone else entirely.

Mistakes happen and this probably was one, but I don't think I'd give any ground on handing out my address to a company that isn't willing to fax or email me.

Consumers are bullied enough by large companies.

-Rd

Re: Strange Debt UK

I saw a programme on one of the UK channels (Ch 4, I think) about the companies that levy parking fines and congestion charges. They are very poorly run outfits. They also are very quick to pass on to the debt collectors, even where they are clearly in the wrong. It is not uncommon for the balifis to be banging on the door of some one who does not even own a car.

I dont think things are as bad as this in ROI (yet) but I would share the questioners concern about letting these outfits have your home address.

ajapale

Re: Strange Debt UK

Thanks for all the replies, I am fortunate to be pretty clueless about debt collection stuff!

Glad to know others share my reservations about giving out my new address to a third party for no apparent reason. While my spouse is of the " just ignore them" attitude I have decided to just use some of the spare Sterling money we have lying in drawers and pay them, it's what 30 euro or so, I could spend that on a round of drinks! It just doesn't seem worth the hassle of communicating with them