letterfrom mackenziehall (help please)

[laineys]

i received a letter today from mackenziehall saying i owe 1stcredit ltd(citifinancial)2841.74 . i didnt know this company but my friend said they used to be called the associates then i remembered i did know then it had been that long ago about 6 years i had forgotten . this company saidin its letter that i could pay them a reduced settlement payment of �2273.39 and that ive got until 22/7/06 to pay and if i dont they have no alternativebut to proceed with 1/an application may be made to your current employer for attachment of earnings. 2/an officer of the court to seize my assets. 3/a petition may be lodged for your bankruptcy. im worried sick my boyfriend has just had my name put on his house about 6 weeks ago he dosnt know anything about this it was my past can these people do this . why havnt they gone for a ccj at least the courts can see what money is coming into the house im really worried .i tried to phone these people today but to no aveil my friend said it was a good job she said shes heard a lot of bad things about this mackenziehall and that i shold seek advice because its 6 years i dont know what she means i tried to phone c.a.b. but noone answered the phone i was trying for hours i dont know what else to do thats why ive contacted you . what can these people do to me

[tim2969]

URGENT URGENT

Ask them to supply you with a copy of the original application as part of a request for all documentation in accordance with section 7 of the 1998 data protection act.

[themas]

If it is more than 6 years since you last did anything which could be interpreted as acknowledging the debt (such as making a payment, or agreeing to make one, or agreeing that you owe the money) then legally they can't do anything unless they have already got a ccj within the 6 year period.

They cannot do the first 2 things they are threatening you with without first getting a ccj and you defaulting on the terms of it. They can't do the third thing (make you bankrupt) without first issuing a statutory demand to you. This is very unusual because it costs them a lot of money to make you bankrupt. Their letter is probably a bullying threatening bluff.

You need to get independent free advice - CAB, or CCCS. Also, try to find out as much as you can about when the debt was incurred and when you last had contact about it.