I received a CCJ claim form with issue date 5th January 2015 earlier this month. It is for an amount of £575.26 and is owed to "Shop Direct Finance Company" for a catalogue account opened in 2008. I have managed to find an old debt letter that I had kept which states the credit agreement date was the 19th October 2008.
Shortly after taking the credit agreement out - and ordering items to the credit limit - I lost my job and as such I was unable to pay the debt back. In fact upon inspection it would appear that I made no payments whatsoever or any written communication to the debtor accepting the debt at all.
I foolishly buried my head in the sand and ignored the debt and despite the odd debt letter here & there I heard nothing until this CCJ claim form came through a few weeks ago.
I have spoken to the National Debtline / Stepchange who have both informed me that the debt could possibly be statute barred due to the fact that payment / communication hasn't been made in over six years.
However upon further reading on the internet I have since read that the six year period could actually either be from the "default" date OR somebody else told me that it could be from the date of the last order I placed with the company. If it is the "default" date, the account wasn't defaulted until the 18th of May 2009 according to my credit file.
I have submitted an acknowledgment of service to give me 14 days extra in which to decide if I wish to defend this claim.
My query is quite simply when does the statute barred period begin? Am I covered under the limitations act or does it look like I will have to accept the debt and pay up?
Shortly after taking the credit agreement out - and ordering items to the credit limit - I lost my job and as such I was unable to pay the debt back. In fact upon inspection it would appear that I made no payments whatsoever or any written communication to the debtor accepting the debt at all.
I foolishly buried my head in the sand and ignored the debt and despite the odd debt letter here & there I heard nothing until this CCJ claim form came through a few weeks ago.
I have spoken to the National Debtline / Stepchange who have both informed me that the debt could possibly be statute barred due to the fact that payment / communication hasn't been made in over six years.
However upon further reading on the internet I have since read that the six year period could actually either be from the "default" date OR somebody else told me that it could be from the date of the last order I placed with the company. If it is the "default" date, the account wasn't defaulted until the 18th of May 2009 according to my credit file.
I have submitted an acknowledgment of service to give me 14 days extra in which to decide if I wish to defend this claim.
My query is quite simply when does the statute barred period begin? Am I covered under the limitations act or does it look like I will have to accept the debt and pay up?
CCJ, When does the Statute Barred period begin?
