Preparing letters today. I note the helpful form fields PDF on the linked thread, and that a part about the CPUTR has been added. For my own info / understanding, can I ask what this is? Also just to check: I am sending CCA to Hoist Finance UK Holdings 3 Limited, whose address in Salford I have found via Companies House, and returning the reply form downloaded from this site and completed as per linked instructions to Howard Cohen. All correct?

Letter dated 27th Sep, arrived today. Reading around, it seems if they start a claim before the end of the limitation period (January), the debt will not become statute barred at any point. I don't know when in January and not sure how to find out. Is there any mileage in checking the box that says I need time for advice first? The document 'PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL FOR DEBT CLAIMS Redraft spring 2015' from the thread linked above seems to suggest this is a good idea. Appreciate this is not what's advised on the thread but wondering if it might help my timelines.

Thank you for merging the threads. I just looked back at my posts and found this thread... had entirely forgotten that we did anything about the 2019 letter of claim. Nothing was ever heard back in response. Two questions - what should I put for the reason why I dispute the debt? And is it better to respond to the promptly or drag out my 30 days? If we get to January without them getting anywhere, can I still claim statute barred status or does their having started this process change things in that respect?

This is regarding an old debt with Lloyds for a credit card (£1547) which has been passed from pillar to post over recent years. I first posted about this on this forum in 2016 - followed the advice received, and since then nothing significant has happened. At that time, on the advice of Stepchange, my partner was making token payments to it. These stopped in January 2017. The default is no longer showing on the credit report - but my understanding is that if the last token payment was made in January 2017, the debt will not become statute barred until January 2023. Is this correct? Today I have received a 'Letter of Claim' from the above solicitors. It states it is being sent in accordance with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims and contains a reply form and financial statement. Looking back through our file of paperwork, it appears we received the exact letter from the same people in 2019 which led to nothing. Based on my memory of the excellent advice I received here last time a debt collector came calling (we ended up in court and the judge dismissed their claim), my reaction was to file this letter away and wait to see if they actually issue proceedings. But it has been so long that I wanted to check that this is the correct course of action. Grateful, as ever, for any help received.

Looking for Hoist's address on the FCA register as advised... I can only find one (in Salford, for Hoist Finance UK limited). It's not the exact name that is on the letter (Hoist Finance UK holdings 3 limited). Companies House website is showing the latter at the same address as the former so I'm hoping that's ok... I'm mostly posting here for a record of when the responses were sent. Will be tomorrow, 29th July.

Thank you Dx. I'll update when I hear back.

sometime 2016 I believe. Definitely within the 6 years.

I hope I'm posting in the right place. Following a legal success earlier this year with respect to a similar debt, here I am again. Letter of claim received today from Howard Cohen, acting on behalf of Hoist Finance UK Holdings 3 limited. I'm not familiar with either company. The original debt was with Lloyds, it was actually my partner not me, originally taken out in 2012. He later got into financial difficulties, step change got involved and then things got confusing from there. He was not made aware that by making minimal payments with stepchange, the account would end up in default, but obviously it did. We sent a CCA to Lloyds at that time (2016) - never received a response. The account was later sold on to Robinson Way. I suppose they must have sold it on again to this Hoist Finance. According to today's letter it was legally assigned to them in November last year. What are my first steps? If it's a CCA, who should I send it to? And I seem to remember that we must reply to the form enclosed with the letter of claim - can anyone confirm?

Have done so today. Our most sincere thanks once again. WRT the costs the judge awarded... I don't suppose it will be so easy as to just await a cheque in the post?

Hi Andy... Do you know if it's possible to do a regular donation without paypal? A link to where I can do this would be great, as it seems to be prompting me to use paypal (which I hate... but I can do. Just need to remember / reset my password).

Well, it's over. And we won! Claim dismissed!!! I sadly could not be there myself but my partner reports that the judge was highly unimpressed that they sent a different solicitor to the one who prepared the ws. He said the ws was full of errors and he was unable to question him properly as he hadn't prepared the ws himself. He was similarly unimpressed about the dates discrepancy, lack of proper default notice and the absence of the deed of assignment. He awarded my partner £80 costs for the day. Thank you so much Andy and Dx and everyone else who's helped and advised. Your patience and willingness to share your knowledge is astounding. I will be setting up a small regular donation - just need to get my paypal account sorted.

Well the court hearing is tomorrow. I think we're all ready. We've got all the documents in order. Any last words of wisdom? Whatever the outcome, I am grateful for the help and advice received here and I'll certainly update afterwards.

so send skeleton argument as is or not bother even to do that?

Sorry to keep asking... today is my last opportunity to post something for arrival 3 days in advance so would really appreciate some guidance on the above if anyone can help.

Hello and Happy New Year! So the new trial date is next wednesday, 23rd. As things were left, I had sent the skeleton argument to the court, but not to Lowell. AFTER I sent it, Dx pointed out the discrepancy in dates on the various documents described in the post above, so this is NOT highlighted in the skeleton argument. What is best to do? 1) send the SA as is to Lowell and be prepared to point out to the judge on the day the discrepancy in dates 2) update the SA and send new copies to both court & Lowell with discrepancy pointed out. I am leaning towards 1) as 2) surely gives them the chance to claim admin error and produce 'the correct' document? Or is the another option that I'm missing? Thanks in advance to all.

The 2010 date appears on other documents also though - the statements from very most significantly so, as well as various letters. In fact there is nothing, apart from the reconstituted credit agreement, that uses the 2013 date.

God, I really am **** at this redacting / uploading business. Will correct my errors, AGAIN! But the gist of things as it stands, (I think) is that thanks to Dx's eye for the detail which is considerably keener than my own, things are looking brighter? It would seem that judging from the paperwork they have presented that either : a) my partner took out the account in 2010 but there is no credit agreement to document the terms or indeed make any debt enforceable OR b) he took out an account in 2013 (as per the agreement which has been reproduced many times) but there is no evidence as to purchases made / payments / balance etc etc. In likelihood, the account is from 2010 and the 2013 agreement has been copied from elsewhere? In any case, the procedure hasn't been correctly followed for NoA and DN either. Have I got that right? In light of the delay to the trial date, I have not sent my skeleton argument to Lowell today. I assume that was the right thing to do? Can do so nearer the new date, which is still TBC. As it stands, the dates discrepancy is not highlighted anywhere on my WS or skeleton argument. Am I right in thinking that ideally we would not bring this to their attention prior to the trial date because what is stopping them simply fabricating a new document? Evidently they have not noticed that the dates don't match. If so is this something we will have a chance to bring up on the day? Or should I be thinking about some further supplementary WS / addition to skeleton argument in light of the extra time available and this new development? Thanks so much as always, for your patience with my questions. I wish I could buy you all a drink.

In a further unrelated update, our court date has been postponed due to overbooking. So it will no longer be on Monday, they've said most likely December. Don't know whether that is good or bad news at this point

I will scan up docs right now but in the meantime, I've checked the date on the agreement they've exhibited and it's the same as the one posted up above. However, the very statement says opened 2010? NB if you recall the beginning of this, it is my partners account and all this happened long before we ever met. However it was my bright idea avoid mindlessly paying DCs once it got to that stage. And now here we are... I will have to ask him if he recalls. The statement says it only includes transactions for the last 6 years, which I assume is why it goes back only to 2013? As above, I don't know. I don't think so though, he's never mentioned this. Will check and update if I'm wrong. . Will double check everything this morning. I have previously checked account numbers and not noticed anything amiss. However the discrepancy with dates as above had escaped me. I'll get on it and update... Here's their first exhibit (CH1). Contains credit agreement, t&cs and 'all about your very' document. Credit agreement 'signed' 07/08/2013. I have checked this against the copy provided by Shop Direct themselves in response to SAR (same date) and the CCA request I sent them back in 2016 when this all first came to light. From that we got a letter which stated the account was opened in Jan 2010 however the accompanying agreement also has the date 07/08/2013. As to what has been sent by Lowell in response to CCA and CPR, both of these are also showing the date 07/08/2013. I am kicking myself for missing this beforehand.... or have I inadvertently done myself a favour, in that it will be too late for them to go back and change the dates on this clearly fabricated paperwork so they match up? Crossing my fingers it's the latter... One question. I can't see account numbers anywhere on this agreement. Have I missed them or is that normal? Will get on with the rest of the exhibits now... Exhibit CH2 is the statement I uploaded yesterday, repeated here for ease of reference. Account number matches that on the claim form. States date opened 31/01/2010. Last one. Exhibit CH3 is the screen shot DN. It's the same as previous copies we've received and the stated account number matches. Exhibit CH4 is the reconstituted NoA and another letter introducing lowell. These account numbers match up too. Exhibit CH5 is various other letters. The first one of which states that the account was taken out on 30/01/2010. Well, there are no credit agreements, reconstituted or otherwise that reflect that date. I've been through everything now and I'm quite sure. So, in summary: Particulars of claim, very statement and letters referring to the alleged debt including those from Shop Direct themselves all state the account was taken out on 30/01/2010. However, the reconstituted agreement provided at numerous stages along the way (CCA from Shop Direct, SAR from Shop Direct, CCA from Lowell, CPR from Lowell, Disclosures with the WS) all show 07/08/13 as the date it was 'signed'. Claimants WS.pdf

My earlier question then... is it too late for that now or should I be considering accepting their offer? Thanks to all for help & support today.

Yes, a while back. See post 73 from me on this thread. At post 80 you advised.. 'Its really your choice if you can deal with the hassle and taking a gamble...but from past experience Lowell Cat claims are very rarely proceeded to trial and normally end up discontinued after exchange of statements and disclosures ...but we cant guarantee molly. Probably prudent to decide if they pay the hearing fee and they actually serve you with their statement/evidence.' Well they only served the documents last Friday (postmarked the day before). Found out that they paid the hearing fee yesterday. The Tomlin thing itself had a 14 day expiration on it which will obviously have long since lapsed. It was for £2k at £20 pcm repayments.

I guess I can only hope so. I have no real idea of what a skeleton argument should be. I only had time to read one previous thread which you advised on and I thought it was quite similar in style and content. But obviously one thread is insufficient research, this is what I mean about being rushed. Oh well. Is it too late for the Tomlin Order now?

If they had not sent their WS five days late, I would have had more time to get my skeleton argument together after all. Hopefully that will count for something if it comes down to them complaining about dates. Did you think it was alright in the end? Felt very rushed and stressed, wish I had had more time.

If I post it tomorrow, it could be there on Friday? Or better to email do you think?

Could anyone from the site team let me know if there's a way to edit posts? I've noticed I've got identifying info on the post at 11.13 today. I was stressed and rushing and must have posted the non-redacted version in. I have reported it in case there's no way to edit myself...