Well, I've just finished typing up the story so far on my website, and it's time to make all the letters received and sent publicly available and searchable. Hopefully, this will help others who are being threatened by these fools. All comments welcome. The site is here: grke Enjoy! P.S. The client did agree to increase the small amount of compensation offered. I ended up getting almost the amount that was being demanded of me.

I should say that I would never have had the confidence to do it without the help of this very forum.

Hello, I've been receiving threats from Buchanan Clark and Wells over an alleged debt for the last four months or so. I was not liable. I ended up writing a letter of complaint to their client, who have told me that they will pay me a small figure in compensation. I think that this small figure is not enough (it's rather desultory, actually), and have written further letters to both companies. When it's over, I shall post some of my letters here. Have some of that!

Long time, no update... After the last letter from Worst Credit, I heard nothing for a long time. I visited my friend's house at the beginning of September (ish), and his dad said that there was a letter for me. Indeed there was, from Demon - a bill for 19.99! I was quite astonished that, after everything and having told them several times, they were still sending things to the wrong address. I'm guessing that Worst Credit went back to Demon, and Demon eventually decided that I didn't owe them for more than a year's service, but actually owed them for a month (though I don't). So I got removed from Worst Credit's systems, and Demon's fantastic billing system started billing my old (I've moved 4 times since then) address again. I moved again in October. They're not getting my new address. I guess they'll start sending their threats to my old old old old address again, when I don't pay their 19.99.

They have stopped calling me, but they admitted to still having my number saved somewhere even after saying that they had removed it. So, are you saying that this is enough for me to cause them a major headache? What is the Information Commissioners Office? (by the way, thank you to everybody who has replied in this thread)

Sorry - what do you mean by this? What does a Data Controller do?

Point taken, though it is my mobile number that they have, and I've had the same number for many years - so I'd rather keep it. They haven't called for ages, but the knowledge that they still have the number niggles at me.

Hello! A while ago, I sent a letter complaining of telephone harassment to a DCA. I asked them to remove my telephone number from their system. They responded, in writing, by saying (amongst other things): "As per your request, we have removed your telephone number. However, we reserve the right in the future to contact you by telephone in the event of non-communication on your part." In my reply to this, I questioned how they could contact me by telephone if they had removed it from their systems. The latest letter from them included this: "We have removed your telephone number from our main screen. However, it is still held on our system and cannot be removed entirely as it is an audit requirement." To me, that sounds like nonsense. Has anybody else come across something like this? Can I demand that they remove it entirely?

I got a letter from 1st Credit today. It seems to be a reply to the one I sent before last, and it is written by a person - not an automated mail. "Thank you for your letter of the 20th May 2008. We have previously advised that our client informed us they were not aware of any dispute and that the amount remains outstanding. I note you are still stating that the account is in dispute. I also note that you are dealing with Demon directly and we have contacted them in this regard. In relation to the outstanding amount, we are acting on information provided by our client and have also asked for their comments. We have removed your telephone number from our main screen. However, it is still held on our system and cannot be removed entirely as it is an audit requirement." They haven't previously advised me that their client wasn't aware that the account is in dispute. Anyway. What next? I seriously doubt whether Demon are going to reply to my last letter (sent two months ago and I have the proof of delivery), in which I asked for their complaints procedure and also asked them to drop the alleged debt. Can I interpret their non-reply as meaning that they've dropped it? Maybe I should S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) Demon, as it might put me in a stronger position. Is there anything I can do to demand that 1st Credit remove the telephone number properly? After all, they did say, "we have removed your telephone number".

I've already sent a very similar letter to them, but they've just sent me the '7 days' letter above. I'm thinking of sending something like the below, and informing as many authorities as I can google. What do you think? I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY DESPITE PREVIOUS LETTERS, YOU HAVE ONCE MORE ATTEMPTED TO COLLECT ON AN ACCOUNT THAT IS IN DISPUTE. I HAVE NOW INFORMED THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES. Edit: Then again, I didn't ask them to prove the debt, so I think I'll go with a modified version of your suggestion. Thanks.

Anybody? And should I do anything about the letter from 1st Credit, or should I just ignore it?

Aha! Got another letter from 1st Credit today! It goes like this... Can anybody here answer my question from the previous post?

Hello, It occurs to me that 1st Credit have never proved to me that the alleged debt is mine. I know that this particular case is not covered by the CCA, but if I wanted to demand proof from 1st Credit, how would I do it? Incidentally, for those interested, Demon haven't yet replied to my last letter to them, sent 22/04/2008 - more than a month.

Ta. If they do ever call me again, I am going to go to town on reporting them to all the authorities.

I tell a lie. I will add this to the letter: "As per your request, we have removed your telephone number. However, we reserve the right in the future to contact you by telephone in the event of non-communication on your part." This paragraph is contradictory. You say that you have removed my telephone number, but you may telephone me in the future. If you have removed it, you will not be able to telephone me. This inconsistency will also be noted in case of further breaches of the Protection From Harassment Act 1997, the Administration Of Justice Act 1970, s40, and the Communications Act 2003, s127.