That's great advice thank you. I'll do that for her asap. I just wish she had told me sooner so she wasn't so upset over it all. As for Step Change I don't think they're as impartial as they like to make out on the phone but that's a whole other gripe.

She did have a Barclays bank account back then yes but moved banks in the early 90's. The £6951 barclaycard one is now with Link Financial and the most recent letter regarding that amount came from them. The £1085 was being collected by Central Debt Collection Services until the recent letter from Barclays saying she still owes this amount. I've told her what you've said there about not ever speaking on the phone.

Sorry being a bit dim tonight what is od? The Barclaycard was my aunties which she had in the lates 80's she thinks 1987. She obviously no longer has it or any credit cards. I've just spoke to her on the phone. She says she never had an overdraft with Barclays just the card.

Maybe that's why it was "split in two" then? I wonder if one was an overdraft or something. She says the £6961 one is definitely Barclaycard.

There's no 16 digit number on either letter. On the recent Barclays one there is a sort code and the last 4 numbers of an account number with **** in front. I don't think she would be able to tell after all these years if those were her details as she hasn't banked with them in donkeys years.

Thank you. Should she stop paying now or wait until they can't provide the signed agreement? I don't understand how it's split in two either and tbh neither does she. All she can tell me is that it was her Barclaycard but it was such a long time ago she can't remember the details.

Hi I'm looking for some advice so I can assist my elderly auntie with some recent letters she has received that have got her worried and upset. She gets a bit confused so here's the details as best as she can remember them. She defaulted on her Barclaycard back in the late 1980's she says possibly 1987. This debt seems to of been split between two dca's. The first one is Central Debt Collection Services based in Manchester. The last correspondence she had with them was 2012 and she has been paying them £1 a month by standing order ever since. At the end of October Barclays sent her a letter asking for new income and expenditure information. This was followed up by them in early November with a letter from their collections and recovery team saying that her outstanding balance was £1085 and asking her to contact them if she has any queries. The second letter came from Link Financial also in early October saying that her account was due for an "affordability review". She has been paying them £2 a month also by standing order and prior to this letter the last correspondence from them was also in 2012. The outstanding balance to Link now stands at £6951. She also has some arrears on the electric which she pays £20 a month on but she hasn't had any problems with them. In a panic she contacted Step Change and she completed an income and expenditure form with them but it's not correct. She has underestimated her outgoings, for instance she has put £10.50 a month for gas as she based this on summer usage and she was trying to make her outgoings look smaller to Step Change. They also have her income higher than what it actually is for some inexplicable reason and have her disposable income as being £170 a month and want her to use this to pay off the debts. It is not £170, she's a pensioner not Bill Gates. Step Change have also frightened her on the phone asking her had she considered selling her house and moving into a flat or releasing equity in her house. She has a very small 2 up 2 down which she's lived in all her adult life and has no mortgage. They've spoken to her about the possibility of Barclays making a charging order against her house which left her crying. As far as she is aware she doesn't have a CCJ. They also told her to cancel her 2 standing orders which she did. To say I'm livid is an understatement. Step Change are calling her back after Christmas to see if she wants to go ahead with a DMP with them. I've promised her I will help her sort this out without them. I only found out about all this a few days ago so what should be the first step to sort this out please?

Not moved in over 15 years.

Searched that site. Says nothing registered after a full search. Totally baffled.

What does that mean?

The letter is from the county court? No mention on high court?

Just rang the court and was put through to the enforcement officer concerned. He said he didn't know what it was about other than I have to appear before the court next month. I told him I couldn't attend on the date he had as I was working but would attend on an alternative date. Also told him I wasn't happy the letter wasn't in an envelope as it had caused upset to my son who found it before I got home. He said he will look into it further and try and find out what it is regarding and I am to ring him back on Wednesday on my day off when he will hopefully have more information. In his own words he is "only the postman". So fed up I could scream.

Ok will do that thank you.

Yes it does have the name of the local court at the top of the letter. I have no idea what it's about that's why its thrown me.

Came home from work late last night to a letter, not in an envelope which appears to be from a local county court enforcement officer. It states I have failed to return a statement of means form. Not had one. It also states that I have three working days to attend the court to fill it in or return said paperwork. His name and phone number are on the bottom. No paperwork has been left and I have no idea what it is about. Advice on how to proceed would be gratefully appreciated please. Just when you think you're getting straight with things something else pops up to bite you on the bum!